Arizona republican., 1898-05-13
ABOUT PRIZE MONEY.
After Glory and Honor Comes a Cash
 Distribution.


 Washington, May 12.-Prize money divisions are arranged for by the re- vised statutes of the United States, which make the following provisions:
 When any vessel of the United States shall capture prizes from the enemy, the commander of the vessel making the capture places in charge of the vessel prize crew, under the com mand of prize master. The prize is then taken to the nearest convenient port having a prize court. This will be the nearest port unless for some reason the facts and circumstances and the evidence required to deter mine the validity of a more distant court, in which case the vessel will be sent to the port within the jurisdic- tion of such court.
 The district courts of the United States have jurisdiction admiralty for the determination of all questions of prizes and the distribution of prize money.
 Upon arriving in port the prize mas ter of the captured vessel delivers all papers relating to the prize vessel and it's cargo, carefully sealed up, to prize commissioner, and also reports to the United States district attorney, giving him all information relating to the prize and it's capture. Each district court appoints three prize commissioners, usually at the begin ming of the war, one of whom is a retired naval officer, who is appointed upon the recommendation of the sec retary of the navy and receives no other pay than his pay as naval of ficer. At least one Of the other two commissioners shall be lawyer and member Of the bar of the court in which he is appointed. These prize commissioners have immediate charg, of the documents and papers relating to the prize vessel from the time ot its arrival in port. It is their duty to take an inventory of the prize and it's cargo, and if there are perIshable goods in the cargo to immediately re- port the same to the court and obtain an order to sell the same. It is their duty, also, to take testimony of the prize crew and the prize master and to collect all testimony necessary to determine the validity of the capture.
 Immediately upon the delivery of the papers of the prize vessels to the prize commissioners of any court, it is the duty of the United States district attorney of the district to file libel that is, complaint, against me boat, setting up in such libel the cir cumstances of the capture and all the facts relating thereto, upon whleh process issues to the marshal of the court, who immediately takes poses sion of the prize and all of the mem bers of the crew of the captured yes ssl capable of giving testimony, and all other witnesses, who are retained in his custody until the trial of the case, or until the testimony is fully taken. It is his duty to insure the prize, if necessary, to protect it. Up- on the trial of the case the former owners or master of the vessel cap tured are made defendants and may defend the case, offering testimony to controvert the validity of the capture, and any other defense which may save the beat or any portion of the cargo from being condemned. If the court upon the hearing, decides that the prize is lawful, it is condemned by Judgment of the court and sold by the marshal.
 The distribution Of prize money is regulated by sections 4630, 4631 and 4632 of the revised statutes of the United States, which are as follows:
 Section 4630-Thei net proceeds of all property condemned as prize shall, when the prize was of a superior or equal force to the vessel or vessels Iii f1o Io +L- captors; and when of inferior force one-half shall be decreed to the cap tors, except that in case of privateers and letters of marque, unless it shall be otherwise provided in the commis- sions issued to such vessels.
 Section 4631-All prize money ad- judged to the captors shall be distrib- uted in the following proportions:
 'First-To the commanding officer of a fleet CT squadron, one-twentieth part.
 ''Second-To the commanding off cer of a division Of a fest CT squadron on duty under the order of the com mander-in-cbief Of such fleet or squad ron, a sum equal to one-fiftleth part
 ''Third-To the fest captain one hundredth part.
 ''Fourth-To the commander of {; single vessel one-tenth part of all tn prize money awarded to the vessel un l der his command, if such vessel at tn time of the capture was under tn command Of the commanding office of fleet or squadron, or division and three-twentieths if his vessel wa acting independently of such superio officer.
 'Fifth-After the foregoing deduc tions the residue shall be distribute and proportioned among all the oth CTS doing duty on board, including th
 fleet captain, and borne upon tn
 books of the ship, in proportion
 their respective rates Of pay in tn
 service.
 Section 4632-All vessels of the nav l within signal distance of the vessel (
 vessels making the capture, unde : such circumstances, and in such cond . tiOn as to be able to render effectiy } aid, if required, shall share in th , prize; and in case of vessels not i