The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-15
BRITISH COLUMBIA PILOTS.
Eject Of Consolidation OF Boards on
American shipping.

VANCOUVER, B. c.. Dec. i4-lSpecial. +
The proposed consolidation of the pilot
age boards of Nanaimo, Vancouver and
Victoria will practically shut American
vessels out of the port of Vancouver and
enable the Puget sound cities to secure
snaps in the way of cheap charters. 1t
will give Port Angeles the crumbs which
have hitherto dropped into the Vancouver
basket, and in short enrich the Sound
cities at the expense Of this province.
Under existing conditions the rates OF
pilotags are as follows:
Per Foot
Vessels under sail. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. = 90
Vessels In tow of steamer. %
II the services of pilot are not required
vessels pay as follows:
Vessels under sail or in tow Of steamer 81 90
Vessels under steam ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. i 30
The pilotage from Cape Flattery, or
Royal Roads, to a line drawn from Point
Atkinson to the red buoy on Spanish
bank, and vice versa, is not compulsory,
but if the services of a pilot are required
he shall be paid a, follows:
Per Foot
from Race Rock, or Royal Roads 90
And for vessels under steam or in tow
of a steamer, the following are the rates:
Per Foot
From Cape F,attsry ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 20
From Race Rocks. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. i 10
Four pilots attend TO the Vancouver
traffic, five look after Nanaimo, while tlve
spin the wheel into Victoria.
Under the new arrangement suggested
by the Dominion government all these
men are to be placed on a steam cutter
which will patrol the Straits from Fiattery
to Race Rocks. A satisfactory vessel for
this purpose would cost about SIS, 900 and
il would take S., 900 a month to run il.
Contrasted with the present econom-
ical system, and basing the pilot
ge dues accordingly, this would
mean either prohibitive rate as regards
Vancouver or a needless expense 10 the
government As the move is supposed to
be in the interest of economy, the
natural deduction is that rates will go up.
In addition 10 the cost above mentioned
the government will be forced to recoup
each pilot for the three tons OF pilot
boat which he is Obliged TO have regis
tered in his own name before he can Sc
cure license. This means at least 500
per man, or $40. 500. which makes the total
first cost Of the experiment over $50, 600 ct
least, apparently all Of which is 10 be
taken from vessels running into British
Columbia ports.
Secretary Johnston, Of the local board,
deno2uces the scheme as impracticable.
Local marine men say is is plot on the
part OF the Victoria pilots. who are max
ing poor wages aud who wish the Van
couver men to 'divvy up" with them.
The Vancouver and Nanaimo pilots them
selves are violently opposed to any
meddling which will tend TO confuse the
whole system and retard the prosperity of
the province by sea. AZ the same time
playing into the hands OF the Sound cities,
which Will acquire tbs bulk Of the ship
ping.
The sea captains in port were next WIS.,
tied by your correspondent. on board their
own vessels, eight in number. They were
as Tine a company OF commanders as could
be met with IN any port. and displayed
wonderful unaninity GA the pilotsge
question. In the elegant cabin of the
benjamin seweil, OF Boston, vas congre-
gated Capts. Gibson, OF the Colorado, OF
San Francisco; Lee, of the Templar, OF
San Francisco; Blum. of the w. H. Tai
bot. Of San Francisco; Peterson. OF the
Eclipse, OF san Francisco; Aarsinson, Of
the snow and Burgess, OF san Francisco;
Sandae, OF the Germanic, OF Norway:
Basyensan, of the BeaconsAeld. OF Lon
don, and Capt.. SewelL, owuer aud naviga-
tor OF his owa vessel. They al expressed
the opinion that any variance from the
present system would compel them TO
give this port wide berth, even If they
were ob.sged 70 accept charters from Puget
sound cities at unp-ohtabte rates IL ali
ships bound for Vancouver were COM
PEELED TO take . pilot aboard a. Fisitery
and pay existing rates. they coaId afford
10 accept charters from Seattle al = cents
per hundred less than from Vancouver.
''Bnt." said Capt Sewell. the spoxes-
man OF the party. we will do no such thing
If We can avoid ~ suppose ws hug the
American side and decline pilot We
pick Up our sow CT Fis;sery and enter Port
Angeles xi.ao9. plloI Thence xs Gee