One of the oldest customs in the navy and one that is often
puzzling to the landsman is that of “saluting the quarter-deck.”
Many have the hazy idea that the national colors are its object
and that it is merely a naval fad. While to a certain extent
it is a fad, it is one of hoary antiquity, being a survival of
the days when a crucifix was placed on the stern of a ship and
was always saluted as a matter of course. When the crucifix was
taken away the old feeling still remained, and men continued
to salute the place where it had been. The younger generation
imitated their elders, and the salute became a habit and
continues until this day, (Text.)
(3266)