The herald., 1898-09-06
ONE MILLION IN MONEY
FOR THE MEN WHO DESTROYED
SPANISH SHIPS
Sampson Will Receive q Modest For
tune, While Each Loyal Jackie
Will Have Some

NEW YORK, Sept. 5.-A disptch to tn,
Herald from Washington says:
At least s1,O0O,OO0 prize money will b,
distributed among American sailors as
result Of the war with Spain. More thar
one half of this amount will be paid in ac
cordance with that section Of law provid
ing for the payment Of a bounty for per.
sons on board vessels Of war sunk In ac
ton. The rest will be turned into TIE
| treasury for distribution by the courts
which shall pass upon vessels Of the enemy
| captured by American men-of-war.
| Although not penny of prize money has
yet been turned In to the trea sury, Judge
| Advocate Lemley and his chief clerk, Mr.
Hanna, are engaged in considering the
various claims for prize money which have
been filed by officers and men and in pass
ing upon the various questions which have
arisen in connection with such claims.
From the official report of Admiral Mon
tito. commanding the Spanish fleet sunk
at Manila. there were 1875 persons on board
the ships Of his command, The Spanish
fleet was Of inferior force to the American
squadron and Rear-Admiral Dewey's men
will therefore get only $100 for each person.
1t was estimated that the aggregate
amount due the Asiatic feet as a result OF
the destruction of the Spanish force
amounts to $17S,500. which Congress will
be asked to appropriate during the coming
session. One-twentieth Of this sum belongs
to Rear-Admdral Dewey as Commander1n-
Chief, and he will, therefore. be S95D
richer than he was before the war.
Rear-Admiral Sampson has realized q
snug little fortune as result Of the war
AS CommanderIn-Chief Of the North At
lantic fleet, he will get one-twentieth OF
every prize taken In North Atlantic waters
ard one-twentieth Of the head money al
lowed for the vessels destroyed OF San
t!ago and in Cuban ports. 1t is estimated
that he will finally receive about $4,000 as
his share Of the prize money.
In determining the amount Of head
money due officers and men. II win be nec-
essary for the department to decide
whether vessel destroyed was inferior or
superior to her antagonist. II the latter,
tho American ship will be entitled TO $500
for each person on board the enemy. OF
course this will swell the amount Of prize
money due the Rear Admiral.
1t is estimated that. including the Mer-
cedes, sunk by the Massachusetts at the
mouth of the harbor at Santiago. there
were 2492 persons on board the Spanish
flee: destroyed by Rear Admiral Sampson's
command. which was superior to the enemy,
and the amount of head money due the
fleet will consequently aggregate 81. zoo.
Besides these ships, Spanish men-of-war
were sunk at Manzanillo, Nipe and other
points along the Cuban coast the destruc-
tion OF each of which means prize money
for the officers and men participating in
the work.
Legal officers Of the department will be
required to determine whether merchant
vessels carrying guns in their hold, like
the Santo Domingo. which was sunk by
the Eagle. come within the meaning Of the
section providing for the payment of
bounties for persons on board. The result
of these questions will delay the adjudi-
cation OF the amounts due to officers and
men interested.
The Navy Department was notified a
few days ago by Judge Locke Of Florida
that he could turn into the treasury the
net amount resulting from the sale of the
cargo Of coal on board the British tramp
steamer Restormel. The notification was
subsequently withdrawn by Judge Locke.
The Restormel case Is the furthest ad-
vanced Of any OF the prizes. Owners Of the
great majority of the captured vessels
have taken appeals from the courts
which have condemned their ships as
prizes, and X will be many months before
the Supreme Court is able to pass upon
them.