Nebraska advertiser., 1863-05-21

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such prizes as may have been taken by ships or
vessels intended to be placed under his command
before they have acted under his immediate orders;
nor shall 3 commander of a feet or squadron, leav-
ing The station where he had the command. have
any share 10 the prizes taken by ships left on such
station after he has gone out of the limits of his
said command, nor after he has transferred his com
mand to a successor.
sixth. No officer or other perron who shall have
oeen temporarily absent on duty from the vessel,
on Jae books Of which be continued to be borne
while so absent, shall be deprived in consequence
oil such absence, of any prize money to which he
would otherwise be entitled.
SOC. 4. And be it further enacted, That a bounty
shal De bald by the Unitea States for each person
on board and. ship or vessel of-w belonging to an
enemy at the commencement Of an engagement
which shall be sunk or otherwise DESTROYED in such
engagement by any ship or vessel belonging to the
ohlIed states, or which it may be necessary to des-
troy IN consequence of injuries sustained in action,
OF one hundred dollars, If the enemy's vessel was of
INFERIOR force; and of two hundred dollars, If of equal
OF superior force; to be divided among the officers
ana crew In the same manner as prize money; and
when the actual number of men ON hoard anv sucb
vessel cannot be satisfactorily ascertaiped IL shall
De estimated according to the complement allowed
70 vessels Of their class in the navy of the United
states, and there shall be paid as bounty to the
eaPeoos OF any vessel ct war captured from an enc
my, which they may be instructed to destroy, or
which shall be Immediately DESTROYED for the pub-
ho interest but not in CONSEQUENCE of Injuries re-
ceived IN action, fifty dollars for every person who
shall be on beard at the time of such capture
Secs. And be it further enacted, That the COM
handing officer Of every vessel, or the senior officer
OF all vessels of the navy, which shall capture or
seize upon any vessels as a prize, shall carefully
preserve all the papers and writings found on bound
ana transmit the whole of the originals, unmutilat-
ed, to tho Judge of the district to which such pFize
is ordered to proceed with the necessary witnesses.
and a report of the circumstances attending the can
ture, stating the names Of vessels claiming a share
thereof; and the commanding officer of every vessel
IN the navy entitled TO, or claiming an award of
prize money shall as early as practicable af tho cap
ture. transmit to the Navy Department a complete
list of the officers and men of his vessel entitled to
share, inserting thereon the quality of every person
rating, on pain of f~orfeiting his whole share of the
prize money resulting from such capture and suffer
ing such further punishment as q court martial shall
adjudge.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, that any arm
ed vessel in the service of the United States which
shall make a capture or assist in a capture under
circumstances which would entitle a vessel of the
navy to prize money, shall be entitled to an award
Of prize money in the same manner as if such YES
sci belonged to the navy, and such priz9 money
shall be distributed aad appOrtioned in the same
manner and under the same rules and regulations
as provided for persons in the naval service, and
paid ander the direction Of the Secretary Of the Ma
Wy.
Sec. Z. And be it further enacted. That no person
in the navy shall take out af any prize, or vessel
seizad as a prize, any money, plate, goods or any
part Of her equipment, unless it be for the better
preservation thereof or absolutely necessary for the
use of any Of the vessels or armed forces of the Uni
ted States before the same shall be ~adjudgcd law
full prize by a competent court but the whole, with
out fraud, concealment or ENLIGHTENMENT, shall be
brought in, and judgment passed thereon upon pain
that every person offending herein shall forfeit his
share of the capture, and suffer such further punish
ment as a ceurt-martial shall adjudge.
Sec. s. And be it further enacted, That no per-
son in the navy ehall strip off the clothes, or pillage,
or in any manner maltreat persons taken on board a
prize, on pain of such punishment as q c-ourt-martial
shall adjudge.
Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That all ran
som money, salvage, bounty, or proceeds of forfeit
ure or confscation, accrueing or awarded to any yes
sci of tho navy, shall be distributed and paid to the
officers and men entitled thereto, in the same man
ner as prize money, under the direction of the Sec
rotary of the Navy.
Sec. Ii. And be it further enacted, That any
person entitled to wages or prize money may have
the same pain to his assignee, provided the assign
ment be attested by the captain aud paymaster; and
in case Of the assignment of wages, the power shall
specify the precise time they commence. But the
commander Of every vessel is required to discourage
his drews from selling any part of their wages or
prize money, anu never to attest any power of at
torney. until no is satisfied that the same is not
granted in consideration Of money given for the
purchase of wages or PRIZE msney.
Sec. IL. And be it further enacted That all
money accruing or which has already accrued to the
United States from sale of prizes shall be and re-
main forever a fund for the payment of pensions to
the officers, seamen, and marines who may be emit
tied to receive the same; and if the said fund shall
be insufficient for the purpose, the public faith is
hereby pledged to make up tho deficiency; but if it
should be more than sufficient the surplus shall be
applied to the making of further provision for the
comfort of the disabled officers, seamen, and mar
ines. HE
Sec. IL. And be it further enacted, That the dis
l 49, E A. na-A-I 1.-A-sz e A. n.-k1
the United States, in which any cases of prize are,
or may be depending, shall as soon &c may DO after
the passage of this act, furnish to the Navy Depart
ment a complete list of all the prize cases which
have been determined or may slill be pending.with-
in their respective districts, with a statement Of the
condition Of each in such form and embracing such
particulars as the Secretary of the Navy may re-
vuire and shall as often as once in each month
thereafter, furnish a further statement of the con-
ditiOn of every case in their respective districts,
and of any further proceedings had therein since
their last return.
And the Secretary of the Navy is hereby author
lied to appoHat an agent or to employ counsel when
the oaptors do not empty counsel themselves in any
case in which he may consider it necessary to assist
the district attorneys and protect the interests Of
the captors, with such compensation as he may
think just. and reasonable, And it shall be the duty
of the several marshals of the United States to
furnish to the Navy Department on request, or to
its agent, a full and particular statement of the
disposition of every prize vessel and cargo, in such
form and with such details as the Secretary of the
4 Navy may require. and as often as he may require
the same; and said marsh ais shall also furnish to
the Navy Department or their aforesaid agent, a
full and particular statement of all fees, charges,
and allowances of every description claimed by
them in each case of prize, before the same are a IL
lowed by the court, and no such charges for dis
bursments Of any kind, shall be allowed unless &C
conpanied by the affidavit of the marshal that the
same have been actually and necessarily incurred
in the case; and it shall be the duty OF. the district
attorney to attend on the ettlement and allowance
of all tuch bills and protect the interests Of the
United States and of the captors against any i'm
proper and unlawful claims. And whenever a final
decree of condemnation shall have been made, or
any interlocutory sale has been ordered, the pro-
perty shall be sold by the marshal pursuant to the
practice and proceedings in admiralty, and the gross
proceeds of such sale shall be forthwith deposited
with the assistant treasurer of the the United States
at or nearest to, the place where such sale is made,
and the money so deposited shall remain in the
Treasury of the United States until a final decree
of distribution or until a decree of restitution shall
be made, and a certified copy thereof furnished,
upon which the eOststs Of court and the lawful
charges and expenses shall be paid and the balance
distributed according to. said decree; Provided.
That the annual salaries of districs attorneys, prize
commissioners, and marshals shall in no case be so
increased under the several ats for compensation
in prize so as to exceed, in the aggregate, the follow
ing sums and any balauce beyond the several sums
shall be paid into the Treasury, viz. District at
torneys, six thousand dollars, Hrize commissioners
three thousand dollars. Marshals, six thousand
dollars. Fri
Sac 10 And he IL further enacted- That avery