The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-11
PAYMENT of Prize Money.

during the late war with Spain viii not
have TO wait so long for their good things
as some of their ilustrious predecessors
in the navy II was not till after lapse
of more than twenty-five years that the
officers and sailors of Admiral Farragut's
feet or their heirs were paid a balance
Of S143,544 due them as bounty money
warded for the destruction OF Confeder-
ate war vessels al the capture OF New
Orleans in April. 1862, The men who did
the work and won the victory had in
many cases died of old age or OF diseases
and wounds incurred in the war before
a grateful government got around 10 the
point OF giving them their dues Much
of the delay was owing TO the red tape
necessary in the adjudication Of claims.
and the calculations and complications re-
quired in this task were so intricate that
only a past master in fractions could be-
gin to compass them The one redeeming
feature OF the affair was the fact that
everybody. high and low, was treated in
the same way, and the heirs of the ad-
miral had to walt just as long as The
grown-up cabin boys for their money.
Bounty money differs from prize money
only in its origin. Prize money is award
ed for ships and cargoes captured; ooun-
ty money for those destroyed The meth
same in both cases. Under our laws a
prize captured on the high seas IS taken
to the nearest port in which there is a
United States court The vessel is labeled
as a prize. and If her owners wish TO
contest by proving that she is not an en-
envy, they are permitted TO doAs The
court decides the question, releasing the
vessel il the claim of the contestants is
established. If the vessel is declared a
lawful prize, the court decides what ships
are entitled to share in the award. This
includes not only those which actually
made the capture. but all which were
within signalling distance with flags by
day or lights by night. Ships near at
hand belonging TO the same squadron,
which might have contributed TO the re-
suit. though not actually engaged in the
battle. come In for their portion, the will
being taken for the deed. 1t Is assumed
that If their crews had had a chance they
would have displayed as much valor as
any others. In the case OF the destruction
of an enemy's war-ships in battle, the
evidence of what has taken place is more
easy to get, and there are practically no
court formalities.
During the last century, though the ma
vies of that day were much less effect
ant Not few OF the higher officers earn
ed a comfortable fortune by the captures
made on a single expedition. Commodore
Anson's Centurion, for example, in June,
1743, took the Spanish galleon Nostra Sig
nora de Cabadango, which had on board
cargo and bullion valued together at
s., 900, 900. Before he returned TO England
his squadron had captured other vessels
worth an aggregate of s., UOOOOJ. The Com
modore's own share ran up TO more than
$3.50 900 on this one cruise. Two years
later Captain James Talbot's Prince Fred
erick brought in prizes worth, with their
cargoes. more than 5000. 900. The treas
ure and plate alone filled forty-hve wag-
ons, and the captains share amounted
to $500. OO0 Another English vessel during
the same year captured a Spanish ship
with S2,00O,0O0 on board, and a third
brought French East-Indian worth $780,
900.
Other captures during that season were
four French ships, with cash, bullion, and
readily convertible cargoes aggregating
s., 700, 600, while one of these, the Concep-
ton, contained also a large quantity of
plate, and a two-wheeled chaise, with It's
wheels and axle-trees of silver, set with
diamonds and other precious stones. This
who induced the French skipper, by the
offer of a reward, to show him the hiding
place of 10000 pistoles, worth about SEQ
600. which were concealed in a place no
searcher would have dreamed Of This
ship goes down In naval annals as one of
the richest prizes ever taken, but its rec
ord was excelled by the Hermione a
Spanish treasure ship, captured in 1862
by the British ship Favorite. under Cap
tain Pownal The Captains sare of the
prize was 1925, 600 his three lieutenants got
s65. 900 apiece, and lump Of 1920. 900 went
TO the fag-officers of the Mediterranean
station, including the Admiral, who was
many miles away from the scene of &C
ton. but was constructiveiy in charge
of the affair.
This provision in ali prize and bounty
laws. giving the lions share sometimes to
the men who had least TO do with the
work has furnished a foundation for a
British naval proverb that prize-money is
poured down a ladder, and that what
drops through the spaces belongs to the
officers, and what sticks on the rounds
goes to the men. The saw applies equally
10 the higher and lower grades Of Off
GERS.
It Is proposed to break Up the prize
m0npV w
such a change might have upon the navy,
there is no question that IL would take a
good deal of the active spirit out Of naval
warfare. Some of the most exciting and
interesting work done by naval vessels is
the capture of prizes. II calls forth not
only the grit and interest OF all on board.
but often their ingenuity as well. The
veteran Admiral Jouett. during the civil
war while in command Of Metacomet,
was assigned by Farragut TO the duty
of capturing particularly swift, trouble
some, and successful blockade-runner. He
accordingly put his ship across the track
of his intended victim, and proceede to
make her over In such a way as to deceive
the elect. He first painted a broad strip
around her hull Then he hoisted spars
aloft to resemble double topsan yards.
after the fashion Of the merchantmen 81
those days. He covered her guns with
tarpaulin, and ordered that no uniforms
should be worn on deck. For himself.
he got into the oldest suit Of civilian s
clothes he could lay mis- hands on. Pres
entity his game hove IN sight. When she
came within perhaps two knots distance.
the fMetacomet ran up a Mexican flag.
The blockade. runner taking her for a
Mexican merchant ship. raised the French
flag. and came steamiug along a. a good
pace till. when she was just n the righ,
position the Metacomet fred a shot across
her bow. Although the blockade runner
could have shown pretty pair % heels
to the nan-of-Esr, II she had received
any warning what was awaiting her. .
was too late now. Jouett brought her %
in a 5iffy, and that night the captain %
his Prize dined with him OF the meta
comet and discussed the varied fortunes
OF war.
Tax Upon Balconies
From Westminster Gazstte)
The conscrIpt fathers Of Munster have