The New York herald., 1879-11-29
A FRUITLESS CONFERENCE.
Pilots and Merchants Fail to Agree On
Scale Of charges.
BOTH PARTIES DETERMINED.
Fifteen Per Cent Reduction Offered and
EmphaticaIy Refused.

Commerce. Produce Exchange. Maritime Association
and Shipowners' Association to confer with sub.
committee from the New York pilots relative to
ducton in pilotase charges this port and TO tho
changing OF several potage laws met yesterday al
the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce to learn the
decision Of the pilots with reference to eight
propositions which had been presented to them
at meeting held Friday November IL
Mr.. Gustav Schwab occupied the chair, and called
the pilots for their answer Pilot Harbinson said
that according to promise. he and his associate Mr.
johnson. had informed the pilots the proposals.
made by the merchants and shpowners and that
they had been duly considered. He hoped that what
he was about to offer would meet with the approval
of the conference committees and of shipping men
generally. The pilots, he said. could not
entertain the proposition to reduce their
charges thirty-three per cent. as demanded.
but had agreed to reduction of fifteen
per The pilots would not agree to the second
proposition. allowing vessels that had paid full
p otage be charged only half pilotage when they
returned to this port in distress. They would not
concede the third proposition, which was that half
pilotage only should be charged all vessels calling
of the port for orders and not loading thereat. Mr..
Harbinson claimed that all such vessels small.
that they had to pay light pilotage charges. and
that the reduction of fifteen per cent would
be sufficient inducement to bring them to Sandy
Hook for orders. The fourth proposition that
there should be no compulsory pilotage on vessels
returning this port for shelter after dschargng
a pilot. Mr.. Harbinson said that the pilots
willing to leave the matter of pilotage optional in
such cases, put If captain should engage pilot
he would have to pay full pilotaGe charges. They
refused to agree to the fifth proposition, which
would cancel bylaw No. % and much Of section
% required captains of vessels to take pilots
their outward trip from the same pilot boat that
brought them in.
LICENSED PILOT BOATS.
They also rejected the sixth proposition. which
permitted discrimination between licensed and
enth proposition, which allowed masters of vessels
to do thor plotting by paying half pilotage.
The eighth proposition related to compulsory Off
shore potage and they agreed make the same OPP
tional under the following conditions
Of St sss I.
the por, of New York by the of Sandy Hook
oferiss any such vessel shall
his a
sisnee thereof be liable pay piotago
received and had the vessel such lia
any pilot subsequently, speaking offering his
Whenever plo..ge services shall be performed by
Hook Lighthouse, that the latter cannot be from
the deck Of IN the s M II a
and ssssSiished BY shall be allowed
may s vs % The ss Ss nsas aa
law in the refusal Of the % take such
p ens VESSEL shall liable to pay potaso
Il the waived s
snes p1. no s. to %
master take licensed pilot in which The
paid to the pilot first Offering his services
TEE PILOT COMMISSIONERS ovERHAULED.
Pilot Harbinson having finished mis- report tho
propositions made by the merchants. Mr.. j. Ernest
Miller, OF the Maritime Association said that
whether the conference committees agreed upon -
compromise or not he hoped there would be dis
cord or want harmony between the pilots and the
shipping interest. He requested the former that.
ii any new law were framed, they would adj
vocate giving more power to the Pilot Commls-
siouers He claimed that the Com missoners were a.
at present organized 'fgureheads." and that
they had not the power to decide any cases brought
before them. He thought that in cases Of dispute
between captains and pilots there should be some
one with authority to render . final judgment. He
complained that he had gone before the Pilot
Commissioners with cases, and the latter admitted
that they had legal authority to act in the prem
ises. He hoped that II now Commissioners were ap-
pointed the Legislature would give them full power
Pilot Harbinson defended the Commissioners. and
said that they men OF high repute, appointed
by the largest commercial bodies and shipping iu-
terests. and that they had power to act aud
customed to decide all cases III dispute between
captains and pilots. The speaker then stated that
the pilots had instructed him to demand from tho
brought into port shall give twenty-four hours
notice ut tho p1pts' Office Of the intended sailing OF
vessel from this port and for every violation
Of this provision the owners or consgnees shall
forfeit tho pilot who brought the vessel into port
the amount OF potage and the pilot shall have the
This gave to quite discussion. the merchants
and shipowners aiming that 1t was impossible to
give sieh lorg notice. very often they not
informed OF the departure OF their vessels at that
distance ahead. Mr.. Thomas p Ball. OF the Produce
Exchange, tended that fifteen per cent reduc-
ton piotnge charges was not enough.
Pilot Harbinson claimed that since 1875 twenty
five per cent had been taken from of-shore potage.
and with the present reduction it would amount to
forty per cent which. he thought, was liberal con-
cession and should be looked at i'll that light.
Mr.. James o. Ward. of the Maritime Association.
mum Grafton for the pilots and the latter answered
from 81, 800 to $4,000 per annum. Mr.. Ward then
down in their just dues. He willing to allow
them much salary rs the most competent cap
OF vessels. He claimed that the pilots averaged
in 1878 over So sO0 said that IL the thirty
per cent reduction allowed to the shipping
interests the pilots would then make over
stated that the gross receipts for pilotagc in
1873. obtained from MIR. D. A. Nash. secretary to
the Board OF Pilot Commissioner were $5S7 .265.
and expenses for the same time leaving
the receipts $460.765 which. divided among 100
pilots, would leave each of them $500 per year.
Pilots Harbinson and johnson claimed that there
were 1913 pilots, and said that they all doing
enough in his expense items for manning the boats
and victualling the crews. Mr.. Ward claimed that
he had estimated the victuailing clause literally.
and added that the pilots were often fed on board
his ships (the Havana lnel. Pilot Harbnson indig-
nantly replied that, the contrary, they often gave
provisions to many OF the sailing vessels coming to
this port
Mr.. Ward said that IL the pilots agreed to reduce
ton OF thirty-thrco per cent they would receive
81 $50 per annun, and he thought they ought to be
satisfied with 5000 month. which a much as
captains of vessels received, who ran much risk.
The speaker stated that of his steamships the
Saratoga. was charged S23s6 for pilotage from Octo
Der 30 1873. to October %, 1872 and that another
vessel had to pay $S2 plotage charges In less than
year For these reasons IL would seem 10 MIN
that tho reduction OF fifteen per cent was too small
Captain Parker informed the pilots that no had re.
ccived letter from one OF the best and oldest Of
their craft admitting that reduction OF twenty-five
per cent would bo fair, and he asked Messrs Har-
ton and settle the matter at once, ana prophesicd
that IL such action taken the pilots would make
| more money during the next ten years.
| Pilot Harbinson said that the reduction offered
| was all the pilots could give without committing
| Suicide and hc claimed that when twenty -hve per
cent was taken off the ofshore pilotage charges in
| 1s76 there was an understanding at the time that
no moro reduction wou,u oe asked put notwith-