The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-08-31
FORTUNES IN
PRIZE MONEY
SAILORS OF THE ALLIED NAVIES
WILL BE RICHLY REWARDED IF
STORIES OF CAPTURED SHIPS
ARE TRUE.
(Eew York Herald.)

Sailors Of the allied navies in war
the reports Of prizes taken so far are
any indication of what is to come. Ac-
cording to the incomplete lists obtain
able, the allies have captured about
so merchant vessels. All of these Will
be condemned by the prize courts in
the various countries, and a proper
ton of the money obtained will be d.
vided among the blue Jackets.
Customs Of the different nations in
regard to prize and prize moneys are
not definitely known by the consuls
here, but the English rule on this ques-
ton is the same as that used by the
United States prior to 1899. At that
time all the rules governing prize
money disposition were repealed. It
was the habit in the English navy
then, and it is believed it still is. to
give to the comma nding officer of the
fleet or squadron one-twentieth part
of all prize money taken by any YES
sells under him.
The commanding officer of a squad
ron or division under commander in
chief receives one fifteenth of the
amount awarded to the captors. The
feet captain gets one one hundreGth
of the amount given to any vessel or
vessels in which he is serving unless
the capture is made by the ship he
is on board. In that case he obtains
d share in proportion to his pay. 4
commander Of a single vessel receives
one-tenth of the booty If he is acting
under another officer. If he is work
ing Independently he obtains three
twentieths. The officers and crew re-
- bot :c loF+ +,,
portion Of their pay All vessels with
in signalling distance and in condition
to give aid If required share in the
prize money.
Examples Of what the awarding of
prize money means to the men Of the
navy may be gained from the amounts
paid by the United States in the civil
war and the Spanish American war.
A rule which held in the United States
and it is believed to be in law in Eng
land. says that If the capture is made
by a superior force half the money
goes to the government. If the cap
tor IS less strength than the prize
all the money goes to the men. But
in spite Of this rule more than SIS
600, 900 was paid to the men Of the
Union fleet at the close Of the civil
war. Sums varying from IS cents to
$1,000 were paid to the seamen. The
largest amount to any single officer
was s3S,318.
Although there were not so many
vessels taken IN the Spanish Ameri-
can war, the shares Of prize money
were even larger than in 1865. 1t
was computed in May, 1898, that the
share to Admiral Sampson as COM
mander of the North Atlantic squad
ron, which took so many prizes at the
outset Of the struggle was $4,000.
The capture Of the Spanish fleet at
Manila by Admiral Deweys ships
brought s7s7,531 to the men Of the
fleet. The naval pension fund received
a like amount. Admiral Dewey's share
Of this was s3e.376.57. The men on
the average received a sum CORE
spending to three months pay.
So far the allied fleets have taken
about so prizes. It is believed that
these will be held until the end Of the
war and then be judged by the prize
courts Of the different nations. Ac-
cording to an international agreement
signed at The Hague in 1907. an In
ternationaI prize court Of Is members
has been established to which an ap
peal can be taken either on an error
of law or fact by the owners of prizes
from the decisions Of the prize courts
of the captors. All the contending
powers are signatories to this agree
ment
Estimates made on a conservative |
basis have placed the average value
of the prizes taken SO far at 100000 |
In many instances the vessels are