The bee., 1883-05-05
THE OCEAN PILOT.
Dangers and responsibilities Connected
with Bringing Into New York n III me
wRrd Bound vessel.

DauTerS ana hfgpOnsiDfilt1eS COunected
with Bringing Into New York Hrme-
ward Bound vessel.
The New York city ocean pilot is
governed by a severe code of laws
enacted by the State. and al pilots are
under immed ate supervision of the
plot commission rs, whose office is in
Buriing slip. The seeret,.ry's olice by
no means looks like the private Office Of
a millionaire, but is a dngy-l, oking
place, and besides the chars and desk
all that are t0 be seen is a chronometer
clock which hangs between the two
windows, a barometer and ther-
mometer. The pilot when off duty
casua ~. drops into this room during
ths day, looks at the barometer, and il
o:har pilots are in, talks about the
weather, makes predictions for its
future condition. It is at this Office
that the pilots congregate and await a
pilot boat ready to 90 on another cruise.
A pilot boat varies in length from ninety
to one hundred feet, and twenty-five to
thirty fee beam. About twenty-eight
or thirty pi!os boats run out from New
Ycrh city and they register from forty
TO eighty tons. The crew consists VI
four ab.e-bOdied scamen, cook. cabin
boy and boat keeper, who sails the
boat and returns her to New York
after all the pilots have boarded in
coming vessels. These pilot bOatS are
ownei and controlled by about one
hundred and seventy-fiVe p lOts-a sort
of joint sto;k company-and give en-
ployment to some six hundred men.
Each boat, when she goes to sea, takes
seven or eight pilots. Perhaps some
people when sailing along the coast
may have seen the pilot boats, whiC h
are easily distinguished by the big
twenty-fOOt numbers that are painted
ON the main-sails so that they can be
seen at long distance. Each vessel
is compelled to take one of these pilots
whether outgoing or incoming, except
those engaged in the coasting trade,
whether they carry their own pilot or
not. They have either to take a pilot
or pay the pilot fees.
The pilots have a monopoly-a close
Everybody can't be a
pilot. 1t requires much time and ex-
pense to become tulI pilot, and rigid
State laws are made to protect him.
He must have thorough knowledge
of steamship navigation, manning aud
sailing the finest steamships that cross
the Atlantic: must undergo 4 long AMI
vigorous training, and pass a searching
before t pilot commits
Sioners before lie receives his license;
and prior to receiving his license he
must serve on a pilot boat for three
years. and should he fail, through sick
ness, absence or other cause to serve
the full three years, it not unfrequeltiy
occurs that he serves an apprentice
ship of eight or nine years as bout
keeper he ore he receives his license,
and even then he has to wait for q pilot
to die or retire from active service be-
fore vcancy is ready for him to fill.
After boat has shipped all her
pilots out at sea for vessels coming in
she hovers around in tie track of the
vessels going out to take off pilots
after they have seen their vessels safely
at sea. Returning to New York they
make what repairs are necessary, ship
the necessary supplies for another trip
aud off they g. again with seven or
eight pilots. Then they run down the
Bay, through the Narrows, and bring
Up at the light ship station. There is
always one boat at anchor here for four
days, when it is relieved Ly another
one. and thin it starts to look for
prizes. Nothing of moment usually
occurs, outside of reading, playing cards !
and telling yarns, until the lookout at
the masthead announces a craft in
sight. Then if another pi!oS boat is
in sight a rare to see which will get !
their pilot on hoard first Immediately |
begins. All sail is crowded on and
these two tiny boats pitch IN the waves
like esomany ggshellsin atempe5t-tossed
lake. In the meantime the pilot is
making his toilet to embark on the ap-
preaching vessel. His clean white
shirt is donned, clothes are brushed
and gripsack in hand he is ready. The
1esire is to secure steamer; for what /
ever pilot brings a steamer in usually .
;akes her out again. When the vessel /
s in hailing distance and signals for
! pilot, it is no pleasant duty to launch .
| yawl and make for the vessel, ps-
)ecially if there is heavy sea ON.
Brave men have been known to 90 out
n yawl and get swamped by wave.
In the winter the life of pilot is a
lreary one. The decks of the boats
will be covered with ice several inches
hick and the sails and rigging will be-
'ome like she,t5 and rods of iron.
aeefing sail in a wild night or cropping
through heavy fog. listening to the
lring of cannon and ringing of bells
announcing the approach of some
res lei from an unknown quarter, with
he boat making about fifteen knots an
lour, Is anything but encouragement
or those on shore to enlist and study
o become pilots. The moment pilot
climbs the rope ladder and steps on I'll O
Ie k of a vessel he is to see safely into
'ort, he is virtually commander-in.
hief as reg rls the movements of the
-essel. He is responsible for accidents
nd unnecessary delay. He is under
eavy bonds, and should he fail to per-
orm his duties satisfactorily his license
revoked and his occupation forever
'one.