Mesa free press., 1898-07-01
NAVAL. PRIZE MONEY.
its Division Among officers and Nfsa
of Fleet.

Its Division Among OHlCeES anu 0n00
of Fleet.
In war the private property Of every
citizen Of belligerent country, when
found upon the high seas, Is liable to
capture and confiscation unless under
the protection of the flag of neutral
nation. Such captures may be made by
the armed vessels of a belligerent ma.
ton, or by privateers, If such are au-
thorized by letters of marque and re-
prisal by country engaged in war.
When a ship belonging to the merchant
fleet Of an enemy has been captured,
the property Immediately vests in the
United States government. 1t Is then
the duty Of the government to dispose
of 1t according to Law. To do this q
prize-court Is organized at Washington,
and to 1t are sent the papers OF the capt
ured vessel, showing It's nationality, It's
cargo, and destination, also witnesses
of the capture and statements Of the
vessels concerned In making 1t, and lists
of their officers and crews. Upon this
evidence and testimony the court de-
cides whether the capture Is lawful
prize of war. If 1t is found to be 80,
the United States marshal is directed
to sell 1t and return the cash to the
court for distribution.
If the prize taken and condemned is
shown to have been Of equal or superior
force to the vessel or vessels making
the capture, the whole Of the net pro-
ceeds isawarded TO the captors. If the
prize was inferior in force, one7half is
decreed to, the captors and the other
half to the United States. When a
capture Is made by naval vessels,
whether action Is participated In by
one or more vessels of feet or squad
ron. every vessel within signaling dis
lance at the time shares in the division
of the spoils. Every attache Of all such
ships Is awarded his share, although at
the time he may have been far away
on leave or deached duty. When prize
money has been adjudged to captors, It
Is distributed among those entitled in
the following proportions: Onetwen-
tieth part to the commander of a feet
or squadron, when in immediate COM
mand; one-fftieth part to the COM
mander Of division Of the feet II the
capture is made by a vessel in his divis-
Ion, and this amount Is paid out Of the
moiety awarded to the government, If
there Is such moiety, and, II not, from
the general prize-money; to the feet
captain, one-hundredthp part Of all prize
money awarded to the fleet in which he
Is serving; to the commander Of sim
gle vessel, one-tenth Of the prize-money
awarded to his vessel If he is acting in
conjunction with feet or squadron,
and three-twentieths If he is acting in
dependently.
When the foregoing deductions have
been made, the residue is divided
among the officers and crews Of the
ship or ships entitled to share in the
prize. The distribution includes all
persons doing duty on board In what
ever capacity, and is made proportion
ately to their respective rates Of pay.
If the commander Of division Is also
commander Of ship engaged in the
capture, he must elect whether he will
receive the one-fiftieth mentioned
above or accept the share adjudged to
a commander Of a single vessel, If the
capture Is made by vessel upon which
the feet captain Is serving, he shares In
proportion to his pay with the other Of
ficers Of that vessel, instead Of being
awarded one-hundredth part.
Congress authorizes the payment Of
prize-money by making an appropria-
ton for 1t, and the Secretary Of the
Navy determines what persons are en-
titled to shares, and transmits their
names to an Auditor of the Treasury,
who ascertains, according to the rules
of distribution given above, the correct
amount of each persons share, and is
sues to each one a certificate emitting
him to payment from the United States
Treasury.
The portion Of prize money awarded
to the government Is made perma-
nent fund for the payment Of pensions
to naval officers, seamen and marines
who may become entitled to them.
If there is more than sufficient for that
purpose, the surplus is applied to max
ing provision for the comfort Of disa-
bled seamen and marines. The Secre-
tary Of the Navy is trustee Of the naval
pension fund and invests 1t In securi-
ties Of the government
Privateers and vessels not in the
navy, but controlled by other executive
departments of the government, do not
come under the plan Of distribution
outlined, but are in proper case entitled
to prize-money under laws relating es-
pecially to themselves.-San Francisco
Argonaut.