The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-04
PRIZE MONEY!

army, should be entitled to prize money for
property captured or destroyed in warfare.
During the Rebellion much dissatisfaction
andheartburning were caused by this discrimi-
nation in favor of the naval branch of the
military service, and the question was re-
peatedly asked what claim the navy had, in law
and justice, to the enormous sums that were
divided among the officers and men as gra-
tuity for performing their simple duty. As
the law now stands every person on the pay
masters roll of a naval vessel making cap
ture is entitled to one-half of whatever it
will sell for in open market; or in event of a
vessel of the enemy being destroyed in action,
the value is assessed and divided in the same
manner between the victors and the Govern
ment, subject to large percentage, which
goes to the admiral of the fleet and to the
claims of all vessels within signal distance to
share equally in the prize. The Government
devotes its portion of the prize money to the
support of the naval hospitals and homes for
disabled seamen, and the rest is divided
among the officers and men in the proportion
of their rates of pay.
This prize money system is an illustration
of the conservative character of the naval
service, and its disposition to cling to obso-
lete ideas. OF course such valuable perqui-
site will not readily be given up if the matter
is left to the decision of naval men; but it is
perfectly marvellous that no motion has been
made by outside parties to have it abolished.
It is true that until the outbreak of the Re-
bellion, nothing has occurred since the war
of 1872 to attract public attention to it, and
it was therefore allowed to rest in peace.
During the Rebellion, however, it was the
source of constant trouble and dispute, and it
was and is still of infinite annoyance to the
Treasury Department which has now on its
hands unsettled claims amounting probably
to millions of dollars
Prize money, like many other of the Gus
toms that are cherished with fondest affec-
tion by true blue naval men, is a relic of the
earliest ages of naval history, when bold rovers
like Drake were looked upon as little better
than legalized pirates In this country it is a
remnant of the privateering system, when
| love of plunder was even more an incentive
to action than patriotism. The amenities of
civilized warfare have long since prohibited
armed forces on land from appropriating to
their own use the property that may happen
to fall into their hands and by common con-
sent officers and soldiers guilty of anything
of the kind are esteemed as little better than
thieves and robbers. OF course this does not
refer to the destruction of property through
the exigencies of warfare, or to its authorized
appropriation for the relief of the necessities
of an army by order of the general COM
manding.
The effect of the prize-money system du-
ring the Rebellion was that most of the ves-
sells that did the hardest fighting and most
service in defeating the enemy came off with
little OF nothing, while the light armed boats,
that cruised about on the open sea outside of
the reach of shot and shell, secured the
richest rewards. Many of these vessels were
extremely lucky, capturing ship after ship
laden with valuable goods, and every officer
and man pocketing thousands of dollars. Not
only did the army complain of this when vast
stores of cotton and other vauables fell into
their hands, to be appropriated entire by the
Government, but the men of the navy who
did the most fighting could not avoid feeling
jealous of their more fortunate brethren who
pocketed greenbacks instead of glory.
Exactly what constituted prize has never
yet been settled, and there is a suit now pend
ing on behalf of Admiral FaTagut's feet for
property captured on the Mississippi river at
the time of the great victory at New Orleans.
The Government claimed the whole of this.
but Congress, at its last session, authorized
the institution of a suit to test the matter.
General Butler, who has charge of the case,
has filed bill of information in the District
Court of the District of Columbia, praying
Judgment, etc., and the Government has
been called upon to present its defense.
This suit involves over million of dollars.
and we hope that the sailors will secure the
money, which they certainly are entitled to if
there is any virtue in the existing arrange
ment.
This, however, has nothing whatever to do
with the principle of allowing the navy to
claim prize money, which we are convinced
is wrong one. Admiral Porter is taking a
great deal of credit to himself for the re-
forms he has introduced since he has been
de tdCtO Secretary, and much stress is laid
upon the reduction of the expenses of the
navy and the amount of money saved to the
Government. Will he take the initiative in
moving for an adjustment of the prize
money system? Now is the time, if ever, to
move in the matter, as the reform can be
effected without injury to the rights or pros
poets OF any one; and we sincerely hope that
Congress will at its next session take up the
subject and give it thorough investigation.
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