346 FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. Sxnss. II. Ch. 103. 1898. M¤¤h 30, 1898- CHAP. 103.-An Act For the relief of the sufferers by the destruction of the United _"’_`°` States steamer Maine, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. Bq it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Qpiwg S¤;·§¤¤ swam- States of America in Congress assembled, That to reimburse the survivors °'p,,“#,',§'{}0sn¤;,,,,, of the officers and crew of the United States steamer Maine, destroyed by ¤¤¤¤’¤¤¤°¤ 0* by an explosion in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, on the fifteenth day of February, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, for losses incurred by them, respectively, in the destruction of said vessel, there shall be paid to each of said survivors, out of any money in the Treasury of the United _ States not otherwise appropriated, a sum equal to the losses so sus- £,j?J,’;{é_ cm tained by them: Provided, That the accounting officers of the Treasury _shall in all cases require a schedule and ailidavit from each person making a claim under this Act, such schedule to be approved by the Secretary of the Navy; and reimbursement shall be made for such articles ot clothing, outilt, and for such personal effects only as are of a character and value and in quantity suitable and appropriate to the rank or rating l Limit ¤f1>·•y¤¤¤¤*- and duty of the person by whom the claim is made: Provided further, That in no case shall the aggregate sum allowed for such losses exceed the amount of twelve months’ sea pay (without rations) of the grade or rating held by such person at the time the losses were incurred. P¤·f¤¤¤¤M·>r¤1¤¤v¤¤ Sec. 2. That the widow, child, or children, and in case there be not {’,{Q,._°°° °m°°” ""I such, that the parent or parents, and if there be no parent, the brothers and sisters, of the officers, enlisted men, and others who were lost in the destruction: of said vessel, or who have died or who may die within ‘ one year irom date of the disaster in consequence of injuries received in the destruction of said vessel, shall be entitled to and shall receive, out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, to wit: The relative, in the order named, of the persons heretofore referred to, a sum equal to twelve months’ sea pay of the fjgifg-of Pay dm grade or rating of each person deceased as aforesaid: Provided, That a¤¢mea,m“ the legal representatives of the deceased persons hereinbefore referred to shall also be paid from the Treasury of the United States any arrears dP,‘j,‘}},,‘,}§‘_Q,"*,f,*‘,,{]‘,,“{,§_f";({ of pay due the deceased at the time of their death: Provided further, fcrlosses- That if any person who shall receive reimbursement under this Act, . for losses incurred in said disaster, shall die within the year in consequence of injuries incurred in the destruction of said vessel, the amount so paid shall be deducted from the amount of twelve months’ sea. pay (without rations) allowed to such beneiiciary by virtue of this Act ot' relie . ¢j;¤*ig·ggmig{¤1¤¤> Sec. 3. That the accounting ofllcers of the Treasury be, and they are nm °`°‘ hereby, authorized to continue for a period of three months any allotments which may have been made in favor of any relatives of the degrees hereinbefore enumerated by any of the officers and men attached to the United States ship Maine who lost their lives in or in 17E7g3W_ consequence of the disaster to that vessel: Provided, That the amount ' of the allotments so continued shall be deducted from the amount of twelve months’ sea pay allowed to such beneiiciaries by virtue of this Act for their relief. _£'j;,;‘{:mL;:"_·**·l¤- Sm:. 4. That the relief granted by the provisions of this Act shall g“ be in full satisfaction of any and all claims whatever against the United States on account of losses or death by the destruction of the United States steamer Maine; and any claim against the United States which shall be presented and acted upon under the authority of this Act shall be held to be finally determined and shall not in any manner thereafter be reopened, reconsidered, supplemented nor be subject to appeal in any form; and the method of presenting and establishing said claims hereinbefore presented shall be followed in lieu of those prescribed by acts or parts of acts heretofore enacted relating to the presentation and ,{’;;;*,j;§ allowance of similar claims: Provided, That nothing herein shall atfeet " the right of any of the beneficiaries under this Act to any pension to which they may be entitled under existing law after the expiration of one year from said fifteenth day of February, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight.
