Where any visitation, seizure, detention, or prosecution purports to have been made or instituted in pursuance of this Act, the Treasury when required under any treaty shall and in any other case may, if they think fit, pay the whole or any part of any costs, expenses, compensation, and damages which may have been awarded against the person making or instituting such visitation, seizure, detention, or prosecution, or any costs and expenses which may have been incurred in respect of the same, or on account of any person on board any vessel so visited, seized, or detained; but nothing in this section shall exempt the commander or officer of the ship or other person by whom the visitation, seizure, detention, or prosecution was made or instituted from his liability to make good any sum so paid when required by the Treasury so to do, and when any such commander or officer, or other person serving under the Admiralty, or any person serving under any other department of the Government, is so required to make good any sum, that sum shall, if the Treasury so direct, be deducted by the Admiralty or other department of the Government, under whom such person is serving, from any payment to which such commander, officer, or person is entitled on account of salary, pay, prize, or bounty.