pirates piratgold

Five pirates (call them Admiral, Captain, Commander, Lieutenant and Ensign) meet on shore to divide up the Spanish gold, and being a very orderly group of pirates they adopt the following rules for determining who will get how much: The senior pirate will suggest a way of dividing up the gold and everyone will vote on it. If at least half the pirates vote for his plan they will follow it. If they don’t agree with his plan they will kill him and it will be the turn of the next most senior pirate to suggest a formula.  They will vote on his suggestion and either follow it or kill him. Then the third pirate will suggest a plan and so on.  If you were the senior pirate in this situation, what would be your proposal?

Hint: Consider the last case first. If it gets down to the last two men, the lowest ranking Ensign will not get a coin, so you may be able to win his vote -- and maybe others -- at the beginning.

Illustration is by Howard Pyle from his "Book of Pirates".
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