'A formal 21-gun salute'

 

One wonders if it took 10 days to notice the error, 10 days to track down the relevant information or 10 days to convince the writer that there really, really is a difference.

True, the three rifle volleys is not a "formal 21-gun salute" (or a 19-gun salute, or a 17-gun salute, or any of the other specified numbers), but that's because it's not a cannon salute -- not because it isn't "formal" (which, you'd like to think someone attending the funeral would have noticed, it is). None of which is any harder to look up now than it was 10 days ago. If it's too late for that prophylactic step, sometimes the best course is just to admit that you screwed up and be done with it.