Year: 1866

You do swear Tor af1rm) truly TO record the
proceedings OF TINS rs court and the evidence to DO


Sec. 3. And DC it further enacted, That the pro-
on 81 s sns 1 be
good prize, shall, when OF equal or superior force
to the vessel or vessels making the capture, be
ferior M force, shall be divided equally between the
United States and the officers and men making


Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the
prize money belonging 10 the. officers and men
shall be distributed in The following manner:


First To the commanding officer Of q feet or
squadron, one twentieth part of all prize money
awarded to a vessel OF vessels under his immedi-
ate command. ,..s.


one tenth part of all prize money awarded to the
ship under his command, if such ship, at the
time of making the capture was under the i'm
mediate command of the commanding officer OF
a fleet or squadron, and three twentieths If his
ship was acting independently Of sush superior


Third The share Of the commanding officer of
the fleet squadron, if any, and the share of the
commander OF the ship being deducted, the resi-
all Others doing duty on board, and borne upon
the books, according to their respective rates OK
pay in the service.


Fourth When one or more vessels of the navy
shall be within signal distance of another making
prize, all shall share in the prize, and money
awarded shall be apportioned among the officers
and men of the several vessels according to the
rates of pay or all on board who are borne upon
the books, after deducting one.twentieth to the
flag officer If there be any such entitled to share


Fifth. No commander of a fleet or squadron
shall be entitled to receive any share of prizes
taken by vessels not under his immediate COM
mand nor of such prizes as may have been taken
by ships or vessels intended to be placed under
his command before they have acted under bis
immediate orders; nor ~hall commander OF
feet squadron, leaving the station where he
had the command have any share in the prizes
taken by ships left on such station after he has
gone out of the limits of his said comm nd, nor
after he has transferred his command to sue
cessor.


have been temporarily absent. on duty. from the
vessel, on the books of which he continued to be
borne while so absent, shall be deprived, In con-
sequence of such absence, of any prize money to
which he would otherwise be entitled.


Sec. 4. Aad be it further enacted, That boun-
ty shall be paid by the United States for each per-
son on board any ship vessel ofwar belonging
to an enemy at the commencement of an engage.
ment which shall be sunk otherwise destroyed
in such engagement, by any ship or vessel belong


ing to the United States, or which 1t may be
necessary to destroy in consequence OF injuries
sustained in action, of one hundred dollars II the
enemy's vessel was of inferier force; and of two


hundred dollars if of equal or superior force; to


be divided among the officers and crew in the
same manner as prize money; and when the actual
numb r of men on board any such vessel cannot


be satisfactorily ascertained it shall be estimated
according to the complement aloweti to vessels
of their class in the navy of the United States;
and there shall be paid as bounty to the captors
of any vessel of-war captured from any enemy,
which they may be instructed to destroy, or which
shall be immediately destroyed for the public IN
terest but not III consequence of injuries received
]


be on board at the time of such capture.


Sec. And be it further enacted, That the com
manding officer of every vessel, or the senior OH


GERS OF all vessels OF the navy, which Shall cap


ture seize upon any vessel or vessels as prize,


shall carefully preserve all th~ papers and writ
ings found on board, and transmit the whole of
the originals unmutilated, to the Judge of the


district to which such prize is ordered to proceed,
with the necessary witnesses, and report of the


circumstances attending the capture, stating the


names of vessels claiming share thereof; and


the commanding officer of every vessel in the


money shall, early practicable after the cap


ture, transmit to the Navy apartment COM


plete list of the officers and men of his vessel:


entitled to share inserting thereon the quality of
every person rating. on in OF forteiting his
whole share of the prize money resulting from
such capture, and suffering such further punish
ment as a court martial shall adjudge.


Sec. g. And be it further enacted, That any
armed vessel in the service of the United States


which shall make a capture, assist in a capture,
under cil cumstances which would ent1tie Vessei
of the navy to prize money, shall be entitled to
an award of prize money in the same manner as
| if such vessel belonged to the navy; and such
prize money shall be distributed and apportioned
in the same manner and under the same rules


and regulations provided for for persons in the


naval service, and paid under the direction of the
Secretary of the Navy


Sec 2. And be it further enacted, That no per-
son in the navy shall take out of prize, or ves


sci seized as prize, any money, plate, goods, or
any of her equipment, unless it be for the better
preservation thereof, absolutely necessary for
the use of any of the vessels or armed forces of
the United States, before the same shall be ad-
judged lawful prize by q competent court out
the whole, without fraud, concealment, or en-
bezzlement, shall be brought in, and judgement


passed thereon. upon pain that every person Of
Tending herein shall forfeit his share OF the cap
ture, and suffer such further punishment as Q


court-martal shall adjudge. -


Sec g. And be it further enacted That per-


son in the navy shall strip off the Clothes pill
age, or in any manner maltreat, persons taken on
board prize, on pain of such punishment as
court-martial shall adJudge. le5sAEs4


Sec. 9. And be it furtl!er enacted, That all ram


som money, salvage, bounty. or orproceeds of for
feture or contiscation, accrung or axarded to


any vessel of the navy, shall be distributed and
paid to the officers and men entitled thereto, in


the same manner as prize money, under the direc-
ton of the Secretary of the Navy. i-s,a


Sec. TO- And be- it further enacted, That any


person entitled to wages or prize money have the


same paid to his "a, assignee, provided the assign


and in case of the assignment of wages, the pow


shall specify the precise time they commence.
discourage his crews from selling any part of
their wages prize money, and neverto attest
any power of attorney, until he Is satisfied that
the same is not granted in consideration OF money
given for the purchase Of wages or prize money.


Sec. IL And be it further enacted, That all
money accruing which has already accrued to


the United States from sale of prizes shall be and
remain forever fund for the payment of pen
sions to the officers, seamen, and marines who
said fund shall be insufficient for the purpose the
public faith is hereby pledged to make up the de-
fciency; but il it should be more than sufficient


the surplus shall he applied to the making of fur
ther provision for the comfort of the disabled
officers. seamen, and marines.


Sec. IL. And be it further enacted, That tbs
district attorneys of the several districts of the
courts of the United States, in WHICH any cases
of prize are, or may be depending, shall as soon
may be after the passage of this act, Furnish to
the Navy Department a complete list of all the
prize cases which have been determined, or may


still be pending within their respective districts,


with statement of the condition OF each, in such
form and embrace ,g such particulars as the Secre-


tary Of the Navy may require, and shall, as often
once in each month. thereafter, furnish fur
ther statement of the condition of every case In


their respective districts, and of any further pro-
ceedings had therein since their last returns
| And the Secretary of the Navy is hereby au-
| thorized to appoint an agent or to employ coun:


sci wi en- the captors do not employ counsel
themselves in any case in which he may consider


it necessary to assist the district attorneys and


protect the interests of the captors, with such
| compensation as he may think just and reason.
able And it shall be the duty of the several


marshals of the United States to furnish to the
| Navy Department on request, or to its agent, a
| full and particular statement of the disposition


OF every prize vessel and cargo, in such form and
! with such details the Secretary of the Navy
| may requre and as often rs he may require the