Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-04-17
Change in Pilo,age Laws.

ment OF Hon. Joh1 >. Emery, ui Boston.
before the Committee on Mercantile AZ
fairs March ), 1881, in favor Of change in
the Pilotage laws
In 1862 when the laws were materially
changed, s,eam-tugs we're becoming gener-
ally used in towing vessels in and out Of
Boston, and the trainers Of the law, appar-
emil, intending TO give the vessels the ben
eft Of its aid when being both tosed aud
plotted al the same time, na,l n clause in
the law like this -''Nessels taking steam.
by the desire OF the masters thereof. shall
pay the full pi.otage; but when steam Il
taken b, the direction OF the pilot of an,
vessel, she sha. De held 10 pay seventy five
rcr cent. Of the regular plpiage."
In most. o. many. OF the European Sea
ports, when steam and pi1tlgr are both
taken. reduction j. made ot twenty five
per cent Of the pIlOta2e fee; and perhap,
this might have been the intention Of tEc
trainers Of our las. 70 give vessels the same
benefit here but. II 50. It was a signal fail
ure. for these word. ",iSsIre" and "iir,-t''
are 80 Adroitly arranged IN the framing of
The .s~ that have never knoan OF an IN
stance where pho, made any reduction
aasing taken the aid of steam The, al
wal. desIrg, but never direct, Il, use, and so
evaLe the manifest intention of the law
Pnot>, o. their friends, no doub, man.pu-
.tttd the framing OF this Law, and hence 1t
"a. been a dral-letirr as ilr A. in any va,
benehiing the .hip.ovnrr,.
We AK tha, 1t BE- % amended tint the
piIn, -hal hc obliged u make tie SAM re-
duction here as Al European port, tor hi.
duties are materially les,cnel ~ the taxing
~ steam.
No one having Any know ledge of TIM
stea a-tug service Of this port can arrly,
al rtN other conclusion than tha, the tugs
that are constantly towing vessels ot the
largest size 10 and from Sea. go,ag farther
out sor them thaa The pilots, hy thr prJ w
ent laws. are Obliged 10 20. ana often TAX
lng them hours before pilot u seen, are
much safer and mere Efficient aid than tn,
pilots lh.s. boats are all otiiccrrd b,
men Of experience. having a perfect Anow!-
edge Of the coast aud har1ors, and licensed
by the United States Government As plio;- :;
and hardl, week passes but some II
them are ;osing ships aud ve>se., Of lar.
e,i size To and from the different sea p4r',
IN New England and New lurA
And when State pilot is on board ve,-
sci tnat is beng toNod hIs duties are scarce
~ ANYTHING, he remains IN board tHc
iostd vessel. passive subject. gl,sng I'D
directions whaleSer To the N-bpat. \oH
where i the skIl. required q pilot tc!ns
thu, tossed Gan an, one iai. 10 see. wtA
this system Of skilled tO~lgc and the ex
peG!lion attending i, which Is Of THE mos,
service and All q shipping. the tux lhc
State pilot
Now, pilot goes on board j vessel out-
~ard bound. towed D, tug boat, the ,e~-
I'll not AWAY, being under >a.l when ,he
starts. and III Two hours al the fartLc,t
when she i, east of George, Island. n.,
duty j done. AMI he can retuIn 70 tn dit,
IN the tag, or 70 Oh board H. boat Il >he
hap, ems to be near there. ready for another
joh; when, before the time o. tug boats. tx
might. II With head wind, be two tide, IL
beating Or working down 10 the Roads, oc-
cup,!ng good part Of two days; and with
an inward bound vessel. If q pilot should
take her of, or oli,ide of MinOt's, with 4
heavy north or nor'h-we-t wind, any of the
old pilots ~!ll tell YOU that i would take
two. and sometimes tnre, Of more DAYS to
beat a square-rlsged ,esse. up to the cIt.
And these were the DAYS when the rates
were but trihe more than half of wha.
they are now. and when the plots did two
or three times the work for abeIt half the
money, and their duties being mucn more
arduous. and when it required skilled men
Who could handle and work ship in any
Kind OF weather, and beat her IN and out of
Boston If necessary And as nothing ut
this kind ha, been done since the adveu; nt
tug boats, II may be questioned whether the
Younger pilots can perform this kind Of sea
manship as readily if al all. a. their older
predecessors. IL would be novel sight
nowadays 10 see ship Of my sizc beating
IN or out of Boston harbor, ana yet il is
matter Of history that such things were done
ln the DAYS OF Matthew Hunt and the
Gurneys, and others Of the older plots. be-
fore the introduction of tow boats. Then a
pilot worked 10 earn his money, but now it
is very nice pastlme, with Little or no work,
for pilot 10 be towed in and out Of Boston
harbor. And now. when, in consideration
of this gradual increase of rates. that has
been going on for thirty years or more, and
the les.ening at the same time of the duties
and responsibilities Of the pilots, We ask for
a small reduction Of the rates, and slight
modification in the regulations, we are met
by the pilots, who say We are trying to de-
stroy the system Of pilotage. We hope no
one will be deceived by this senseless clam
or. The system of pilotage was never in
augurated to support pilots, but for the ben
eft Of those who want their services, and
those having to pay for such service should
have something to say about the price for
performing it.