Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-24
DEWEY S BOUNTY CLAIM
Contention of Counsel as to the
Method of Computation.
AMOUNT OF MONEY DUE 1892, 300.

Spanish Forces at Manila Alleged to
Have Been Superior to the Ameri-
can Squadron Shore Guns md
Mines Taken Into the Calculation.
Admirars own Share S19,i94.
On behalf of Admiral Dewey and his
officers and men Messrs. Herbert il
Micou and Charles IL William 3.
King, attorneys of Washington, have
asked the court of claims to find that
the amount of bounty money due
them is S3S2, 800. The decision of the
court viii establish precedent which
will affect the amount of bounty to be
distributed among the officers and men
of the north Atlantic fleet, which de-
stroyed the squadron of Admiral Ger
vera, says the New York Herald. If
the finding of the court is in accord
ance with the request, the admiral's
share of the bounty will be S19, 194.
Attorneys base their case upon the
claim that the defeated Spanish force
was superior to the American squad
ron. 1t is not contended that the enc
my's feet was superior, but that, TAX
ing into consideration the guns at Cor
regidor, FL Fraile and other forts at
the entrance of the bay and those at
Manila and Cavite, which fired upon
the American ships continuously, the
enemy's force was superior.
Land batteries comprised &c guns,
ranging in caliber from 9.4J inches to
800 inches, and their weight of fire is
computed at $500 pounds. The enemy's
vessels were also supported by mines
land torpedoes in the entrance to Ma
Mia bay and the bay itself. and some
of these, the brief states, exploded dur
ing the action.
The total number of men in the
Spanish fleet is given at 1913, but no
claim for bounty is made on account
of the Manila, which was captured
comparatively uninjured, or of the
Don Juan de Austria. the Isla de Cuba
and the Isla de LuZon, which were
raised after sinking and are now in
the United States navy. The compile
ment of the three latter vessels is 491,
put that number must be doubled to
reach the actual number on board,
making 9S2, and TO this must be added
the complement of the Manila, a total
of 1,059. Deducting this from the total
of 2,013 leaves LOLA as the unmber on
board the destroyed vessels.
4 comparison of the American gun
force entirely aboard ship with the
Spanish forces partly afioat and partly
ashore cannot be made gun for gun
unless it be accepted that n gun is
equally efficient on a vessel as on land.
In making Il comparative summary OF
American and Spanish guns, 80 per
cent should be added to the number of
shore guns, the attorneys contend. The
result is favorable to the Spanish side.
except in the guns from g Founders
down, where there is n slight supe-
riority on the American side The
weight of gun fire of the Spaniards
was nearly double that of the Ameri-
can forces, the amount of metal thrown
in one round by the American ships
being $500 pounds against 1906 by
the enemy.
1t must be conceded" the brief
states, that the entrance of the Amer
lean fleet under Admiral Dewey
through Il channel mined with torpe-
does and its maneuvers in the bay
where unseen dangers threatened
every moment required the highest
degree of personal gallantry and hero
ism. These are not to be disregarded
in constituting this statute"
1t is argued that mines should be
counted as a part of the Spaniards'
effective force. eff mines are to be
counted in as part of the force of YES
sells they are aiding" the brief says.
I'VE can conceive of no reasoning that
will exclude shore batteries also en-
gagged in aiding and defending in bat
tIe.''