The New York herald., 1870-02-04

NEW ~
when, after fully understanding tho nature OF his
mission he made In behalf or the pilots Of the port
tions regarding hs breshern and the pllotage pro.
fessi0n:-
THE PILOTS STORY,
Ertent OF Cruising GrOund.-Our boats at all times
can be FOUND cruising 400 and 400 miles at seafr0m
the south snoai Of Nantucket 70 the Capes OF Della
ware and Sandy Hooks greater distance from land
tnan Tue plots OF any other port IN the world are
Boats.-The pilot boats from the nature OF their
duties, necessarily enc0untering storms and tenn
pests wild waves ana jagged lcenelds, must be con-
structed OF the best materials. that they may be
stanch and seawOrthy. Tho rigging Is also re-.
CURED to be OF like character Tor durability. TO
build d. boat o. this KIND It costs from $4,000 to
construct piot boat for any other port In the
Eaucatioa OF I,ilots.-when yonng man accepts
the business OF plotting, serving his apprenticeship
OF seven years, ~ Is the case with Us, becoming
proncent IN naviaation. to the extent finding the
latitude Dy the suns altitude to keep dead reckon
ing, 10 lay down courses upon chart, knowledge
and management OF square-rlgged vessels and par
uculariy oi the tides, sOundings, bearing ana DIS.
tances oi shoais rocks, bars, points of land ana
night nights, ne can be looked upon as fixture in
this port. HIS duty Is here, his means OF liveli-
hoou are mere, and elsewhere that knowledge
would DC vaiuciess and he worthless az an old hulk.
i1tsurunce.-ihe rates charged by the marine CON-
panieS upon piot boats are 50 excessive as to pre-
cude the possibility OF their owners enectng an IN.
suTance upon them. The reason given for this IL
tnat, tne Doats being exposed to so many tempta-
toas tne risAs vi loss are corresp0ndngly increased
anu mus tne safety OF our Doats conded to the
doetrneS or chance.
In the matter OF life insurance this will also hold
eooa. Inc majority OF the pilots are married men
and nave iannes. They fully appreciate that death
Is not only the lot OF all but especially imminent
Win then as they know not at what nour the dread
messenger VIII serve MS summons; but they are
aDie 70 em0race the Dement'S Of this stem ana make
IL blessing 10 widow and orphan. as their means
are OF such al humble character and the premiums
SO high rs 10 deDar them from taxing advantage or
IT, therefore tne consciousness OF having provided
FOR those who are dearer 10 him than lie, which the
greater number OF men have Ia business impartlng
vlgor 70 his exertlons and elasticity 10 his sprlts
the pilot has not
Peyts on the Deep..-S0 hazardous Is the pilots
life that they know not what a cruise may bring
forth. Many or their vessels have been enguieI
IN wild hurricanes and their crews torn from parting
wrecks ana washed overheard LII the agony OF
despair, wnIie others have been captured by pirates
or sunk by collisions. Among them the most dire
tragedies Oi which the s often the theatre
been enacted. Three 0i their gallant vessels have
gone down III the storm and gloom, with no record
Of their fate. Inc list Of terrlDe occurrences Is
large one, embracing since 1883 the 1oowlng:-
New YORK Doats.-No. !, Phantom; No. 2, Washing
ton, with AL hands; No. B. Virginia; No. 4, jacob
De!i; No. 7, Yankee. with two pilots aud two sea-
men, NO. H. Il. A. Collins, with one pilot and three
seamen: No. IL, Wm. J. komer; NO. a. Edwin For
rest; NO l5 Jula; No. 49, Jacob A. Weseryeit, with
one pilot; No. 22, james Funck, sunk by mail
James tuacK, captured and destroyed by the pirate
Tallahassee; 40. ~ Josiah Johnson; NO. ~, William
Beli captured aud DESTROYED by the pirate Talia-
NSSSohA5
New Jersey boats.-No l, SyIph, with all hands;
NO. 2, Tnonas Ii. smith; No. 8, commerce. with ali
tsecondh fayorita; No. d, George Steers, with all
hands; No. tsecond), A. r. Stewart, sunk by steam
snip Scotia. And the pecunary loss OF THESE twenty
three noble faDrcs Was b0rne Ii the majority vi the
cases. by the surviving pilots.
Another memorable instance OF life thus I'M
periiied ana lost is That OF The unfortunate Thomas
FreeDorn, q piiot on board the sup John Minturn,
driven Oh shore while inward bound on the nghG oil
February l., 1885, In tnat fearful gale, which swept
atlfh a "
whispering death IN every successive plunge the
vessel he stuck to his post and only renquished 1t
wnen the grim tyrant released nun. Gut Oh tne
twenty -eg nb souls on board fourteen were lost oi
wnom tue gaant Freeborn was among the last.
another terrible calamity. ms courageous puot
Was frozen to death While IN the actual
performance Of his ,,t duty on the night Of
Fire Island In terrible gale the pilot boat f. X.
Cohns went ashore that same night amid the bllnd-
Ing sleet. and the closed Of the poor
fellows forever. Ihe boat George steers that went
ashore BarAegat shoals, winter OF lo65, when all
hands were sent 10 their nnai account, ~ not tue
least OF these heroic sacrlices, and the splendid
monumental shaft IN Greenwood Cemetery per-
petuateS their memory.
Ecpeases.-Ihe monthly expenses OF our boats are
very grea. necessarily. by the utmost economy
they w average SloO for pro- isons and stores with
the ordinary repairs, wnlcn. by the way, OF some
kind, are required at the expiration OF every trip,
unless the weather De very Calm.
Proas.-inslead OF the profits Of the pilots OF this
port being enormous they are very small. In tne
most fortunate months when Tree from severe
dents to poats, tney viii not exceed per mau S12O
averaging yearly income or from $1,000 to 1000,
the salary OF ordinary clerk free from all priva
lions, hardsnips and perllS. AT times, particularly
Tor tile last past Few mOnIna, they cannot divide more
than eighty dollars per month, and IL Is not unfre
quent that 1t Is as low as 1oty dolars-starvatlon
wages l0r man with family.
me Opposition or the ':ShipO,cners. 1.-THE petl-
ton OF the seil-styled snpOwners OF New York' TO
the Legislature iOr tDe reduction Of pilOLage OF
the port must De understood thoroughly before Judg
msnt Ii passed thereon. It's slgners indulge achry-
mosely upon .'decilne OF American shipping inter-
ests, y anu ask Ior 'relief from many burdens,n
chief Of which Is the question Vi paying pl0lS Inc
absurdity OF men who are wholly engaged in vessels
sailing under foreign hags and owned by foreigners
exclusively, thus appealing Osensbly TO The paLrO-
ism or legislators, Is 100 amusing 10 be noticed
1t not The entering wedge TO tho attempt 10 get
rid Of the pilots atogether-to render tile present law
nullty--and III time to run the business them
selves. But or Iwo OF the acLve signers OF the
petition III question are more than brokers agents
ana the decrease IN plotage would De Ia o business
way slmpiy money III their pockets. That alone IL
the Idea 0f the agents of foreign vessels attempting
the control Vi THIS port.
CompayattUe Raies Of Pil0tdOe.-The ''shipOwn-
ers endeaVUr, by system OF tables Incorporated In
before mentioned petition, referring to the ports
snow tnat tue rates OF New York plllOtage iS In
cOmparlsUn excessive ana rulnOus, thereby destroy
ing tue Iairly earned and world wide commercial
reputation oi the CITY. Tne whole substance OF THIS
cious. he iacs OF the rates o1 potage In the ports
named, ana those Oh TWO Others, are SIMPLY these:
Bost0n.-Ihere they have but nve boats, all smaller
than those In New YORK; they DO not cruise outside
OF the pay and In the harD0r every night Ships
entering the port compelled To 80 up TO tue light
ship Tor piQt
Baltlmore.-1he piotage system here is inland
entirely without risk OF any character Ii is ike
taking ship up the North river or rather up the
Mississippi river to New Orleans and tine rate five
dollars foot both IN ana out The boats never go