Page "Prize money" Paragraph 3

If the prize were an enemy merchantman, the prize money came from the sale of both ship and cargo.

If it were a warship, and repairable, usually the Crown bought it at a fair price ; additionally, the Crown added " head money " of 5 pounds per enemy sailor aboard the captured warship.

Prizes were keenly sought, for the value of a captured ship was often such that a crew could make a year's pay for a few hours ' fighting.

Hence boarding and hand-to-hand fighting remained common long after naval cannons developed the ability to sink the enemy from afar.