What is known is that as time went on where this was practiced, it became traditional for the ships themselves to start firing off 21 shots as well, perhaps due to the ships becoming larger and being equipped with more guns, with the captains ostensibly preferring a 1 to 1 salute. However, the shore bound guns fired three rounds for every one fired by the incoming ships, putting the total number of shots fired at twenty-one in these cases.Īs with the “7” number, it’s not known precisely why in the regions that used this number scheme that they chose a 3 to 1 ratio. Whatever the underlying reason, the guns onshore would return fire as a form of welcome once the incoming ship finished firing the seven rounds. In fact, for a time it was common to use an even number of shots to signify the death of a ship captain when returning from the voyage the death occurred on. Yet another theory stems from the pervasive superstitious nature of sailors combined with the historic notion in certain regions that the number 7 is sacred, and that odd numbers are lucky and even unlucky. Traditionally, ships discharged their guns upon approaching a harbor to show that they were unarmed. So it has been theorized that the number could have been chosen in reference to its Biblical significance, perhaps of resting with the ship coming to port after a long journey. After creating the world, the Bible states that God rested on the seventh day (or for the seventh “event”- there is some debate over the “day” vs.
Ships carried enough gunpowder and ammunition to reload multiple times, but beyond symbolism, the idea here was that the lengthy process of reloading would allow the soldiers onshore more than enough time to disable the ship with their own weapons if needs be.Īnother proposed theory for the number seven relates to the Bible. One theory states that the majority of the British ships at this point only carried seven guns and so firing seven shots became the standard to signal those on shore that the ship was now unarmed. The reason for the seven shots is widely debated to this day. Traditionally when a British ship entered into a foreign port, it would fire its guns seven times. If the salutes are fired from the City of London then an extra 21 is added, said to be a sign of loyalty from the citizens of the City.įor example, if it is a Royal occasion such as a birth, ascension or coronation, marked by gun salutes from the Tower of London, then 62 rounds are fired – 41 because it is a Royal occasion marked from the Tower and 21 extra for the City of London.Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. The order with the instructions stating that 41 salutes was correct when fired from a Royal Park or the Tower of London came out in 1831. This was ordered by the Board of Ordnance, a governing body in the Tudor period, in 1827. If the salute is fired from a Royal Park or a Royal fortress then 20 rounds are added – making it a 41-gun salute. The number of gun salutes varies depending on location, with more salutes added to the standard 21, depending on where the saluting is taking place. Hence the origins of the standard 21-gun salute. To welcome the incoming ship, the guns in the harbour would then fire three shots for every shot fired by the ship – three times seven – making it 21 shots. So, coming into foreign harbours they would fire seven times, signalling that their ship was now unarmed and came in peace. The theory as to why the number is 21, in particular, dates back to the early days of sail when the tradition began.Īccording to one theory, British ships in the 15th Century would have seven guns on board.
Twenty-one is the most common number of gun salutes.
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