The New York herald., 1874-09-21

pnOb GROUNDS GedUV DtplH where SAMMY HUM
Light is first sighted The ofI.shore piiotage mas
been matter or some discussion and II IS held
by some that IL Is useless. On the other hand IT Is
thought generally that IL Is
WORTH PAYING PILOT
twenty-five per cent more TO have him on board at
certain distance rom land, not because he begins
his real dunes until he arrives within sixteen miles
OF sandy Hook but because his ADVENT relieves the
captain of much anxiety and his advice may be
very valuable. Only two OF the numerous steam
ship lines coming to this port refuse to pay the or
Illustrated the fact that it, it was parsimonousy
foolish poncy. The outward piotage OF vessels IS
less than the mward--tor vessels arawlng SIX leet
81 70 per FOOT for vessels OF twenty feet 81 10 per
foot and Tor vessels drawing twenty-five feet, 81 IS
per loot, making in the latter case $l22 IS for TAX
A better idea, however, may be obtained Of what
money the pilots make by our giving the follow
missioners -"fhere are $50 New York pilots, hav-
ing twenty-eight boats valued at s336,ooo. These
ss At an IN Of
year were s65:.O0s 20, Of which the net
among them equally, making average OF
s2,3lS 20 to each man. This is certainly not mu-
nifcent salary to men who suffer all the prlvatlons
and undergo all the dangers and discomorts these
men do. They are, besides, all married men, aud
must support families IN the city though they live
age number OF vessels to eacn pilot per year is
from fifty to seventy, in and out, and the TACT that
the pilots are for the part men well advanced,
having been years at the business, and that any
one mistake is instant dismissal, 1t may be i'm
agned now marvellously careIu! ana reliable these
men are.
THE TRAINING
Pilots are made from the young men who ship
common sailors 10. In this manner they become
familiar with the courses the shoals, buoys and
little by little. After remaining this way Tor sew.
eral years, II they have developed particular apti
tude the sailor Is made boatkeeper; that is to say,
q sort OF mate on board who mas control under
the pilots orders, and who brings the boat back
TO port when all the p pilots are shipped on board
out OF harbor makes them Still more
familiar with their bearings, and when they have
the responsibility the pilot boat on their hands,
they, OF course, begin to understand what 1t Is to
be pilot. Alter three years Of this work, Ii the
boatkeeper has shown good qualities, he is rec
commended by two pilots for examination TINS
ordeal takes place before the commissioners who
add to themselves to constitute an examining
board two three experienced pilots The ques-
tions asked are about navigation generally-mak-
ing dead reckoning, soGndngs, the knowledge
necessary to them as pilots II passed they do not
become pllots they must walt Tor vacancy.
mended to take q long voyage some here to fami-
liarlze them with something besides New York IL
their order OF succession the place is. OF course,
kept for them Thus 1t Is that 1t takes at least
seven and sometimes as much as thirteen years
before q. man may become q licensed pilot. The
first year they pilots they cannot take charge OF
vessels over sixteen feet draught, the second year
eighteen ieet. The proof OF the pudding Is IN the
eating and the excellence or TINS system OF train
ing Is amply proved IN tne results.
THE LAW.
The law under which the system OF pilotage was
organized III a commission was passed in 1866. and
has worked very well-so well, indeed, that not
only are the commissioners satisfied, which Is
natural, but so are the pilots and the merchants
which is singular because the new law curtalled
many OF the old privileges OF the men and brought
them down to SYSTEM about which there was
much murmurng at first; but like great many
was found TO procure decided advantages IN its
way to those pilots who were worth anything III
themselves. II Topped cT some dead branches, to
be sure, and put on the shelf some people who
should have been on 1t years before. But with
those who remained they found their earnings
better and more sure, honorable competition IN
stead Of scurvy tricks, and vast Improvement all
round In some things the law IS very severe.
Should a pilot endanger a ship or one moment
while IN his care he IS dismissed ana his Incense
taken away. Regular trials take place be.
lore the Commissioners, at, which evidence
ps culpsos tne e budment IS nScteG S s e%D' s"s
manner OF conducting things 1t Is which insureS
the eXccllence when at present distinguishes the
system. In matters involving not only prop
erty but human life 1t Is necessary tnat something
be zone to Insure the greatest care ana prudence
1t is the fear OF dismissal which accompishes tnls
PILOTS PERSONALLY.
Personally they are q somewhat rough but q
jolly, active, hardened set OF men. You don't fnu
any laZlness among them, because where there Is
AN indoient man on board boat they soon get rio
OF hum These men are KIND hearted aud generous
TO iaut. They have all the qualities and all the
guage when they consider that necessity calls iOr
1t. They smoke vigorously, drink moderately
and have a marvellous eye for the sea. They
can tell brewing storm wnen other SAIL
ors are still thinking OF the last one; they have
marvellous knowledge OF the nooks and cram
MES ana dangerous littie places hetc and there
around the harbor. Iney laugh AZ tempest and III
their cookie smells brave any weather. Ii there Is the
prospect OF job. The cOmpeiltiOt bctween them
has become so great that lhsteat 0i cruising
around tire mouth OF the narDOr tney gO out on the
track OF the Dig steamships fout th vi the way
TO europe IN their endeavor to get ahead OF some-
body else who may be dong the same thing. or
course they Ike big steamships best because Their
ices are so mnch greater, and IN consequence they
may sometimes
LET LITTLE SHIPS PASS,
but If they are caught dong this their fine Is very
severe. They are ordered to lake the first vessel
they sight Il she signals Tor q plot. UIten even at
TINS distance rom land the captain OF a steam
ship, tired out, perhaps, by WORK ana exposure.
goes below and leaves his vessel ID char9e OF the
pilot, feeling easy in his mind that everything
Will be all right. The captain, OF course, does nOG
lose any share OF his responsibility during this
Ime, but the pilot must be paid adm, m some way and
The Oldest among the pilots is now scventy-One-
old Kelse. He has done a lifelong work, and now
out OF port only. At all times within certain nni-
its pilot boat called the station boat cruises
around Sandy Hook Tor the purpose OF taxing OF
pilots from vessels going out. sometimes pilots
are taken over TO Liverpool or down TO Havana
where IN fog the station boat cannot perceive
them. The station boat cruises four days at ID
time, when another takes her place, wnen the
other is tree to go wherever she pieases in search
most revlle. They not only lose tine and money,
but 1T Is so terribly monotonous
The New Jersey pilots are under the same rules
and regulations, subs tantaliy. as tue New J ork
ones, and GO the same KIND OF work with boats OF
their own. The New Jersey pilots numDer iorty-
SIX men,
The Hell Gate pilots do an entirely different kind
of work. and without the same venturOus excite
ment which distinguishes the lie OF the Otner men,
They charge also by the draught OF vessels, ana
make 4 good living by It. Wnlle they have not so
continuous watch as the Sandy Hook pilots their
work during the short passage OF He'll Gate Is lull
of adventure and danger. The strain upon them
Is compressed into shorter tlpe but Il Is greater.
There is no doubt that or all this work 1t Is re-
quired that the men should be OF peculiar tenn
permanent. strong, hardy, capable OF great endur-
ance and with the sharpest eyesight, ia mental
capacity quick, and OF unerring Judgment
THE FLOATING HOSPITAL.