The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-01
The Pilot. Laws.

| In Europe ana III TINS Couudy IhSie ID
general movement OH the subject OF the pho
laws. Everywhere there seems TO be eh'
same complaint. 1t is contendcd that 1h'
range of piotagc is too great--that th'
stcam.towing on rivers does away WIFI III
necessity of pilots in river Navigation an'
therefore to pay pilots on rivers or extensive
,,nd-Ioc1;ed BAYS is to swindle commerce
most unjustly TOR service not needed. ne
complaint against this imposition IS LOUD aho
| widc-sprcad. The northern merchants 2no
SINNERS are moving with great carnestness
against it, and threats are made OIL seeking
redress in some general laws Of Congress on
the subject.
For very many years this city has sought
relief from the unjust imposition OF the puot
tax ,,pon james river. A relaxation on
coastinc vessels was obtained some years
since. but we lave never had any conces-
sious to foreign ships coming to our port.
The burthcn upon those vessels is so heavy
as to provoke serious complaints from Their
officers and owners, and many have Teen
driven altogether from the trade with hlch-
nond by the onerous pilotage.
There is a bill now out at dry nursing IN
the hands of the Committee of Roads, DC,
of the Senate. which proposes to do some
thing like justice to our river commerce. IL
passed the House of Delegates, and has been
rocked in the cradle of the Committee OF
Roads for many weeks. 1t has been rarely
the case that Il bill amending the pilot laws
has ever passed the House. so the pending
Till has gotten well On the way. But it IS in
GREAT peril now. The great strategy OF the
onponcuts of any amendment Of the pilot
law is delay, and that strategy, with It's nun
died subtcriuges. has been practiced with
more art on the pilot question than any other
ever brought before the Legislature.
Richmond unfortunately stood at the head
of tidc-water upon the boundary line between
the tide-watcr and middle divisions of Viz
-inia. under the old arrangement. She was
q. lined by neither. The tide-watcr district
WAS partial to tillc-watcr towns, and Ill tide
water things, including the pilots. The upper
division took little interest in The subject, and
those further west took, if possible, less. so
Richmond, with her single representative in
the House, had to fight her battles with little
synnathy from any quarter. The pilots
ca,ne with the tidal division, backed by the
influential arguments Of tidc-water luxuries,
and the wet groceries of Norfolk, and were
inyincible. Nomgument showing the oppres-
sions of the pilot laws could arouse the sympa-
thy Of the Legislature. The fact was, Virginia
cared no great deal about commerce any
how. and Richmond was left to struggle OIL
neglected and oppressed. Tho pilots and
their advocates from Norfolk and Elizabeth
City generally stranglcd all bills in tic House,
and it was only by the unllagging and cner-
gctic cxcrtions Of this city that at last con-
ccssion to our coasting trade was cXtorted
from the pilots. Our coastin@ vessels were
allowed to come up the river freed from pi-
lotage by the payment Of specified sum.
The bill now before the Legislature Is
more just than any other which has ever
passed the House. Its enemies are holding
it down in committee, and will stranglc it
there if possible. We trust its friends will
not neglect it. 1t is in conformity with the
universal sentiment Of all commercial ,coun-
tries that safe, land-lockcd waters and
rivers, ought to be freed from pilots. The
steam tow-boats are safe conductors, and the
majority of vessels are entirely able to take
care of themselves in such waters. Not
long ago we compared the imposi-
ton Of pilotage upon vessels in such waters
to the assessment of the Algerines upon the
vessels navigating the high seas. The conf
palison aroused the resentment Of the pilots.
Yeti was just, for pilot laws, as they stand, in
great degree impose burthens without bene'
tits, and deserve to be ciasscd with the eX.
actions of barbarous ages. The hw-lnakine
power of the land should be 4 party to no
such iniustice-no such cyactions of COM
merce for services entirely superogatory.