The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-28
TIE NEW PILOT BOAT HERE.
The Vessel Given an Ovation on Her
Arrival in Port.

The new steam pilot boat John II. Estil
arrived in port yesterday morning, having
( made the trip from Newport News in g
hours. The steamer was given an ova-
ton by the tugs and other shipping in
the river by a blowing Of whistles ard
running up Of hags. Everything saluted
her. Flags were displayed from the bust
I ness houses all along the river front, and
/ the wharves were lined with people to see
/ the new boat The Esru had all her col
/ ors displayed and made a handsome APP
pearance. In fact the boat is the hand
soonest Of its kind ever seen in these
waters. The general comment was that
she was more like a private yacht than
a pilot boat.
The EstiH is not an ordinary pilot boat,
however, She is probably the finest pi-
lot boat on the Atlantic coast. Her build
ers say that there have only been three
constructed like her. and as she is the
last one built and profits by the expert
ence gained in building the other two,
her owners have every reason TO claim
that she is the finest boat of the kind
ahoat
The Estiu was brought down from New
port News by Capt W. J. Thompson and
Capt. Thomas NJ Fleetwood Of the sa-
vannah Pilots Association. Capt Thomp-
son was in charge as master and Capt.
Capt Fleetwood as pilot. The crew in
Guided all told eight men besides Capts.
Thompson and Fleetwood. Capt. Thomp-
sons wife and daughter were also aboard.
The steamer left Newport News early
Sunday morning and passed out Cape
Henry at $50 o'clock. She arrived at Ty-
bee at 1870 o'clock yesterday morning, and
lay to until after daybreak, when she
came up the river. She had fair weather
on the trip down, with the exception of
some rough weather off Hatteras. The
average speed made was from y to 125R
knots an hour
The Estill was built by the Newport
News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Com
pany. The work was begun in July and
the boat was launched in September. The
time since then has been occupied in put
ting in the machinery and finishing up
the vessel. She is 100 feet in length, %
feet beam and 1912 feet draft. Her huh is
of iron and her gross tonnage is 243.72 tons
and net tonnage 12lS61. She has two alb
ms and three stateroOns, with "a berths
densing engine, cylinder 20x38-inch and Is
inch stroke of piston. The boiler is Il
feet in length and 13 feet inches in di-
ameter Of steel She is allowed a steam
pressure of 125 pounds. She has two life
boats and is provided with all the equip
ments of a seagoing boat She is Ii
censed to navigate the waters and tribu-
taries Of the Atlantic coast. She is pro-
Vided with steam steering gear and is
steam heated.
AS pilot boat the Estill is way ahead
Of the times. She is prepared to do towage
and wrecking, and it is very likely that
her abilities in this line will prove of con-
siderable advantage. She is handsomely
fitted up, and the pilots were generally
complimented yesterday upon their taste
and also their good fortune at being able
to cruise in such a fine boat. The Estill
was the general center of interest along
the river front and hundreds of people
visited her all of whom spoke in admiring
terms of her handsome appearance and
evident fitness for the work for which
she is intended
The new boat will be put in commission
at once. Three of the five salboats now
owned by the Pilots Association will be
disposed Of and the other two will be held
in reserve in case of emergency The
Estill will probably be in service by day
after tomorrow. Col. J. II. Estill, after
whom she is named, is expected to arrive
home from New York this morn
ing, in which case the boat will
be placed at his disposal to-mor-
row. The same courtesy will also
be extended to the members of the
pilotage commission. The pilots have ar
ranged to take a trip down the river to-
day with their wives and children.
/ 1t is not known yet who will command
the Estill. The system of alternating
among the pilots will probably be con
/ tinued for the present. Being a seagoine
/ boat, her captain will be required to be a
/ navigator as well as a pilot and as there
/ are only a small number of the pilots
! who can comply with this requirement
! this limits the command to the few who
/ are eligible The crew will consist of ten
/ men besides the pilots, of whom there
Will be ten aboard constantly. Naturally
/ the Esull will spend most of her time
cruising.
The fun set of colors displayed yes
! terday was presented to the boat by
4 Col. ]. II. Estill as was also a complete
outfit of china. The china is marked
with a handsome marine design, with
the initials of the vessels name upon a
( ships pennant. handsome baron
eter which hangs in the pilots room was
/ presented to the boat by the Virgins
Pilots Association before leaving New
port News. Mr.. J. A. Williams, The
| head engineer of the Newport News Ship
building and Dry Dock Company, ac
companied the Estill on her trip to Sa
| Vannah.
The boat cost complete about $4,000 tn,
/ contract with the builders being for SiA
600, and many little additions having beer
made that We're not called for in the con
tract The Savannah pilots and every
body interested in Savannah's shippin@
/ interests can now congratulate themselve.
upon having one of the finest pilot boats
/ afoat.
A g O'CLOCK WEDDING.
( The Nuptials of Mr.. Preston Herber