(1) Unless otherwise directed by the Chief of the Naval Staff salutes shall be fired by all ships except destroyers, commanded by a Captain or Commander and carrying four or more Q. F. guns of the same nature, suitably placed, or provided with a saluting armament of light Q.F. guns. Ships in the Reserve Fleet, however, that would otherwise be regarded as saluting ships shall, generally, be considered non-saluting ship while in Reserve.
(2) In cases where, from any special circumstances, omission to fire a salute to a foreign power or officer cannot be explained without causing offence the salute shall be fired by any ship which can possibly do so with safety, whether authorized to fire salutes by sub-regulation
(1) or not.