The New York herald., 1879-11-24
STEAM IN THE PILOT SERVICE.
GAN OLD sHrPMAsTER's' OPINIONS AS TO TIL
DISADVANTAGES OF THE NEW DEPARTURE

GAN OLD sHIPMAsTERs" OPINIONS As TO THE
DIsADvANTAoEs OF THE NEW DEPARTURE
RECORD OF THE SAILING BOATS.
To THK EDITOR OF THx HERALD:-
An evening paper OF the 10th inst. contains the
following :-"The captains Of tho incoming ocean
regularly passing by the sailing pilot
boats and taking their pilots from the tug Hercules
Three Of the old pilot boats make such report to-day
Steam is beating canvas" Il this fair? Is there
nothing due to tho three boats who could have
boarded the steamships readily and with little
detention the yawl of the Herculesf Are not
the men who intercepted these steamers be-
fore they arrived at the lightship worthy
Of much consideration q those aboard
Of tug? Are not the men who have invested their
Gil in nno pilot boats tho world ever saw. and
who. in winter and summer. IN fair weather and
foul, whom such thing ~ the Hercules would not
be able to show her nose outside OF Sandy Hook,
ive discont persons who have given them
selves. to use no stronger term, to foreign steam
ship companies who come here to break down
pilot laws, to upset our State regulations and
to attempt that which thoy know in their
own country It would be. folly to aoi
there is 90 more etr,cens '' system F OF pilot. &
sge. no more intelligent SGT OF mon pilots.
and none in which state can take more just
PRIDE than that existing In the state of New York
and her sister State. New Jersey. challenge any
one understanding the subject thoroughly to give
one TossOu Wu Stosm TOT plot purposes buOulu DO
substituted for such efficient vessels as We now
possess. In Liverpool. London any Of the great
ports OF the world, whore steamers arc used In l.
greatest variety, they are found unavailable. and
how may they be expected TO work here. where
gregate tho united fleets Of the world. this. in
winter. the most inhospitable coast vessel ever
approsched-one that at timos. captains OF the
stanchest steamships tremble to approschy
WELCOME SIGHT
Yet these small and handy pilot boats with their
hardy crews, are always . welcome sight, and are
never found wanting to succor the distressed, assist
the unfortunate give provisions to the starving and
In many cases tow into port dismsntlcd wrecks and
save life when In the last stages OF exhaustion, for
all OF which we have innuincrable records We are
called upon, at the dictation OF foreign stesrn-
ship companies, to abolish ali this tor system Of
steamtug pilotage that under no circumstances
meet the exgencies OF the service ~ II now exists.
The men who have undertaken to become the willing
tools OF these companies by lying ut their ease
by the lightship. but to crawl under the Hook
ut night when . storm comes on, instead OF
facing what their more enfcrprising brethren en-.
counter. not to be envied. NO steamship or
sailing vessel ever approached any coast In the
world with more certainty Of nnding pilot than
our own. The Thousands Of passengers who arrive
and depart from our shores bear willing testimony
to their daring and bravery. No vessel In the con-
dition OF the Arizona, OF st. Johns but few days
ago, with her whole bow stove In would have been
obliged 10 lie whole night airing guns. with over