New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-19
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN. TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 1875.

opportunity by investigating this subject
of increasing the funds in their treasury,
and their attention is also directed and
that of the master and wardens of the
port to the section imposing fine on
pilots for violating the following provi-
sions.
SEC. 1902. Every branch pilot of the port
of New Orleans shall be owner or part
owner of. at least one decked pilot boat, Of
not less than fifty tons burden
SEC. $685. No pilot shall board any
inward bound vessel for the purpose of
plotting such in; except from the pilot boats
on their stations; any pilot boarding any
inward bound vessel in small boat from
the Shore not belonging or attached to the
pilot boats, for the purpose OF plotting such
vessel in, shall be subject to line OF 500
to be sued for by the master and wardens,
by civil process, before any court OF COM
petent jurisdiction; and said fine, when
collected, shall be paid to the Charity
Hospital of New Orleans for its use and
benefit.
Noncompliance with section 27O2 also
subjects the pilot to the liability Of a
withdrawal of his license.
A good pilot, in addition to thorough
knowledge of his profession should pos
sess the qualities of sobriety, steadiness
and carefulness in the performance of his
duties. It is we'll known, however, that
some of those who are acting as pilots
are lacking in these requisites and some
are utterly incompetent in every respect.
The intent of the law is to prevent the
possibility of such persons usurping the
functions of competent, sober, careful
and duly authorized pilots, and it is the
interest of the latter to see that it is en-
forced.
The dangers of navigation, which it is
the object Of the pilot to avoid, are not so
serious as they would be if the obstruc-
tons at the mouth of the river were rock
or sand bars, on which it would be de-
structive for vessels to ground. Delay is
all that drunken or incompetent pilot
can cause in the majority of cases. Even
this, sometimes causing blockade, is
loss to the commercial interests of New
Orleans, which it tolerates because it is
not more serious. Were the distractions
of more dangerous character, the i'm
portance of having only competent pilots
would be more apparent, but tits the duty
of those who are such to weed their ranks
of the incompetents and remedy the evil
that exists.
The Legislature has clothed the Board
of Examiners with ample powers and a
fearless performance of their duty is all
that is needed.
SEC. $685. 1t shall be the duty OF the
Board of Examiners of the port of New
Orleans to report to the Governor any
neglect of duty, drunkenness, cal elessness,
habitual intemperance, incOmpetency or
general bad conduct on the part of any
branch pilot, showing that said branch
pilot ought to be removed or suspended;
and it shall be the duty of the Governor,
if upon due inquiry such report he well
founded, to revoke or suspend the commits.
mission of said branch pilot.
There is also necessity for careful
observance of the regulations recently es-
tablished by the Secretary of War, gov
erning the use of the channel at Pass7a-
rOutre. The competition of reckless and
irresponsible pilots with those who are
competent and careful may possibly cause
the latter to risk infringement Of these
regulations in certain cases, and become
liable under the law. If these unauthor-
lied persons are prevented from acting,
and none but competent pilots concerned,
there can be no inducement for infringe
ment