Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-13
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY
SINGLE COPIES TWO CENTS.
Thursday, March 13, 1884.
MIR. DINGLEY,s PILOTaGE BILL.

MIR. DINGLEY'S PlLOTAGE BILL.
 Representative Dingley's bill to reduce the cost of pilotage has been approved by the House committee to which it was referred. This bill authorizes the United States local inspectors to license the master or mate of any American sailing vessel to pilot his own vessel, as officers of coasting steamers are already licensed, and exempts vessel thus piloted from the obligation to pay State pilot whose services are declined, and also similarly exempts any sailing vessel entering or leaving port in tow of steamer in charge of United States pilot.
 MT. Di1alez's report accompanying the bill forcibfy shows the absurdities and wrongs of the present system. In 1852 Congress passed general pilotage law applicable to costing steam vessels. This act established local boards of United States inspectors throughout the Union, and authorized them to examine and license persons, usually one of the officers, to pilot coasting steam vessels. This national system has relieved such ves- sels from the burdens and inconvenience of the State pilotage system, and has worked so well that nobody suggests going back to the old State system. Substantially the same system has existed in England for many years. Sailing vessels, however, are still subject to the diverse and conflicting pilotage laws of twenty States. A coasting sailing vessel is obliged to pay State pilot when he is not needed or used if she enters any port in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and Oregon. The same coasting sailing vessel, under the same master, is not obliged to pay pilot unless she uses him in Maine. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Mississippi or California. The same sailing vessel, if she is bound to or comes from port in Canada or any other foreign port, must pay pilot from $50 to S15O for pilotags in and out, although. the vessel is piloted in and out by her master or is lowed in and out by tug, and the pilot does noth- ing except collect his fees. A Maine schoon- ago took 8 towbost in, for whose services $35 was paid, and yet had to pay pilot $50 additional, although he did nothing, and then was obliged to pay pilot $40 to get out although the tug lowed her out for $25 and the pilot was not used.
 The present pilotage system bears very heavily on the American merchant marine, requiring, as it does, from five to eight per cent. of the freight money. The committee says the vessel owners from one end of the Union to the other ask Congress to relieve them from such 8 burden, and to exempt them from paying pilotsge fees when vessel is properly piloted by her own licensed mas ter or mate, or is lowed in or out by licensed steamer. Secretary of the Treas ury Folger approves the bill, and says that it ought to pass The pilots object to the bill, claiming that it is necessary for vessels which do not employ pilot to pay them, in order to maintain efficient pilotaee. The report says that this claim is not supported by req son or experience. AS we understand the matter the report is right in this and the bill ought to pass.