The times., 1899-11-14
The sfaniIa Prize money.

The question Of the amount Of money 10
be distributed between Admiral Dewey and
the officers and crews Of his squadron as
prize money or account Ct the sea battle
and victory in Manila Bay has at length
been presented by the claim agents repre-
senting the men behind the guns to the
Court Of Claims. TIE amount asked for is
three hundred ana eighty-tvo thousand
eight hundred dollars Of which sum the
A1uisal's share is stated TO be nineteen
thousand. enc hundred and nlRety-four
dollars
Since the archaic rule of naval warfare,
which provides for paying people for what
they destroy in the line of duty. IS still in
vogue and force, nobody wiz be inclined TO
gIudge its full and liberal application in
this case. Every man included in the list
Of claimants, from The Commander-in-
Chief down to the Chinese cock, was in
the fight and all were equally exposed 10
The perils Of battle. So as applied TO the
present Instance there is no suEges lion OF
design Oh the part OF those in authority 10
procure a forced construction Of the statute
in order that abseutees or skulkers should
participate in the profits Of an enterprise
to the success Of which they were not prox-
imateIy coutributCry factors.
The amount Of The claim is based By the
claim agents upon the theory that the
Spanish squadron in Cavite Bay aided by
the Corregidur fort and other works on
land and stin further re-eaforced by sub
marine mines, represented a force Superior
to the gun power and generally the often
sive capabilities of the American vessels
engaged. Technically apeaking this may
De true. but the conclusion viii be apt to
strike critical minds AT home ana abroad
as perhaps a JFiae strained. Ia practice iJ
would be difficult TO convince the average
Iaynan that q superior force, including a
number Of ships which were destroyed and
sunk. land batteries which were quickly
sfIenced. and mines which were in the
pockets of Spanish officials. or failed 10 do
. any damage if they were otherwise in evi-
deuce could well have suffered total and
destructive defeat without indictiHg the
# loss Of a single life on the attacking squad
ron And We are inclined TO think that
Admiral Dewey himself, for general pur-
poses. would hardly take the Spanish SUI
periority view of the great historical event.
AS above suggested. no true hearted
/ American would think Of splitting hairs
in the case OF the gallant Admiral and
those associated with him IN the sea bat
lie which added d rich island empire to our
possessions and contributed more than any-
thing else toward making the United States
world power. He and they should be
accorded the fullest reward allowable
under the law. But there is some reason
10 fear that. in its patriotic and generous
treatment OF the late Asiatic squadron
that watchdog Of the Treasury the Cour
Of Claims. might Inadvertently establish
precedents which could be afterward usec
10 bolster claims intrinsically inadmissi-
BILE on moral grounds
Thus. it might happen for instance that
without any apparent bearing on the Ma
Mia claim. the court might be asked tt
rule that Admiral Dewey's battle techui
caIly began when he sighted the Corregiio
fort. the last vessel in his line being then
let Us say, twenty miles from he guns 0
the battery. Some innocent little dictuu
ike that might be useful later TO squeez
Sampson into the battle Of Santiago, i'm
possible as such a thing may appear t
honest and decent people. OF course tn
Navy ring will not care for precedent
which would not help the absentee OF tha
occasion, since its object is TO get as muc
as possible OF the results Of Schleys skill
and prowess for the Matanzas person, an
as little for the real victor as may b..
But. if any tricl, can be worked in con
nection with the Asiatic squadron claim
10 support a theoretical assumption O
s.mpson's presence at CT participation T.
: the battle with Cervera, we may be sure
viii be. and should it prove successful any
thing else would be regarded as so niue
gain. If the hand forts, batteries, and mine
are TO be credited to the Spaniards at Ma
Mia. Of course they viii be at Santiago
, By the same course of reasoning Toral'
! field pieces, rifles. bayonets. and sword
may be included, and even the revolver car
lied by the wounded General Linares. Blu
this oughr to involve subtraction Of IA
Kew York's gun pnwer. since it is per
! lectly notorious that the ship IN questio