The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-10-21

! without any compulsion. l have paid in the
| United States during the twelve months pre-
ceding my departure S21O for pilotagc |
suppose if | We're to deposit this amount in
some savings bank every year for ten years
would at the end of that time have full hand
or a flush that would surprise my neighbors.
Are the interests of insurance companies to
be fostered at the expense of commerce? Is it
right for me to live at the expense of others
a law compelling one to contribute to the sup
port of another, whose services you reject and
whose presence is burden and a bother to
you. Commerce will become thrifty by itself
with wholesome laws, and will regulate itself.
1t needs no law granting pilot monopoes a
license to plunder us of our hard earnings
This is the most unjust, the most obnoxious
law in existence. Can you find one in America
that is more to our disadvantage? The captains
of tug boats are obliged to be licensed pilots
before they can command tug boat. Almost
every vessel of any size employs tow boats in
entering and departing from port. The pilot
must have something to say, so he goes for
ward and Supcrintcnds gcttin. out and in the
tow line. The TUG boat that does the work and
tows the ship to sea, gets only about three
hfths Il, much as the pilot. If the ship-mastcr
Is not qualified to bring his vessel into port.
with the assistance of Il tug boat. without
employing pilot he certainly is an unfit per-
son to command. The government is very
ready to clear Instructions from our harborS
that cndanger or impede navigation. There
is one other obstruction that the Government
should clear out from every harbor in the
United States infested with the nuisance. and
that is compulsory piotage. Pilots prey upon
commerce at every opportunity. They only
have their existence through US. This com
pelnS person to employ another, and that,
too. when the services are not needed, is against
this enlightened age. Let the government
take the pilot system under its fostering care
as is done in other countries.
Rio de Janciro is nearly if not quite the
largest sea port in the southern hemisphere. |
suppose As much if not more tonnage enters
and departs from Rio during twelve months
than from any other city south of the equator
There is not such person aS Il pilot here and
never has been. | never heard OF read of
vessel being lost entering or departing from
Rio. The harbor is not more than commonly
easy of access, nor are the approaches remark
ably good. The water is deep close to the
shore, and the land very high. which usually
Kills the wind. As you approach the entrance,
which is narrow, with strong tide constantly
running, vessels sometimes find great difficulty
in anchoring outside, when set out their course
l,,'t (. l.,
and heavy swell. Still, vessels do not get lost
because there are no pilots. On the contrary.
there is never a vessel lost here entering or
leaving the harbOr. Santos is another port
Where there is no compulsory piotage, although
that city lays seven miles up narrow river
and is difficult of access. You can hire pilots
if you require one at from S5 to so. Vessels
do not fear these places because there are no
pilots, neither do they get lost by going there.
In the most dangerous navigation in the world
there is no compulsory piotage. Around the
Islands of Java and Sumatra, through the
Sunda, Sourabaya excepted, there is no com
pulSory piIotage. How seldom do we hear of
vessel being a>t in these waters. nolwith-
standing the great amount of tonnage that
frclucnts these ports. There is no more intr-
cate navigation in the world than the north
coast Of Java. 1t is a dclu>ion. founded totally
on a Misrepresentation of the case, that pilrts
are necessary for the preservation of life and
property. Pilot laws are made exclusively for
the benefit of the pilot monopoly, and wholly
against the vessel. | hope to live to see the toll
gates in our American ports thrown open. and
their keepers laid on the shelf and for Il while
at least do away with compulsory piOtagc for
American vessels. Why should the State
guarantee the pilots their profit at the expense
of shipping: Let piIota@c. like every other
business, depend on the Willingness of those
appealed to, whether they receive or reject
their services | the great men who pretend
to exercise such Il parental care over shipping
think it is necessary to force the services of
pilols upon Us let them enjoy the privilege of
paying them. Such a thing as compelling
people to pay for the services of another which
you do not require would not be tolerated for
one year i'll any other business. If the pilots
which some contend form a portion Of our
commerce, are to have a certain rate of bust
ness guaranteed to them by the state lawS-all
Of which is to come out of the pockets OF ship
oWners-Why cannot the general government
with the same propricty guarantee American
ships certain percentage of our carrying trade
at fixed rate of freight: What legal control
has the State over my pocket book to say what
| shall or shall not pay a man for his services:
lhe person who earns the money should have
some voice about what disposition he makes Of
it. a ship leaves the docks of New York and
toWS to sea, drawing II feet of water; her
pilotage is S14.7G where the tug boat usually
gcts from $50 to $50. ! would like some one
Who Is perfectly familiar with the business.
and has an ordinary knowledge of scamanShip.
to tell me what real use this pilot is: what
guarantee for the safety of the Ship is he:
what service does he perform that the master
can not perform equally as well without this
Sl4.76 per day man: want to inform the
pilots that Just as long as l am obliged to pay
them, for their services when | do not require
them just as long as the same vessel can
enter and depart from port free from potagc
under license. when register subjects her to
l'iotdSt, w III 40 Ul Ill INV power TO break
this unjust law by showing them up as robbers
by license, plundercrs by law; compelling NE
to contribute to their support without giving
me the least service in return. Every pilot
am obliged to pay when | don't require him
will bring from me a Screed on pilotagc. |
will knock at the door of this unjust and
ridiculous monopoly is long as | am obliged to
contribute $3.50 to $500 yearly Of my hard
earnings to its support. | will give this sub
ject my utmost attention, that the general pub
lie may know what sort Of protection the state
furnishes for us. Who knows better than the
shipmaster whether compulsory piIotage is
necessary for the safety of American shipping?
If this question could be decided among them
the law would be abolished by a large majority.
Mr.. Pilot, when you trouble my purse you
shall hear from me again.
JOHN w. KANE.
Master Brig |. W. Parker.
Rio de Janero, Sept. 9th. 1856.
Fins for A. Steamer.