The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-08

To WHICH OF THE VICToRs BELONG
THE SPons ?-The recent publication of the
amount of prize money allotted to the various
ranking officers OF the navy, has attracted at
tention to the evident injustice which charac-
terizes the basis OF such division. 1t will
be seen that the officers receipts only have
been published, those Of the seamen who con-
stituted the crew not being given. We can
tell, however, the amount given to them by
comparison. The law on the subject pre-
scrbes that the amount of money accruiug
from the capture of prize shall be divided
into three equal parts-one of which goes to the
commander of the squadron, unless the vessel
be on detached service; one to the officers and
crew pro rata to their pay; and the last to
the Government. 1t will be thus seen how
Admiral S. P. LEE, in his delicious berth at
Fortress Monroe, receives 900 for doing
nothing; how PORTER, on the Mississippi,
gets his 100000; while FARRAGUT, wander
ing from port to port, lashed to the masthead
during dangerous engagements, winning honor
at Mobile and being everywhere where danger
threatened and glory could be achieved, gets
lOI LIS oCItlCCo COOJVOO-1 lbOiO bldu
half as much as those who did much less SER
vice and hold much inferior rank. Thus
the glaring injustice OF such division to the
officers themselves will be seen.
1t is even more wrong, however, when the
demands of the sailors and subordinates are
considered. What had Admiral LEE or Ad-
miral PORTER to do with nine-tenths of the
captures made; where would they stands
There is every prospect that they did not see
the fight or know of the arrival Of the prize
in the neighborhood until she was manned by
q United States crew. Yet one-third Of that
prize goes to the Admiral for holding a spy
glass, and ruling with rigor on his own ship.
while the lieutenant and sailors who secured
the vessel, undergo the danger, and risk life
and all that is dear to secure her, receive a
miserable pittance of one-third. The share
which would be allotted to a common sailor
will, if he has undergone all the privations,
be about five hundred dollars, in comparison
with the one hundred thousand dollars OF the
useless, safe Admiral in command. of the
squadron. Again, the little money even thus
acquired has to be divided among all the
crews of all the vessels in sight at the time.
Thus those who do the work receive less
than those who, safe in the distance. view, or,
miles away, are supposed to command the
vessel by which the capture is effected.
And this is called Justice This is fair dis
tribution OF prize money! 1t is a wrong and
an outrage on the American seamen. 1t
savors too much of the nobility in the British
navy; of the Admiral Of the Red, of the White,
and of the Blue. We call on the Naval Com
mittees of Congress to see that some rectldca-
ton of this evil is effected. If bravery is to
be rewarded, and daring and heroism en-
couraged; five want NELSON'S, JoNEsEs, and
FARRAGUTs, they must come from the lower
grades, and the best incentive to fame is to
secure such reward as will stimulate the
young to exertion. When this is done, and
justice is secured, then we can expect to see
our navy rise even higher than the lofty
height ii occupies to-day.