The New York herald., 1879-11-15
THE PILOT SERVICE.
meelilf5 Of the Conference Committee
upon hSductiOn Of Charges.
NO AGREEMENT REJECTED.
Departure of the Hercules in De,s
Of the New Bylaw. :

| committee to confer with merchants aud ship
owners in regard to the question OF reducing the
fees Tor pilotage. Its members are Messrs. Henry
HarbinsoA, JOSIAH Johnson. Walter Brewer and
Augustus Van Peit The merchants and shipping
men notified OF this action on the part of the
pilots and the following committees were selected
to confer with the latter:-Chamber Of Commerce
Messrs Gustav Schwab. Josiah o. Ward and Frank
lin Edson. Shipowners' observation-disclosures. Dun
r. Norvell. John W. Parker and Allston Wilson.
Maritime Exchange Association-Jancs L. Ward.
Robert d. Mnturn. Timothy Daggett. William Il.
Barnes and j. Ernest Miller. At two o'clock
yesterday afternoon these committees met
in the of the Chamber of Commerce
and Mr.. Gustav Schwab elected chairman
and Mr.. Allston Wilson secretary. The chair
man explained the object of the meeting and said
that the Chamber Of Commerce Committee. of which
he q member, were not prepared to state what
reduction shonld be made in the pilotage charges.
but that they present more tor information
than anything ese Mr.. Harbinson. from the Com
mittee of Pilots. said that the latter willing to
submit to any reasonable reduction in their charges
and that their desire to Tighten the burden
resting shippers, and also to create better feel
ing between tho merchants and themselves He
stated that the pilots would like to know what re-
duction shipowners expected. and hoped tho latter
would not GO to extremes in their demands.
DECLINING COMMERCE.
Mr. ]. Ernest Miller. OF the Maritime Association
Committee. in speaking of the piotage charges con-
tended that American commerce WAS and had
been on the decline for years; that from being the
second and almost the first among nations it is now
numbered the fourth fifth. He ascribed two Of
the for the decline government and State tax
ation which. he said. not levied direct ships
but was caused by exorbitant pilotage charges and
wharfage fees. The speaker stated that the Pilot
1aNya raD hal
that time until 1853 the business was done
better than ever before. remonstrance. he
in the pilotage system by nearly all the
underwriters and shipowners. but in 1853. by
| we'll executed man1uvre, the pilots induced some
underwriters and shipowners to favor law. osten-
sibly in the interest of ships leaving optional to
OF this law in Opposition to the usual remog.
He claimed that in 1854 the pilots had the
law amended by inserting the obnoxious clause
which provided for compulsory pilotage He said
! that in 1865 when gold ut 300 $50, the mcr-
chants agreed to advance the pilotage rates about
twenty-five per cent. the same to last three years.
but before the expiration of that time the pilots
quietly had the time extended until 1871. without
| consulting the shipowners and in violation of the
expressed understanding. which that the
old pilotage rates were to be resumed after
pilots collected $s5SOU0 in fees from vessels. and
he claimed that each boat in the service received for
that year S30.0OO and each man from $4,000 to
IS 100. He did not wish to undervaue the services
of the pilots but they received much larger salary
than some of the ablest seamen. who ran Ear more
and outward bound vessels in New York harbor,
and compared them with the rates ut Hampton
Roads and YORKTOWN and with those from the Capes
of Delaware Philadelphia. showing that the Sandy
Hook pilots received much more than their brothers
In the other ports. IL was wei known lacs ne
to to New York for her cargo always
went to another port. He contended that II
pilots would charge half pilotagc for vessels in bal
last they would increase their tees. and ii they
cluded to mako reduction in pilotage charges on
all vessels coming for orders they would have
at this port the fleet that now goes to Baltimore.
Philadelphia and other ports.
| A PILOTS REPLY.
Mr. Harbinson, from the committee Of pilots, ex-
pressed his astonshment at the remarks of the pre-
vious speaker and the line Of argument he had pur
sued. He supposed that the different committees had
together for the purpose OF agreeing reduce
ton of potage charges but instead he was met with
pared ut present to offset 1t sufficient for him
to say that the piotage system Of New York far
Sandy Hook pilots exceeded all others in skill and
bravery He thought that the conference commit
tees should confne themselves to the question Of
reduction of pilotage charges He wanted the ship
owners and merchants to understand that il any re-
duction made it would be by voluntary act on
the part of the pilots and the latter should be met
in that spirit.
Chairman schwab stopped further discussion by
| asking tho committees from the merchants and
shipowners IL they had any proposition to make as
| to the reduced rates of pilotage but they all an
swered in tho negative, stating that they expected
| the pilots to make offer. which they were in
structed to report back to their different organza-
| tions Mr.. Harbinson. on the part Of the pilots.
said the proposition must como from the merchants
and shipowners. The Chairman suggested that the
charges made in 1854. which were thrty-seven aud q
| half per cent less than ut present would, in his
opinion be right; but the pilots informed the meet
Ing that under no circumstances would they consent
| to such q reduction Finally motion was adopted
that u sub-committee of one from the Chamber OF
| Commerce. Produc6 Exchange Maritime Associa-
tion. Shipowners Association and Sandy Hook
pilots be appointed TO consider the question and
port back their conclusion to the full meeting and
that the Legislature be requested to pass law on
The meeting then adjourned. subject to the call
| OF the subcommittee.
TUE NEW STEAM PILOT BoAr-wHY THE COM
MIssIoNERs OBJECT TO HER-A coMBISArIoN
ASSERTED AND DENIED.
Tho actual departure her first cruise Of the new
stoam pilot boat Hercules. with five pilots board.
in defiance OF the last bylaw passed by the Pilot
Commissioners. naturally provoked deal of dis
cussion yesterday among those most Interested.
Tho boat is said to be good one and certainly
looked trim and saucy enough yesterday as she
steamed out from pier No. 10 East River warrant
the expectation that she will pick up large share OF
| tho pilotaso fees. She is two years old and was
originally designed for tugboat being built on the
usual model for tugs OF her sixe. She Is $50 feet
| long. with IS feet beam. From the copper Oh
her bottom to tho white paint on her spar
deck she has been completely ovcrhauled and
RENTED to meet the requirements OF her new service.
being newly calked and copper bottomed. while
her two mAsts have been newly stayed and all made
| tight and snug. There arc berths board for
| twenty-five persons. The fve pilots who have
persisted in the PLAN from which half dozen
others receded in obedience to the new bylaw. are
| W. Ii. Anderson. L. IL. Baillor q. Cisco q. Mapcs
and L. Noble. They formerly OF the pilot
boat widgoon, and have placed the number Of tho
w,dgeon-No. i0--on the smokestack OF tho new
boat IN all the glory Of fresh paint.
| CONFIDENT.
| What the issue of the conflict will be Il is, Of
course impossible to say ut present, but both the
old and the partiesexpr themselves confident
| OF being able to maintain tho positions they havo
| taken. and probably the courts will have to decide