The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-08-13
PRIZE MONEY is A-BOON
TO HARD WORKED TARS

If there is anything that compensates
Jack Tar for the hardships and suffering
he is forced to endure during naval
engagement it Is prize money. Ships,
whether belonging to the enemy or to
non-combatants, belong theoretically TO
the government selling them. but, as a
matter of fact they are, in nine cases
out of ten, sold, and the profits divided
among the officers and crews of the cap
turing vessels. says writer in a Lon
don newspaper.
In Britain ships that are seized during
war time are retained by the crown, but
a sum equal to e5 for each man on board
the prisoners" is divided among the of
ficers and men of the British ironclads
that captured them. The prize money Of
recent wars compared with the golden
hauls of century or so ago, falls into
absolute insignifcance.
Admiral Arson and his crews We're in
luck's way as regards prize money. Dur
ing his voyage round the world 1908 he
captured the famous Manila galleon
which used to sail once year for Spain.
On board was 9400,000, and when Arson s
ship returned home the prize money was
drawn in triumph through the city OF
London in thirty-two wagons, preceded
by a military band and guarded by
armed sailors.
-Four years later-to be exact, in III
Arson captured a French fleet with up
ward of f300,OO0 In money aboard. This
vast wealth was carried from Portsmouth
to London in twenty wagons. The $780,
900, the result Of the two captures. was
divided among Anson's crew. and 1t is
said that the powder monkey retired from
the sea with a small fortune.
Three warships captured the Santa
Brigida, which was laden to the matches
with treasure. The value of this find was
9500000, and it needed sixty-three wagons
to convey the money to the citadel at
Plymouth. The money was all divided
among the ships company. Each cap
tain received a40.73o, each lieutenant
e5l00 and each seaman, powder monkey
and marine &1S2.
Every one doubtless has heard of the
historic occasion on which the sailors
bought up all the gold and silver
watches in Portsmouth and fried them in
fat over the galley fire. This happened
after two warships towed home as pris-
oner Hermione, Spanish galleon. She
was seized with her treasure as she was
homeward bound from Lima The ad-
mirals and captains share of the prize
money was 865,000; each lieutenant had
f13,000; each warrant officer, $4,000; each
petty officer, f2000. and each seaman,
$500.
The Spanish treasure ship Nuestra SEN
ora de Covadonga, with f1,500,000 on
board. was captured by the Centurion.
The reception of the British seamen on
their return was most cordial. and when
ii was known that each of them had re-
ceived f300 as share of the prize money
they had more friends than they knew
what to do with One sailor drunk him.
self to death. but another was more wise
and purchased grocery business. and
lived to see the day when eighteen shops
had his name above their doorways.
British sailors loved nothing better
than to be engaged in war with Spain
in days gone by. for prize money was
simply waiting for them to claim 1t.
Havana was assaulted both by la nd and
by sea. and when ii was seized the prize
money from Spain that was divided
among the navy amounted to about f370,-
000 OF this sum Admiral Pocock took
a122697 los Cd. and Commodore Keppel
s24.539 los ID; AZ captains received fl6O0
los. 10d. each; 1873 lieutenants. f2Si 1Ss.
Sd. each; 1863 warrant officers. els S. Id
EACH 1903 petty officers, Ell 5s. 3d. each,
and -. 100 seamen and marines f3 las. Cd.
each.
The late Spanish-American war yielded
a large profit in the shape of prize money
to the officers and crews of the American
vessels.
The present war in the far east will
put good round sum into the pockets of
Japanese sailors. The Japanese have not
only captured their enemy's vessels. but
they have seized large number belong
ing to Britain and other powers.
This Is by no means a breach of in
ternational law. for 1t is acknowledged
by all the great powers that the trading
ship is lawful object Of attack at sea