Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-13
PRIZE MONEY.
Question Arises as to Its Dis
tribution in Navy.
If Spanish Ships Are Repaired Will
Men Lose Their Bounty2
Hundreds OF Thousands Of Dollars Pendina
On The Decision.

Washington, July 1.-THE discovery
that three of the finest vessels in the
defeated Spanish fleet can be repaired
so as to he added to the American
navy, raises a rather interesting ques-
ton in respect to the distribution Of
bounties among the officers and crews
of the victorious fleet.
The prize laws of the United States
make no provision for prize money
where the vessel captured or destroyed
is a man-of-war belonging to the en-
emy's navy. The captured ship be-
comes at once the property of the Uni
ted States. Prize money goes only TO
those who capture prizes in the shape
Of merchantmen, and no amounts de-
pend upon the value of the ship and its
cargo.
Those who win victories at sea
against fighting ships are entitled only
to Bounty without regard to the de-
feated men-of-war and the amount of
bounty is determined by the relative
strength of the contending ships.
The law relating to this is found in
section 1885 Of the Revised Statutes.
which reads as follows:
"A bounty shall be pad by the United
States government for each person on
board any ship or vessel of war be-
longing to an enemy at the commence
ment of an engagement which is sunk
or otherwise destroyed in said engage
ment by any Ship or vessel belonging
to the United States, or which it may
be necessary 20 destroy in consequence
of injuries sustained in action of 800
if the enemy's vessel was of inferior
force, and of 5000 if of equal or superior
force, to be divided among the officers
and crew in the same manner as prize
money, and When the actual number Of
men on board any said vessel cannot be
satisfactorily ascertained, it may be
estimated according to the complement
allowed to vessels of its class in the
navy of the United States; and there
shall be paid as bounty to the cap
tains OF any vessel Cf war captured
from an enemy which is Immediately
destroyed for the public interest but
not in consequence of injuries received
in action. S. for every person Who shall
be on board at the time of such cap
ture.'
1t will be seen that no reference is made
here to bounties to be paid to the officers
and men of United States naval vessel
which captures but does not destroy the
warship of an enemy, and there is no al
fusion anywhere in the laws to such a
possibility. In fact, the section quoted
goes so far as to provide bounty in case
of destruction after capture without any
provision in case of capture without de-
struction.
The question which arises. therefore. ia
whether the officers and men of Admiral
fleet will lose their bounty for
the Cristobal Colon. the Maria Teresa and
the ViZcya in case these ships are raised
and repaired.
There is little doubt that the authori-
ties will promptly decide the question by
assuming that to all intents and purposes
the ships We're destroyed, and that conse-
quently the bounties are to be paid. If
this snail be the decision, then for every
man on the Spanish warships at the time
of the attack, our sailors will receive 800
bounty.
If there were 1900 men on Cervera's
ships (Which presented a force inferior to
the Amcricans) the bounty will be some
thing more than S170,eo0 which is divided
in the same manner as prize money--one-
twentieth to the commanding officer of
the fleet, one-iiftieth to the commanding
officer of division of the fleet. one-hun-
drelth to the fleet captain and one-tenth
of each vessels share to the captain of
that vessel. the remainder being appOr-
toned to all other officers and men in
to their pay.
AS the law provides that all vessels
within signal distance of the action and
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