The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-02-03
Naval Prize Money.

Naval Prize Money.
We are glad to see movement in
Congress looking to the abolition Of the
whole system Of payment Of prize
money to the officers and men in the
navy who may make capture of ves-
sci and her munitions declared by law
to be q lawful prize. Congressman
WILLIS, of New York, has presented a
bill for the abolishment of this whole
business; and we hope it will receive
the approval of Congress and become a
law. ... ...
There can not be single sound
reason adduced to justify the allowance
Of prize money to the naval forces Of
the United States for the capture OF Yes-
sells from an enemy in war. If such a
reason can be found to warrant such
an allowance to the Navy, the same
reason would equally call for such al
lowance to the Army. This would, If
practiced, demoralize an army to the
degree of rendering it but little more
than organized banditti Men would fight
for plunder more than from patrio ism.
Consequently every war would desen'
crate into systematic devastation.
Unquestionably the same Influences
must be operative among the naval
forces. Commanders of naval squad
rons have been known to lay idle for in
definite periods before ports that should
have been attacked at once, in the hope
of securing "prizes" that may be found
entering or departing from such port.
This is scarcely to be credited to them
as an act Of gallautry, because the cap
ture of an unarmed merchant ship, even
though lawful prize, could be little bet
ter than for an armed man to seize the
property of man unarmed and helpless.
1t is more the work of a bully than of a
warrior. That such vessel may be lend
ing aid and comfort to the enemy, by
carrying articles contraband Of war,
may be true; and therefore her capture
would be justified. But does that en-.
title the naval officers and men to make
that property their own through con-
demnation in prize court? Ii it should,
then why would not the officers and men
of the army be entitled to the arms, pro.
visions, money and munitions Of war.
contained in fortress on land, that they
had captured by hard fighting?
Who does not call to mind the futile
operations of our navy at the outbreaL
OF the late war, when terrific lombard
ments were reported, and no lives lost,
because the combatants were uniformly
out of rangel 1t became matter Of
scoffing and public by-word-"heayy
cannonading all day, and nobody hurt.'
This, be itremembered, was before "bel
ligerency" was recognized; when the
war was not war, but only an insurrec
tion; and when capture, if made
would not, in legal Interpretation, be
come 'prize" to the naval forces max
ing 1T. But, when new status was as
sumed, and naval captures became nava
prizes, then both vigilance and vigol
began to characterize the operations o
our navy.
Will it be said then that The plan o
paying prize money to the naval forces
is therefore a good way for securing Wig
Ilance and vigor on the part of the navy
The navy itself would little relish 81
sinister compliment. Itwould be tan
tamount to saying that prize money
plunder, was the only motive promptin!
them to activity and yigor In the dis
charge OF their duty; and, that when thi
was withheld, their operations would b
conducted at very long range Such
motive could never be applied TO the op
erations Of the army; it ought never t,
be suggested as an. apology for the navy
This whole system is Fundamentally
wrong. Itis relic of the times of semi
barbarism, when buccaneering was mad
means of hostile retaliation betwee
belligerent nations, and was, indeed
but little more than legalized pirac,
The buccaneer; as the name implies, wa
originally q hunter. Of wild cattle on th
land, and kept what he caught. Turr
ing from the chase Of animals on th
land TO the chase of ships ON the sea, b
capturet what hc could, and was al
thorized TO keep what he caught. Til
allowance OF prize money in the case {
naval captures, is puta perpetuation I
this principle in warfare. which islquil
unworthy ofour present ciyilizationst
which the laws Of war have been 50 mi