Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-05-14
DEWEY AND HIS MEN
Will Reap Rich Harvest as Reward
for Their Work at Manila
The Law Gives Such Victors Liberal Compensaton-The
Amount Depends Upon the Numerical Strength
of Commodore MOntejOs Fleet


the Times from Washington says Rear
Admiral Dewey and his men will not
have been fully rewarded for their vie
tory at Manila when they receive the
thanks of congress and the medals or
dered to be struck for them. Under
the law they have become entitled to
rich bounty. Unless the numerical
Importance of the fleet Of Admiral
Montejo has been overestimated, its
losses overstated, the officers and the
men of the Asiatic station will be en-
titled to share among themselves some
thing like slS7, 900 bounty money.
Section 1885 of the revised statutes of
the United States provides: "a bounty
shall be paid by the United States for
each person on board any ship or vessel
of war belonging to an enemy at the
commencement of an engagement
which is sunk or otherwise destroyed
in such engagement by any ship or yes
sci belonging to the United States or
which it may be necessary to destroy in
consequence of injuries sustained in
action OF 500, if the enemys vessel was
of an 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
such vessel can not be satisfactorily as
certained, it shall be estimated accord
ing to the complement allowed to YES
sells of its class in the navy of the United
States; and there shall be paid rs bounty
to the captors of any vessel Of war cap
tured from an enemy, which they may
be instructed to destroy, or which Is
Immediately destroyed for the public
interest, but not in consequence OF th'
injuries received in action, $50 for every
person who shall be on board at the
time of such capture
According to the reports from Manil'
the Spanish fleet consisted OF ten o
eleven cruisers, gunboats and torped
boats, with crews amounting in all t
l.s52 men. Rear Admiral Dewey d,
stroyed some of these vessels, perhap
all of them, but if he did not, then
number were destroyed by the enem
; to prevent them from falling into tn
hands of the United States. Admlra
Montejo was increasing the bount
( fund with every vessel he sank, an
Spain will undoubtedly have to pay 10
!, those losses in making up their inden
e nity at the close of the war.
At 500 for each man of the Spanis
naval force, the amount to be divide
among the American sailors will Z
E s17S,2OO. The vessels of the Unite
, States were, if fanything, undermanne'
9 The numbers will be under rather tha
G over !, ,733
a The, Sls7 200 will be distributed to IL
~ fleet under section 1851 of the revise
statutes relating to prize money. a
miral Dewey will get one-twentieth
r. the whole amount of bounty awardt
V to his command. That will give hi
l. 81, 500 If he has a fleet captain
what passes for one, the latter W
o. have share of something like ST. 81
az There will be lett to be distributed
6a be distributed to the vessels Of q
+ fleet, according to their pay ro Is, anc
$4,000. This will go to the sew
ships and IN about the following share
II Olympia $4,000, Baltimore $40,
ar Boston S25, 900, Raleigh $4,000, CONGO
$4,000, Petrol $4,000, McCullo
80 $4,000.
Il To the commander of each sin&
oil vessel there will 20 one-tenth OF
amount to be distributed to that vess
IL The commanders of the ships will
the amount respectively as follows:
a. Capt. Gridley, Olympia, $500; Ca
ur Dyer, Baltimore, $4,000; Capt. Wild
Sc Boston, 81 800; Capt. Coghland, RaleiI
s2.2lO; Commander Asa Walker, &
. cord, $1,000; Commander Hodges
NO. McCulloch, 5000.
70 After the amounts mentioned HI
been deducted, the residue will be
tributed to the lesser officers and
men of the ships in proportion to tt
Gu rates of pay on the day of the cnga
~ ment. The amount to each seamer
'e' is believed, will be about $50.