SIFFLEMENT, Fr. Literally means the noise of a whistle. It is used to express the sound which a ball or bullet makes when it cuts the air; as sifflement des armes à feu. The whistling or whizzing noise of fire arms.
SIES or SHIAS, Ind. A tribe of people in the N. West of India.
SIFFLET, Fr. A whistle. The French make use of the whistle on board their ships in the same manner as we do. It answers the same purpose at sea, that the drum and trumpet do on shore. The boatswain’s whistle pipes all hands up, as occasion requires in a ship: and the drum and trumpet collect troops together, in camp, garrison, or elsewhere.
SIG, an old Saxon word, importing victory.
SIGHT, (La Mire, Fr.) a small piece of brass or iron which is fixed near to the muzzle of a musquet or pistol, to serve as a point of direction, and to assist the eye in levelling.
SIGN, a sensible mark or character, denoting something absent or invisible. As the trace of a foot, the hand-writing or mark of a man; also the subscription of one’s name.
Sign Manual. The king’s signature is so called. All commissions in the regular army of Great Britain, army warrants, &c. bear the sign manual. The appointments of officers in the volunteers have been so distinguished during the present war. Adjutants only in the militia have their commissions signed by the king; those of the field officers, captains, and subalterns, &c. are signed by the lords lieutenants of counties, or by their deputies for the time being, sanctioned by a previous intimation from the secretary of state, that the king does not disapprove of the names which have been laid before him.
SIGNAL, (Signal, Fr.) Any sign made by sea or land, for sailing, marching, fighting, &c. Signals are likewise given by the short and long rolls of the drum, during the exercise of a battalion.
SIGNAL, in the art of war, a certain sign agreed upon for the conveying intelligence, where the voice cannot reach. Signals are frequently given for the beginning of a battle, or an attack, usually with drums and trumpets, and sometimes with sky-rockets, &c.
Signal of attack or assault, (Signal d’une attaque, ou d’un assaut, Fr.) This signal may be given in various ways. By the discharge of a lighted shell, by sky-rockets, by colors displayed from a conspicuous spot, &c. In 1747 marshal Lowendal made use of lighted shells or bombs, when he laid siege to the town of Bergen-op-zoom. During the consternation of the inhabitants, which was excited by a continual discharge of these signal shells, the grenadiers entered a practicable breach, and took the town by storm.