The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-04-13


To high resolves il nerved my heart,
And filed my soul with melody.
CALEB LYON, OF LroNspALE.
City Hotel, April Q, isao.
The New York PiIOtaSo-The Necessity OF
Change In the Present system.
We are admonished by the recent disasters on our
coast of the lmperlOus necessity OF the proper regu
laton OF the pilot system. Had the proposed law OF
distinguished merchant OF this city been enacted,
there can be no doubt that the Henry Clay would
have safely reached the "haven where she would
be- II was therein proposed that pilot boats should
be stationed as follows: one 20 miles east OF Sandy
Hook, another Oft the Hook, another 70 miles thence
there been boat 20 miles south OF the Hook, the
Henry Clay would have been saved, as II was at or
near that point she met her fate.
OF all subjects, the Pllotage OF the port requires
system, and rigid regulation by law At present the
competition Of the New York pilots with each other,
and with pilots of New Jersey and those created by
the merchants, precudes the possibility OF attaining
the desirable and important object OF statoning
boats at appropriate places to inte8cpt vessels sp
preaching the port. The New York pilots, depend
ing alone for support on vessels coming from sea,
cruise at various distances OF from so to 26O miles
from shore, and It not unfrequeny occurs that they
are passed by inward-bound vessels needing their
services. The same competition leads the New
Jersey pilots considerable distance from land; and
thus 1t Is that occasions occur when vessels are ex
posed to the dangers of shipwreck from the want OF
q
long as the whole subject is taken from the appro-
pirate control OF State Legislation, and 30 long the
Of 1887 permits the State OF New Jersey to Issue
licenses transact business within the territorial
is no control general supervision over the subject
There is no law of the State Of New York regulating
ptsots licensed under its authority. The Board OF
Commissioners of Pilots, who have undertaken to
license pilots have not the power TO enforce the re-
gulations they have adopted.
The States of New York and New Jersey can
only regulate pilots created by the authority OF the
respective States, and the Board OF Merchant Com
gard to the licensed pilots Of New York, it exerci-
ses the influence OF evil, in excluding them from en-
ployment. Thus, we have three distinct bodies OF
men engaged IN the pilot service, each deriving
authority from different and antagonist sources;
consequently, each pursuing the business in such
manner as most conduccs to the advantage OF itself
and prejudice to competitors. II the competition
were fair and open, the merchant pilots would
starve in a single flow OF the tide but as the mer-
chants are pledged to their support and hence com.
mitted to monopoly, outward bound vessels afford
them reasonable harvest, to the prejudice OF the
pilots of both States, whilst the State pilots perform
suit, endeavoring to anticipate their rivals. they
seek employment far at sea, and thus scattered on
the broad surface OF the ocean, vessels are exposed
to the great probability of passing all, and on reach
ing the scene Of peril are lett the slender chance
Of finding the inexperienced merchant pilot.
In order to efficient regulation OF pllotagc, sys.
tenn and organization is Indispensable, to be estab
lished only through the plenary and energetic au-
thority OF State government Congress cannot
frame law adapted to the diversified character Of
pilot duty at the different ports throughout the UNI
led States general regulation would be produc-
tive Of universal confusion. Regulations aPpropri-
ate to the port of New York would be entirely inap
pcable to the Capes OF Virginia; and 80, thro gh-
out the United States the same embarrassment
would be encountered. The services performed by
the pilots of New York. differing entirely from that
OF the pilots Of every other port, the compensation
must equally differ. In short, 1t is wholly imprac,
ticable Tor Congress to digest entire SYSTEM and
the only recourse is to adopt the pilot laws OF the
respective States.
The force Of these considerations, superadded TO
the dellcacy Of interfering with State municipal au-
thority and police, strongly influenced the Congress
OF 1883 In the enactment OF the 4th OF March, OF that
year. wherein it is declared, That all pilots in the
bays rivers nlets, harbors and ports OF the United
States. shall continue to be regulated, IN conformi-
ty with the existing laws Of the States respectively,
wherein such pilots may be-. or with such laws as
the States may respectively hereafter enact for the
purpose, until future Legislative provision BY Con-
gress"
fees Of District Attorneys, Clerks and MaIshals OF
the United States by uniform law or tarlf oil COM
pensaton, and how entirely has the time and talent
devoted to the pursuit been wasted That subject
now stands precisely where has tor the last halt
century, and where it probably will remain until
the practice of the courts, and the duties OF these
officers, shall be uniform throughout the different
judicial districts OF the country, Notwithstanding
the crying abuse that universally prevails, and the
dlscredit into which the federal tribunals have
fallen, until at length they have become leprosy
on the body polite.
Another grave objection to committing the regula-
ton OF pilots to the federal government, 10 the in
creased federal patronage which must attend that
course. Ii Congress sumes the management and
control ofhc subject feature OF federal admins
traton, as a consequence, pilots will be appointed by
the President, or probably by the Secretary o. inc
Treasury, and we shall have legion OF federal Of
ficers like locusts covering the land, exceeding In
number on our sea board and inland seas, the army
OF assistant postmasters, who now exert 30 impor-
tant an influence in federal elections.
BY repeal of The present law these evils Will DC
avoided, and the suspended rights OF the States will
be restored 10 them Is it not lncomprehensible
that the representatives OF the people and Senators
of States can tolerate the principle upon which e-
glslation by Congress has been advocated and sus-
tained involving as it does, either the integrity or
intelligence OF their constituents Why 10 the
power to legisate taken from where IT was reposed
in 1789 except uron the rcproachful reason IMPLIED,
that the States had betrayed their trust! Nothing
short Of that proposition is pre- sented and as long as
the present act remains on the statute DOCK, u
stands monument OF recorded rebuko to each
sovereign State Of this republic. PuBLIccLA.
new and important route for travel has been opened
across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee. number Of ira
iersvei left Milwaukee at p NJ and arrived At Grand
Haven the next morning. being about twelve hours on the
lake in the schooner Champion thence 70 Grand Rapids
by Paragon and proceeding TO Battle Creek ~
stage take the conveyance BY railroad Tor Detroit ~
this route they travelling about ~ hours not 70 IN
clude the delays Of two nights at Grand Rapids and
nj hts ho