The evening times., 1898-07-16
samp.on. Prize Money,

They have a proverb about prize
money in the navy which runs in this
way: The money is poured through
ladder and the officers catch what falls
through. while the men get all that
sticks to the rounds. This proverb is
beautifully illustrated in the case of
the squadron which destroyed Ger
veras fleet. According to time-honored
law, the bounty given to fleet or
squadron which destroys an enemy's
ship is $100 for each man on board the
vanquished ship. if the enemy's force
is inferior. and $500 if it be equal or
superior to that of the victOrs. The
bounty on Cervera's fleet amounts to
the tidy sum of 100000 and more, as
more than 1000 Spanish sailors were
killed or captured.
The commanding officer of such vic
torious feet or squadron receives one
twentieth of the prize money. and it
will thus be seen that Commodore
Sampson will be materially benefited
by his nominal command of the opera
tions at Santiago. He will get more
than $4,000. Schley's share will be
something over $4,000. and that of each
captain of battleship or cruiser about
81. 800. 1t is probable that the sailors,
after all The money has been appor-
toned. will receive something like $40
per man.
The regular pay of a commodore
and commodore is the actual rank of
Sampson-is $1,000 a year, so that the
prize money accruing from the cap
ture of Cervera's fleet amounts to more
than two years salary for a commodore
and more than the salary of a rear ad-
miraI, which is only Sc 900. Sampson's
behavior looks rather curious. from the
outside. AS they say in the play, there
is an atmosphere about it''-and the
atmosphere is full of germs. Had he
shown any disposition whatever to give
credit to Schley for the work actually
accomplished by that gallant officer in
the absence of his chief, public opinion
would not be so severe in it's condemna-
ton. But the acting rear admiral has
been acting in a way which indicates
that he does not wish to recognize
Schley at all in the matter. He has sd
ulOusly avoided the mention of that
officers name, although obliged to give
proper credit to the work of the
Brooklyn. Now, the Brooklyn, not be-
ing a live creature. could hardly have
chased Spaniards or directed a battle
all by itself. The way in which Samp-
son has treated the matter is about as
absurd as it would be to hunt up the
name of General Phil Sheridan's horse,
which he rode at Winchester. and say
that the horse dashed gallantly into the
midst of the faltering Union forces and
restored their fainting courage. COM
modore Sampson is not only behaving
in a very suspicious way, but he is
making himself ridiculous. He can
hardly be too quick in his reparation
for his continued blunders. If he will
come out like a man and acknowledge
that Schley did the work which he him.
self would have been glad to do had he
been on the spot the American people
will subside without making it more
uncomfortable for him. If he goes on
endeavoring to belittle the hero Of San
tiago and arrogate to himself the glory
and the cash pertaining to the victor
in that battle, he may get his ducats,
but he will be utterly and irreparabIy
shorn of all glory in the eyes of the
American people. He will be in a much
worse condition than was Samson of
the Bible after his untimely barbering,
for that ancient hero did not, even when
most undignified, condescend to sell his
locks for money.