The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-02-18

waters, like angels of mercy, ready to con-
duct the noble ship TO haven OF safety. We have
yet received intelligence of the safety OF all of
them but if skill and daring of any avail those
noble and intrepid fellows will all reach port in safe
~. These are the men who have sustained for
years, the malignant attacks OF the Wall street press.
These are the men who are daily accused OF hug
gng the shore and creeping under cover at the
approach OF storm. In the middle of a severe
winter, and in the midst of gale of almost unex-
ampled violence, we see these men facing almost
death Itself IN the discharge of their duty Is not
time that the country in general took up their case,
and did them justice!
The amount of injury thus far ascertained, varies
IRON quarter to half million of dollars,
and about sixty lives. The amount of property
destroyed may yet be sweled to a million.
OF the lives that have been lost many were
passengers, and the remainder mariners. What
dreadful suffering they must have endured Cast
on bleak shore, in the midst of an American win
ter with the elements let loose and the angel of de-
structlon riding on the hurricane, what an awful
night OF mental and bodily suffering they must have
experienced! The fond wife and mother, within but
short distance OF those whom they loved and with
outwhom the world was desert lost forever to the
aftecuonate husband and father, and buried beneath
the angry loan The hardy seaman, with the bea-
con light almost In view-that light which many
time has met his eyes with grateful and trepida-
ting heart, bringing up "reminiscences of his hap
py home and hearth-enjoyng in anticipation the
embraces OF his loving wife and affectionate little
ones, the cup of bliss almost to his lips, but snached
away dntasted Truly the ways OF the Lord are in
scrutabe.
The night OF the l4h of February, 1876, will long
be remembered
The New York Pilots and the late Terrible
storm-The Charity or Underwriters.
The insurance companies Of Wall street, with
combined capital of ten millions OF dollars, are
running mad with joy at their even doubtful pros
pect OF defeating that interchangeable class of men, the
New York pilots, who have spent the best OF their
existence, rsking life, property and health, for an
ungrateful Board of Underwriters and Chamber of
Commerce; but their expected triumph is by no
means certain. The committee OF the House OF Rep
resentatives, in Washington havebeen abused and
deceived by garbled, perverted and false evidence,
and the hour to correct this injustice cannot be far
distant, il the Committee Of the House will carefully
scrutnize the statements before them.
No one familiar with the commercial history of
New York, can have failed to observe that the
Chamber OF Commerce is lmpotent for evil, without
the fostering care Of the holy alliance Of insurers
The Chamber Of Commerce always acts with the I'M
derwriers. And the experimental principles of nrl-
tual insurance, now in fashion among commission
merchants and others, who are pocketing scrip
every day, which is honestly the property of thei
employers, have influenced many, for the uses of
the insurers, in urging the Chamber to oppose the
New York pilots. The humber class Of vessel
owners have had too much reason to know the in
surers, who make such interminable lltigatons to
prevent the payment of just LOSSES until they have
driven the unfortunate claimant to or beyond the
verge OF bankruptcy; or crushed his credit and his
character, or compelled him. if too far beggared to
urge forward lawsuits, which the insurers counsel
have contrived to load with illimitabe delays and
overwhelming expense, he is driven to accept any
miserable allowance they may please to dole out to
him as charity, which these companies call com
promises-but which plain men are apt to call rob.
berries. Does not every one, who has had expert
ence, know that If any man lose his only vessel in
which his all was invested, it is the settled practice
to refuse to pay for her, upon the ground that the
claimant can be driven to compromise? This Is
| too common to have escaped general observation
The merchant princes" of New York have no
delays Their money for losses is rendered to them
before II is DUE Yet these aristocraticsl philoso-
piers are now fattering themselves that our
country's representatives, in Congress, are to
4 lend themselves to the gross injustice of rum
ing the New York pilots, who work hard for
small pay, at great hazard, and always promptly
pay their honest debts. An underwater can be
made out of any OF the cast-off material of trade,
from horse dealer to a broken down doctor-and
he may strand his company, high and dry, without
any complaint to Congress. But New York pilot
Is made Of good timber, well tried under fearful
hazards, and his devotion to the knowledge of New
York Bay, and Its commerce, units him for any
other business, whilst the insurance man can carry
his cheating wares to every port.
| We have said that the underwriters and the
Chamber OF Commerce were ungratefui Let us state
few facts. The devotion of the pilots TO the COM
mercial interests has been proved by the prompness
always evinced when danger threatened our ship
ping. But we will now only refer to the last gale
We give the cruise Of one boat ony-it is that of
the Blossom. She had put all her pilots on board
inward vessels but three; and on Saturday morning.
the l4th, put John Oxer on board the brig Moses,
from Charleston, twenty miles southeast Of Barna-
gat. At9 A. M. made the ships John Mnturn and
orleans. Chased them, without receiving any favor
from either, to enable the pilots to speak them
ihey dld not appear to want New York pilots.
AT hve r. NJ the John Minturn, as the weather
was getting bad, and as no New Jersey pilot or mer.
chant pilot was IN sight, made signal for pilot,
and Capt Thomas Freedom put on board. Al
aoout7 Z. M The weather thckened and the Or.
leans made signal of six llghts-probably fearing
to lose their enemy, the New York pilots-and John
Fredell was put on board. This ship is now safely
In port The John Minturn is on the be ach, and
the brave hearted pilot is with those who persisted
The Blossom was spoken soon after by bark, for a
pllot-this was the New Jersey-a vessel always
opposed to the New York pilots The bark is on
the beach-for the boat had no more pilots. AT 10
p M spoke the ship St. George, in twelve fathoms.
She wanted a pilot There was none The CAPTAIN