Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-30


,.,rd Bound vessel.
.rrn New York city ocean pilot Is
....rned by a severe code of laws
.,.trd nv the state, and all pilots are
.F.r uumrllat supervision of the
.r.f commissioners, whose office is IL
i.rriug slip. The secrctary's Office by
.......n- looks like the private Office of
millionaire, but Is a dingy-lJOking
,.... ard b.s,G $ the chairs and desk
.ntaa are T. ,e seen is chronometar
s ..Yek which hangs between the two
o.gIow.. barometer and Their
...ur'cr The pilot when of duty
casual drops into this room during
,.dlv. looks at the barometer, and il
..h.r pilots are in, talks about the
,,rIfhcr. makes predictions for its
ffurr condition. II is at this Office
that the pilots congregate and await a
plot. Sat ready to 90 on another cruise.
AAiot boat varies in length from ninety
fo onc hundred feet. and twenty-five to
thirty feet beam. About twenty-eight
or thirty pilot boats run out from New
York city and they register from forty
10 eighty tons. The crew consists of
four abIe-bodicd seamen, cook, cabin
bov and boat keeper, who sails the
boat and returns her TO Nsew York
after all TIE pilots have Bparded in
coming vessels. These pilot boats are
owned and controlled by about one
hundred and seycnty-hve pilots-a sort
Of joint stock company-and give en-
ploymcnt 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, which
are easily distinguished by the big
iWcnlv-fuot numbers that are painted
IN 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 4
not. They have either to take pild
Dr. pay the pilot fees.
rhc pilots have Il monopoly-a closJ
,orpDration. Everybody can't be ~
pilot. 1t requires much time and ex-
pensc to become a full pilot, and rigid
state MWs are made to protect him.
lie must have a thorough knowledge
IF steamship navigation. manning and
sailing the finest steamships that cross
he Atlantic; must undergo long and
vigorous training, and pass a searching
Examination before tie pilot commits
,!oners before he receives his license;
md prior to receiving his license he
must serve on pilot boat for three
years. and should he fail, through sick
ness. absence or other cause to serve
he full three years, it not untrequentiy
occurs that he serves an apprentices
hip of eight or nine years as boat
>ecper before he receives his license,
md even then he has To wait for pilot
10 die or retire from active service be-
fore n vcancy is ready for him TO fill
After boat has shipped all her
pilots out at sea for vessels coming in
She hovcrs around in the 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 of they 60 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 ii is relieved by another
1ne and then il 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 craft in
sight Then if another pilot boat is
IN sight race to see which will get
heir pilot on hoard first immediately
begins. All sail is crowded on and
.hese two tiny boats pitch in the waves
ukesomany eggshellsin atempest-tosse
lake. In the meantime the pilot is
making his toilet TO embark on the APP
preaching vessel. His clean white
shirt is COINED, clothes are brushed
and gripsack in hand he is ready. The
IeSlre IS To secure steamer: for what
ever pilot brings "A steamer in usually
takes her out again. When the vessel
IS in hailing distance and signals for
pilot. it is no pleasant duty to launch
a yawl and make for the vessel, es-
pecially if there IS heavy sea on.
Brave men have been known - 90 out
m yawl and get swamped by wave.
In the winter the life of pilot is
lreaiy one The decks of the boats
viii be covered with ice several inches
thick and the sails and rigging will be-
come like sheets and rods of iron.
Reehng sail in wild night or cropping
through heavy fog. listening Co the