Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-03-10


up to the last year, the fees had been By
comparing the fees Of pilots other ports with those Of
ours woud be found mat the latter received much
han the former lie went into numerous details 10 shew
that the potage the James river was exorbant He
had formerly stated that the number of pilots in the James
river greater than that the harbour of New
and he further believed that there were more pilots In
river than the law authorized. The law allows only four
pilots to be in partner shptho gentleman from Eliza
the rivcrthere could not therefore, according to law
allowing four partners to each boat, be more than
tnirty-two pilots: whereas there sixty in the bu-
siness The true difficulty was that there were too MANY
pilots for the business The gentleman from Elizabeth
City had said on former day. that the pilots had threaten
cd to throw their branches the fees were not raised
Tie ana not consider That there any danger frem this
threatas the State of Virginia had only TO hermit the
Bay pilots to pilot vessels
Mr.. Jones said he had never stocd that tho ,;,o, L
threatened to quit the business He had stated h, The
would DC forced TO abandon because they could not live
by II. 1t would be matter Of sheer necessity.
Mr. Rutherford continued, and compared the fees Of
piotage IN James river with those Of other States Pilots
could not suffer by being forced to quit the business
ney were always good seamen and could want prof.
liable employment No pilotage was allowed on the
Hudson the Connecticut rivers and in no other h, ,
Delaware in which the navigation was very difficult
MASTERS vessels were induced oengage steam boats al
though they had pilots boards on account Of The &
patch The law last year, allowing masters of vessel, 10
dispense with pilots from Bermuda Hundred to Richmond
had oeeh very beneficial, and indication that the
provision ought to he extended to Hampton Roads
Mr. Grinalds said that the compari son made bv the gen
t'eman from Richmond between the James River pilots
ana those oil NJ Y was not fair Sandy Hook wasbut
10 miles from NJ Y, the passage was without obsrc,;on
so that man could bring up ships from the Hook in
nu was very different here where sometimes weeks
were spent In voyage the river The rates at
were inadequate. When Mr. G. came up TO Richmond
ne Tell in company with two Of these pilots who were
coming up TO resign their situations They declared tho
lees to be low that they could not sbsist pon ,bo
The merchants were interested in retaining good pIots
and that could only be done by paying fair price for their
services. - ~
Mr. Brown called the attention of gentlemen 70 tl,e real,
iucsuon under consideration IL was not reduce the
Oh Po's' out 10 allow masters of vessels to be their
own Piios, above Hampton Roads. The pilots had be.
come rcmss and ignorant OF tho pccuaries of the river
navigation They do not navigate the river as formerly in
their pilot boats but 90 from place to place in the
DoatS and many accidents continually occurring from
Their want OF experience IT, as by the amendment the
masters OF vessels were allowed to discharge their pilots
NJ hampton Roads they fit and be at liberty TO take
another, or to pilot their vessels themselves il would
muiate The pilots to gain experience, and become more
rus',worhy inns would not take from the pilots their
lees, but II would distribute them equally and the
most mcrorous would have the greatest portion of bu,
- ~
Mr.. Jones said the course recommended bv he oen,lo
man from petersburg, was practised by the pilots II
was the practice OF the pilots take one of the BOYS o
board the vessels with them and make him sound ali the
way up lie conovered the statement that the fees of
our pilots were higher than those of the Delaware Re-
SIDES the Delaware pilots out of the Bav
whle the Virginia pilots often board ships miles out at
sea- lie alluded to the exertons of the Virginia pilots d
ring heavy snow storm last winter sccouring vessels
out oil provisions on the coast The gentleman from Ac
eoac was correct IN stating that this question
between the merchants and the pilots; but between the
insurance officers and the pilots. Mr. wished TO oh
tam fair rate OF compensation for these spi
rus, VINO exposed their lives in the service of our com.
eree' ana braved the ocean, when its ran noun
tain high tossed about in their a vessels and TO
every vicissude of the elements He hoped the amon,I
ment would not be adopted.
Mr. Brodnax said, it seemed be considered that the
agricultural producer was no party TO this question Gen
ueIen seemed to think that it was quarrel between
hichmond Petersburg, Norfolk and the Pilots But the
producers OF the objects of had 10 paw all these
extraneous charges; and, formerly distinct charge was
made oil so many hogsheads Of tobacco plotage The
lees were really levied the farmers. Others may dance
but the farmers must pay the piper He hoped the law
o DC lett as IT year and he could
man to employ another against his will or TO depriye him
OF the right OF making choice.
Mr.. Brown explained the manner in which he and his
constituents were interested in this matter The TOWNS of
Richmond and Petersburg certainly were interested in
keeping up The lees oil the pilots for the safety of their
uadeDut they did not wish them too high could not
DO saiu That this was quarrel between Richmond Pc
tersburg' Norfolk, and the Piots-as it evident that
NOSE commercial towns were interested to sustain the p
os' ana they were driven away, those towns would be
ne rs 10 come here and petition for measures to bring
mem back They were not to be prevented however
from endeavorng to fix their al fair rates II,
nad been shewn by the gentleman from Richmond that
they were too numerous, and if their number was reduc
uu no one would be interested in it but the pilots, and
"ose VINO remained would be better compensated
Messrs Jones and Rutherford made some explanations
Mr. Grinalds said that il a contest between the
farmers and the pilots; but between the insurance compa
MES and the pilots. BY lowering the fees the bur.n
WOULD not be taken from the farmers but il would take il
oil the insurance companies and put it upon the pilots
Mr. Wchcr moved the indefinite postponeinent of the
bill. - w
Alter few remarks from Messrs. Witcher and Jones
the motion was rejected-Ayes %, Noes 46 The amend
ment was then rejected.
MIR Brown moved further to amend, and explained his
motion at some length, which opposed by Mr. Cham
dler, when il was rejected
Inc Dill was then ordered to be engrossed
THURSDAY, March S.-ELEcToRAL ApPoRrIoNMENr
On motion of Mr.. Broadnax il was
ha oixrn T..
amend an act 10 reduce into the several acts now i'm
ioce providing for the apporionment of electors TO choose
President and Vice President of the United States
February 18th 1928.
Mr. Brodnax said in presenting the resolution that il
must nave been obvious that the doubt which former
ly hung over the decision in Congress of the Apporon
ent BILL still existed, and that circumstances gave little
hope oil the passage OF that bill within any reasonable ne
ROD And really this fine weather admonshed them
10 prepare Tor the adjournment OF the General Assem-
Dy some order must be taken this subject: and il
would he thought, be acceptable their constituents il
some measure should be arrived relieve the leesa
tre from The duty this year, of parceing out the State in
10 electoral Districts which could occupy less than
week IL did not all probable that Virginia would
be entitled TO less than % members of Congress; and il
thcy should pass law for the econ of that number
and in should be entitled TO one or two additional
members the power might be left in the hands of the e
gslature TO appoint them at its subsequent session.
Iniar case had formerly occurred, and the Legislature
met one week earlier, in oder TO make the appointments
MT H. argucdin favor oil this course, at some length and
observed that the always left the hands of
e legislature 10 appoint members in of sickness
DINER causes OF absence and that the principle was sus-
tanned by the practise OF several of the States
Messrs BrodAax, Carter of y. W., GooJc Summers,
Williams, Mcdowell, Faulkner, Roane McJIhaney Webb,
subject " ~
On motion Of Mr.. Rives bill TO change the time Of