Now, therefore, pursuant to the provisions of article 3 of said convention, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States, do hereby direct that such amount so received shall be distributed among the parties entitled thereto in the following amounts and proportions and pursuant to the following rules:
I. The amounts allowed are determined with a general reference to the rates of wages of officers and crew. All of the ship's company (constituting the crew) are to be regarded and considered as American seamen; but inasmuch as the British Government has demanded and received from Spain certain indemnity and promises of further conditional indemnity for and on account of certain of the crew as being British subjects, those of the crew or passengers who were British subjects, or who have been claimed as such by the British Government, and for whom the British Government demanded or received indemnity from Spain, are to be excluded from the distribution to be made of the indemnity above referred to.
II. Distribution will be made on account of those who were executed as follows:
For each one (being thirteen in number) of the ship's company rated or serving as fireman, mariner, cook, cabin boy, or otherwise than as one of the officers or petty officers hereafter mentioned, who was executed, and excluding those referred to above, and also to each passenger who was executed, being at the time an American citizen, the sum of $2,500.
For each assistant engineer, second, third, fourth engineer or third mate, 40 per cent in addition to the above sum; that is to say, $3,500 each.
For the first mate and first engineer, 80 per cent in addition to the said above-mentioned sum; that is to say, $4,500 each.
For the captain, 150 per cent in addition to the said above-mentioned sum; that is to say, $6,250.
III. The several amounts allowed as above are to be paid to the widow, children, parents, or brothers and sisters of the deceased, as follows:
(1) To the widow of the deceased.
(2) If no widow, to the children of the deceased in equal shares.