Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-28
miscellaneous.
An Easy Position.

The attention Of young men who desire
an easy place is called to the business Of
a New York pilot, which is thus described
in an illustrated paper in The Century for
December:
The responsibility derolving on pilot,
and the extent Of his qualifications, may
be partly appreciated when one learns
that, Immediately on boarding vessel,
he takes command, and is answerable tor
any accident, until he has discharged his
duty of taking the vessel in or out Of port.
II any mishap befall the ship at that time.
he is liable to have his license revoked,
and thus lose all further opportunity OF
plying his vocation. The New York pilot
must. therefore, for the good of all con-
cerned, pass through long and rigorous
course Of training. He must serve, man
and boy, before the mast, till he masters
every problem in the management OF
every form of rig. To this he must add a
thorough knowledge of navigation. Then
he must conirive to obtain the position OF
boat keeper, or pilots mate. In that
capacity, he must serve three full years
on one pilot-boat before ne can be admit
ted for his examination for license. If,
through ilI-fortune he lose his position. he
must begin dc moro, and serve the full time
on another boat. Sometimes boat-keeper
serves niue or ten wears on various boats
before his apprenticeship is complete. Al
ter all this, he must pass most rigid ex
animation on all points of seamanship and
navigation before the Board OF Pilot Com
missioners. and exhibit thorough knowl-
edge of the tides. rips, sands, and all other
phenomena for hundreds of miles out from
The piers of the East and North rivers.
But even after receiving his license, he is
sometimes forced to wait years. until
some pilot happens to die and leave va
cancy for him. The first year of pilotage.
he is granted a license to pilot vessels
drawing less than sixteen feet. II he give
satisfaction. the following year he is per-
mitted Ia take charge of ships drawing
eighteen feet. If he pass a satisfactory
examination the third year, he then re-
ceves a full license. emitting him to pilot
vessels OF anv draught. and is then first
called IA branch or full pilot.
This matter of draught often gives rise
to amusing maneuvers between captain
and pilot-the former sometimes endeavOr
ing To evadc a correct statement of the
actual draft of the vessel at the time, and
the latter in turn employing his wits to
get at the truth without appearing to
doubt the word of the captain. Vessels
drawing under fourteen feet pay three
dollars and seventy cents n foot; the rate
increases by degrees, until ships drawing
twenty-one feet and upward pay six dol
lars and fifty cents per foot.
On receiving his license the pilot must
give bonds tor the proper discharge of
his duty. and he is liable to heavy fines
If he declines to fill vacancy or to board
a vessel making signals for pilot. He
is also required to be temperance in his
habits and of reputable character The
proper execution Of the regulations is to
a large degree insured by the great COM
petition among the boats. and the cense-
quent vigilance of each to detect delin-
quencies in his rivals.