An Act fixing the pay of the Captains and Commanders of ships and vessels of war of the United States.
Law as Written [1]
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all the vessels in the service of the United States, mounting twenty guns and upwards, be commanded by captains--those not exceeding eighteen guns (except gallies, which are to be commanded as heretofore provided by law) by masters or lieutenants, according to the size of the vessel, to be regulated by the President of the United States.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the pay of captains commanding ships of thirty-two guns and upwards, be one hundred dollars per month, and eight rations per day; of captains commanding ships of twenty and under thirty-two guns, seventy-five dollars per month and six rations per day; of a master commandant, sixty dollars per month and five rations per day; and of lieutenants, who may command the smaller vessels, fifty dollars per month, and four rations per day.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That whenever any officer, as commanders of aforesaid, shall be employed in the command of a squadron, on separate service, the allowance of rations to such commanding officer shall be doubled during the continuance of such command, and no longer, except in the case of the commanding officer of the navy, whose allowance, while in service, shall always be at the rate of sixteen rations per day.
APPROVED, February 25, 1799.