The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-03
COMPULSORY PILoTAcE.
Mr.. DingIey's Bill Regulating the
Matter.
A Measure of Importance to Owners
of Vessels.

WASHINGTON, March 2.-The Dingley bill
relating to pilotage. was today reported from
the shipping committee by Mr.. Dunn of Ar
kansas. The first section gives masters or
mates of American sailing vessels employed
in the coasting trade the same right to be ex-
amined by United States inspectors, and if
found competent, to license them to pilot
their own vessels into and out of ports of
such local inspection districts as has been
given to masters or mates Of American
steamers since 1862.
The second section relieves American
coastwise vessels from the obligation to pay
State pilots whose services are not needed,
when these vessels are towed by a steam YES
sci in charge of United States pilot
The last section provides that this act
shall go into force six months after its pas
sage. The report says that since lS52, the
American steam vessels in the coastwise
trade which includes lakes and rivers, have
been relieved from the obligation to pay fees
to State pilots not used when such vessels
are piloted by their masters or mates, who
have been examined and licensed by United
States inspectors to pilot their own vessel.
This bill simply extends the same privilege
to American sailing vessels in the same
grade, and also relieves them from the obli-
CATION to pay State pilots not used when
snch vessels are towed by steam vessel IN IN
der charge of United States pilot. The
necessity of this relief is made all the more
necessary by the fact that all the States ex-
cept eleven Atlantic and Gulf Southern
States (who do not own much sh1pplng), nave
relieved coastwise vessels from compulsory
pilotage fees Thus, Maine, Massachu-
setts or New York coaster which goes to
port in Maryland, or any port on the coast
south, must pay pilot fees to pilots who are
not used, while Maryland coaster may go
to Maine or any other northern port without
paying fees to pilot not used. Boston
coaster which is compelled to enter the port
of Savannah, and with tug under United
States pilot, which must be paid, and Is all
that is needed or used, must also pay fee OF
S75 to State pilot, who does nothing except
to demand his fees; but Savonnah coaster
can go to Boston without paying such an ex-
orbitant fee. Some States, Georgia for ex-
ample, eXempts vessels trading between its
own ports from such fees, but authorizes
Slate pilots to collect fees from vessels from
the ports of other States.
The report says that the objections to the
bill made by New York pilots in their circu-
lar sent to labor organizations are. that 1t is
in the interest of foreign vessels; that it
will destroy the pilotage system; that it is
in the interest of capital and against labor,
and that it will increase shipwreeks and
loss of life. To these objections the report
replies that the bill relieves only American
vessels, and not single foreign vessel; that
IL is Ill tIlt lulSlcob VI SCotlilCA duu
lively poor owners of coasters, men who do
not on an average earn near as much from
their vessels by voluntary service as pilots
do by their monopoly law; that while the
bill will render less number of pilots ne
cessary, it will not iniure the efficiency of
pilotage anywhere, as it has not anywhere
that a voluntary system prevails, and that
"a years trial of the system with the coast
wise steamers and many years, trial of the
voluntary system in sixteen States have
proved that it has not increased shipwrecks
nor loss of life. The large expenditure of
the government for lights, bu0ys, monu-
ments, surveys and charts justify tn exten-
sion Of relief to our struggling shipping
from unnecessary pilotage fees to pilots who
are not used.
Secretary Folger, to whom similar bill
was submitted when he was at the head of
the Treasury Department, wrote:
''Inasmuch as the bill puts sailing vessels of the
United States on the same footing as regards pi-
lots as steam vessels approve OF the bill There
is no reasonable ground for discriminating against
sailing vessels in the matter of piotage by con-
cedng greater privileges to steam vessels"