, 1881-11-11
THE PILOT LAW.

Do we need new pilot law? EN-
phaucally, YES Such is the verdict
of the pilot commissioners and those
of the public who have been hum
bugged by the miserable farce now
on our statute books. In view OF
the urgent demands of commerce,
and to place our pilot board in Po-
sition TO be Of rea! service to the ter
Iiiory, a bill was prepared by the
ablest available talent, subjected to
the careful scrutiny and criticism OF
leading men in the territory, and fin.
ally introduced in the lower House
of the Legislature by Hon. }. A.
Kuhn. After mature consideration
it passed the House by unanimous
vote, und is now pending in the
Council where, we learn, one or two
designing ones are moving heaven
and earth to bring about its defeat.
1t is to be hoped they may not sue
coed, and for very important reasons.
Puget Sound and the straits of
Juan de Fuca, it is said, are so COM
modious and safe that any sea cap,
tain can sail in and out with perfect
security, hence it is objected that we
do not need pilots or pilot restric-
tions. A careful consideration of
the facts in the case, however, must
dispel such ideas in TIE minds of
reasonable, thinking men. Colum-
bia river has so many dangers at and
near its mouth for mariners that none
seek to enter except under the guid
ance of the most experienced and
capable pilots who in turn are so
Jealous of their regulations, and so
careful to avoid offending the power
full underwriters, that they always
wait till the most favorable opportu-
nifty for passing either in or ou,-no
matter what the delay or expense
to commerce and shipping. The
wisdom of such course is apparent
in the fact that it reduces the mum
ber of marine disaster in that local.
ity to a M minimum-while the ease
with which vessels can be taken in
or out of the straits of Fuca induces
ship masters to evade pilots when
possible, i'll order to save expense.
But examination of data shows that
while many wrecks occur about the
waters of the straits, and along
the Sound, not one has ever occur
red during the twelve years dura-
tion of the old pilot law with Ii
censed pilot aboard. This not only
proves that the pilots themselves are
competent men, and that the pilot
law is actually an economy, but it
proves that many of the sailing mas
tiers navigating our waters are either
inexperienced or incompetent. A
large percentage CT the vessels in
our trade are old hulks that have
been put into the lumber or coal
trade after being condemned for
other kinds of business. Many oil
them are fitted up to run on as small
expense as possible, and are entrust-
ed to captains who will work for
small wages for the simple reason
that their abilities do not command
position and salary in more preten.
tious crafts. These are the kinds oi
captains who, for the good of CONS
merce, ought to be compelled to take
pilots. 1t has long been known that
the mill companies on the Sound, OF
some of them, at least, have been op.
posed to pilots, because they thought
their own captains competent TO dc
without assistance, and because they
were willing to let the remainder oI
commerce take care of itself. The
effort now being waged to defeat the
new pilot bill is in the interest o.
just such monopolies- Whatever o
Justice there is in their cause is re-
cognized and fully, fairly met by ths
bill they are trying TO defeat, where
in it provides that captains in the
coastwise trade can. if found compe
tent, taxa out branch licenses al
nominal cost, and act as their owl
pilots. 1t was thought that such &
provision would disarm opposition
and insure the success of the meas
ure, but it seems that such is not the
case. If a regular and complete sys
tenn of pilots prevents marine disas'
ters to the extent indicated in the
showing heretofore made, then but
very little remains to be said tc
prove that the move is founded il
the very best interests of commerce
To the extent that our pilots prevent