The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-09-27 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL PILOT COMMISSIONERS
AND THE. CO ASTING STEAMERS.

Yesterday, at twelve o'clock, a Meeting of the Pilot Com-
missioners of this port, was held in the Council Chamber,
Town,liall. The Mayor occupied the chair. The following
commissioners were present :—Messrs. James Bateson, John
Bigham, William Nicholson, William Gibson, Joseph Cornish,
William Brice, William Mann, John Worrell, John
Woodruff, T. L. Hodson, Thomas Wagstaff William Potter,
James Parker, E. D. Falkner, and J. N. Wood.
The meeting was called to consider the claims of owners
of coasting steamers to an abatement in the rate of pilotage;
and also the recommendation of the pilot committee thereon,
for the reduction of the same to such an amount as
would not leave a greater charge on that class of vessels
than what was due from it towards the pilot establish-
ment, which was maintained for the general benefit of
the port, and to which the owners of coasting steamers
have, and • demand a right to share, especially in
eases of emergency arising in the channels, and entrances
to the • ports' and fix the rates of pilotage on coasting
steamers ; also to elect commissioners to supply vacancies,
and likewise to appoint a member of the pilot committee.
MR. JOHN NELSON WOOD said, the pilot committee had
called this meeting of the commissioners, in the first
place to fill up the vacancies, cauE3d by the deaths of others,
and also to fill up a vacancy in the committee. But the
principal object, and one of the greatest importance, was
that, of regulating the rates of pilotage on coasting steamers
to this port, They were aware a pilot's bill had recently
passed, containing a clause which the committee thought
proper to oppose, as being highly injurious in its effect on
the pilot establishment, and also detrimental to the mercan-
tile interests of the port. •At the same time to meet the views
of the only complaining party against the rates of pilotage on
the owners of coasting steamers, the committee had now
to submit to the commissioners present, what that reduction
should be, and he hoped the commissioners would consider
the same and adopt it if they thought proper. In
his opinion, and in the opinion of the committee,
this reduction ought surely to satisfy the coast-
ing trade. The reduction they proposed to make would
be a serious loss to the pilot establishment, and in his (Mr.
Wood's) opinion, the pilots of Liverpool were net over well
paid at present, and he should like to see them better paid.
for it was a notorious fact, that of the three great ports in the
world, the pilotage of Liverpool was only one-third of. that
charged at New York and London, whilst the dangers
from shifthig sands and banks were greater and cOntbrus4
in Liverpool. He should therefore propose for the adop-
tion of the commissioners, that, with the consent of Her
Majesty in council, the following regulations be made with
respect to the rates of pilotage on coasting steamers that
is to say, that coasting steamers, outward bound, proceeding
to sea without a pilot, be altogether exempt from the pay-
ment of pilotage, and that the rate of pilotage for coasting
steamers inward bound, be reduced from four shillings, to
one shilling per foot, where the services of a branch pilot
are not required on board the steamer. And that this
regulation take effect at the expiration of one calendar
month, from the consent of Her Majesty in council being
obtained to this regulation."
Mr. W. MANN seconded the motion. He said the
proprietors of coasting steamers had been for some time
wishful for some alteration to be made in the rates, and the-
Pilot Committee had not been unwilling to listen to such
wishes on their part ; but until this present act of parlia-
ment was passed, in the last month, the Pilot Committee was
precluded from making any reduction or alteration. They
had not the power to do it, but now that this act had passed,
the Pilot Committee had taken this matter into its conside-
ration, and proposed to the commissioners the alteration ex-
pressed in the resolution. The owners of coasting steamers
some of them, with a sort of pilots of their own on board, but
none of them felt entirely independent of the pilot establish-
ment. On the contrary, it was very frequently the case that
they obtained the services of branch pilots during the win-
ter months, and then did without them during the summer
months. Some, on the other hand, in fine weather made
their way without a pilot, but when bad weather occurred then
they hoisted their. ack for them. Now, the Pilot Committee
hadmet their requirements liberally. The resolution claims
no pilotage on steam coasting vessels going outwards without a
pilot, neither did it force them to take one, but when
they asked for a pilot they were to pay the present
rates, and he (Mr. Mann) believed the owners did not object
to this. The charge to 13 made was ls. per foot inwards.
and that was considered as some remuneration, and some con-
sideration towards the maintenance of the establishment. So
that those coasting steamers might, when they required it,
obtain the services of a pilot, because if every vessel could go
out and come into this port in fine weather, without a pilot,
they would be unable to maintain the establishment for
the supply of pilots in bad weather. The amount was so
small, one shilling per foot inwards, he believed, so far as
as he could hear, it would meet with the concurrence of the
proprietors of the coasting steamers.
The MAYOR : This resolution would render it imperative
on all coasting steamers inwards to pay ls. per foot.
Mr. Porrnit : All vessels without retaining a pilot, and
not those coming in using a pilot.
Mr. BIGHAM : What will be the loss to the pilot establish-
ment if this arrangement is carried out ?
Mr. ROWLANDS : It is a difficult matter
might possibly amount in the aFF...e..4. eoxr
The MA04034.: Per annum ?
Mr. RowLssins : Per annum. A very serious item in ti
earnings of the pilots, and so important to the -
interests of this great port.
Mr. Ro w.syr : It is a very serious item of reduction, is
the matter of £l,OOO. The resolution was tl
carried unanimously

maritime

BATESON then moved, and Mr. Wrweat
seconded, that the Pilots' Committee take the ne-
cessary steps for obtaining the consent of her_Majesty in.

Mr. JAM'
Gn3sox

Council to the new arrangement. Carried unanimously.
On the motion of Mr. J. N. WOOD, Mr. George Ken-
dall was elected a Commissioner in the room of Mr. William
Dawson, deceased, and Mr. Joseph Mondell, in the room of
Mr. Henry A. Stewart. _ _ _ _

on the Motion of Mr. Porn.; Mr. MONDELL was elected
a member of the pilots' committee, in the room of Mr. George
Kendall, deceased. The thanks of the meeting were then
voted to the Mayor. His worship in returning thanks
remarked that the pilots of Liverpool, had always attended
well to their duty, and he trusted the reduction which
was about being made, would be an inducement to the
owners and captains of steamers to find them constant em-
ployment, being assured, that one would always feel more
secure on board a vessel with a pilot, than without one.—
The proceedings then terminated.

MEETING OF THE LIVERPOOL AUXILIARY OF THE
LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. —Last night, the annual
meeting. of the above Society was held at Dr. Raffles's
chapel, in Great George's Street. Mr. James CRosFIELD was
called to the chair. Dr. RAFFLES opened the meeting with
prayer, after which the CHAIRMAN then alluded to this
being the 30th anniversary of the Auxiliary Society, and
to the fact that little more than fifty years had elapsed-since
the initiation of Protestant Christians Missions. He spoke
of the immense fields now being opened in the vast plains
of India, and especially in China. Dr. RAFFLES then read
the cash account of the Auxiliary Society. The amount of
its subscriptions for the Parent Society during the last year
amounted in all £758 Bs. Bd. The Rev. THoistes
of Trowbridgez moved the first resolution to this effect, that
the meeting give the glory of all the success of missions to
God. He remarked that since the commencement of Pro-
testant missions uniform success has attended the cause, and
that all suffering should be lost to view in the abundance
of the success. Everything now encouraged and stimulated
forward; fifty years ago, only here and there could be found
a servant advocating Christ, now they were an army of
10,000 men, 2,000 of those men were of our own colour,
and speaking our own language. The remaining 8,000 pos-
sessed a greater interest, they were men converted from
heathenism, many of them were pioneers to our own country-
men, in the South Sea islands, in other instances they succeed
them taking up the cause, and carrying it on after them.
The other great means in missionary hands, were the tran-
slation of the bible, and the establishment of schools ; by all
these means the word of God had been revealed to 600,000
of the human race ; when Dr. Morrison, said the speaker,
a simple and earnest youth stood on the quay at Liverpool,
about to embark for China, a merchant said to him, with
a look of scorn, "do you think you can convert the manda-
rins." He replied " I don's think I can, but I know God
can." Now look at the result of that man's labour, it pro-
duced what was now called a rebellion ; but which will 'be
called a glorious revolution by and bye. He next alluded to
Madagascar. which he called the most interesting field of
christian missions ; 14 years ago the missionaries were cast
out from thence, leaving behind them 200 disciples, but now,
in that island there were 800 professed sincere christians,
Rev. JOSHUA. HARRISON, of London, in seconding the
motion, spoke upon the spread of the gospel, and described
it as the true panacea for all the ills of the human family.
The Rev. Mr. GILL, a missionary from Western Poly-
nesia, moved the second resolution which recorded the hand
of God in the success of the South Sea missions. Mr. Gill
observed that he left this country fifteen years ago,
and was scarcely adapted to address such a meeting,
and he might say he had the honour of being surrounded by
natives, speaking exclusively the native language, his own
language had not been thus improved. He had been in
this country about three months. He did not know what
the London Missionary Association meant to do with retired
missionaries ; but during that period he attended 66 services.
Mr. Gill then gave a most interesting and detailed account
of Western Polynasia, which excited the greatest interest
in the meeting. He contrasted forcibly the frightful state
of demoralized slavery in which the people were plunged at
the commencement of the mission, and their present state
of comparative civilization. He also introduced to the
meeting a most interesting converted youth, and excited
much hilarity amongst the ladies by describing with
much humour the predilection of the Polynesian ladies
for modern European and American fashions, and
their admiration at the great variety of shapes in the
article of bonnets particularly. Mr. Gill concluded
by a very impressive appeal to the people of Liverpool, to
give from their wealth to the Missionary cause, which has
been nowhere more signally successful than in the interesting
Archipelago from which he has lately returned. The reso-
lution being seconded, a number of other gentlemen addressed
the Meeting. The resolutions were carried.