Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-18
lCommunicated.l
TO TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA.
DrcyyBTR l6, 1899.

TOT placing DeLOTt YOU oul i"NNo "A-' ''~""
in regard thereto:
FIRST. They saw tho Board OF Pilot Com
missioners il appointed by the courts OF
Norfolk and Elizabeth City county; that
10 become pilot one must serve an ap-
premiership Of five years and that there IS
no law compelling the pilots 70 accept an
apprentice, and the present pilot associa-
tiOn have a close corporation ana mono-
poly Of the most pronounced type"
We say it is true the Board Of Pilot Com
missioners is appointed by the courts
named and have been since Virginia mas
been q State: that though never before
questioned lin moro than one hundred
vcars) we would not object to the Legisia-
ture putting the appointing. power IN the
hands Of any other responsible authority;
that il is true to become pilot an appren-
ticeship of FIVE years is required, and we
think II must be evident to any mind ehat
to acquire absolute skill III handling yes
sells Of all classes-both sail and steam.
from a small sail-boat to a three-thousand-
ton sailing ship, from small steam-tug 10
the LARGEST steamship that pl0ughs the At
lantic--to have accurate knowledge trom
sea to all the ports of Virginia as 70
soundings, courses, shoals, and sets OF
currents or tides in the waters thereof, II is
absolutely necessary 70 require such an APP
Drenticeship and such an apprenticeship
i required by law in every maritime STATE
of this country and of all other civilized
nations That as TO having "a monopoly
and close corporation of the most pro-
nounced type" we say az an incOntrOveru-
bic fact. and challenge successful contra
dictiOn. that no jLst complaint mas
ever been made OF the eihclency, OF
sugiciencv of numbers of the pilots
of this State for every need of COM
merce: that last year apprentices became
pilots: that there are apprentices now IN
the pilot service: that there have always
been and are now sufficient TO take the
places of pilots who die, become disabled,
or in any way disqualified for service; that
the same law governs IN TINS as III any
other business. that OF demand ana sup
Ulv: and we ask where and when mas the
law ever required a fixed number or APP
prentices to be taken in any trade, bust
ness. or occupation? that a body OF men,
limited bv law as 70 their charges, required
70 Derform the most arduOus services WIN
/ the skill. courage. and faithfuiness of the
highest tvneOf manhood. istO be considered
/ bv the Legislature "a monopoly and close
c0rporation.n because their numbers are
moi multipited beyond any cNigency OF
the service Or business in which they are
engaged, We viii not argue nor insult your
intelligence 10y further notice.
Second They say that the pilots, with
! fees fixed by law. received from J0itiJt
vessels last year $4,000 that these tees
are paid them whether amy services are
rendered or not; that they do not pro-
pose to change this provision OF the pres
ont law. &c. &c.
We say they are about right rs 20 the
amount, but that the same was received
from both c0dNjrise and foreign vessels;
that unless q vessel IS spoken d sel by a
pilot that no fees can be collected, but II a
foreign or cOa.tWise vessel, without a
license. is SO spoken at sea, and tine YES
sci refuses % take q pilot. tnat
then the pilot is entitled 10 hs
fees because such vessel is required by
law 10 take pilot. and ii refused, the
penalty imposed upon the master OF sucl
vessel for :he disregard ~ the law ana
the wilful cudangcring Of life and property y
is for him 10 pav such an amount as hc
would have paid had he C0nformed 10 the
law. n seems to us, however. as IT was
not proposed - to change tins provision Of
the present law II was Useless To MAKE
mention thereof unless by q statement,
without explanation. somebody mlnd was
intended to bee prejUthced against the pl-
lots.
Third. They quote from the fourteenth
section Of the present law ana say that th'
pilots last year received from the Goa twiss
trade $1,000 and rendered absolutely nc
service therefor. and that this is what they
propose 10 change, and then their arsu
meut for tho change.
We say they are about right in the tota
amount: that the amount paid by vessels
trading with Richmond this year u
S2.75J.30: that Richmond, which paC
ahou, ONE SIXTH OF the whole amount, l.
the 0niy one Of the ports asking for the
change: that a vessel having paid th'
license 1t Norfolk or Newport News coui,
trade gOr the balance Of the year W.T.
Hichmoud without the payment OF on'
cent. II Richmond offered sufficient ~
duccments these vessels would 30 there
rather than e. the other ports IN the State
but whom it il considered that RlchmOnt
!s ono hundred and tOrty-fOur miles from
sea, and Newport News is twenty-five mile
from sea that for a large part of the dis
lance 90 Richmond the vessels are ObligeC
to be towed by htJ boats. who make thet
charges without restriction. except as L
tho necessities of the case and the shrcwd
ness OF the Yankee skipper. while no tug D.
. required for Newport News II can beroadi
ly understood why the cOastWise trade u
Norfolk and Newport New has greatly IN
creased, while that 70 Richmond has de
creased. We submit II ia simply absurd e
say that the commerce Of Richmond Is Sc
riOusig affected, much less TO be destroyed
as they paint il, If the Legislature does no
repeal the license OF 10 cents per registere'
ton on cOIstWise vessels per year. im
license is legislation in favor of tine coast
wise trade. Let us exemplify Tie averag
Coa-twise vessel would be, say. 300 tons
drawing thirteen feet of water. the regula
pilot fees would be $50 for coming IN an
~3J for going out for each trip made TN
. license for one year on the same Nesse
would be $50: one yedr's license would b
about tc0 Trims of the regular puOtage 10
one trip. Now, we say that TINS ten cent
per ton per year license-taX j. not felt b.
any interest in Virginia. 4 sailing yesse
, can and does easily make ten trips yea
between Virginia and the northern states
which would make the tax equivalent Z
one cent per ton. Now as vessel carrie
. one and and one hall tons OF dead weight L
, one registered ton the increased rate q
freight would be two thirds Of one cen
per ton. an amount that coal and lro
would not feel, and which would be inal
praciaby small in general merchandise
when generally the 3ip ItOler m Richmon
would get at least fire cents per ton Tor th
cargo on such vessel, and the lu.-)odt mar
ho,c much, None but he and the master q
the vessel can tell.
They say that many thousands Of dollar
are thus wrung from our ship-Owners 10
the bare privilege of trading IN the water
of tho Commonwealth"
We say, and arc ready to verify the same
that on the entire tonnage owned on tn
James river (Richmond included) TN
amount of license-taX paid to the pilots 10
the year 1889 was the magnificent sum O
Sl27.79 1t will therefore be seen hoy
GENEROUSLY this tax bears upon "our shil
owner" the shIp-Owncrs Of Richmond, an
We charge that John A. Curtis, the prm
mover in this and other attacks upon th
pilots, a ship-owner Of Richmond. is q
this time asking subscriptions to build
sailing-yessel or vessels. alleging that 1t
Grst-rate paying stock.
Now as 10 the assertion that for this Ia
, the pilots rendered absolutely no sercice.
: DO the citizens OF Kansas, Nebrasks
| Illinois. and all the inland States receiy
any benefit from the lighthouse establish
ment or lfe-saying stations, for which IN
mense sums Of money have been and ar
yearly spent 10 establish and MAINTAIN
, ABSOLUTELY no sj'rice * rendered 0eDl, and ye
they pay into the public treasury the
proportion of the taxes levied for III
same. DO the unmarried men or wOmer
> or the childless married ones, receive an
benefit from public schools estahIshe
throughout our land? The teachers rend,
: absolutely no seycice 10 them, andy they a
{ have 10 pay taxes 20 support thes
: schools and teachers. Tile inland cite
raralv If ever suffer from eDidemlcs