The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-11
steam In the Pilot Service.

steam In thc Pilot Service.
Modern navigation runs 10 steamers
/ ans lighters. The days OF the clipper
| ship with sxy-scraD.ng masts. are num-
! bered. The brigs and barks that are seen
! these times look oh and rusty. in the ma
/ jorlty Of Instances. Very few indeed are
the spick and span new square-riggers
! seen these days. The schooners are still
with us. But who can say how long it
win De before they VIII have TO give way
I before the steam freight carriers? Oeean
trade is now being largely done by YES
sells that are independent OF the wind.
Their motive power is carried aboard. and
they sail straight TO the harbor entrance
instead Of beating about of the bar, ac-
cord.ng TO the direction and strength Of
the wind.
The change in the character Of the car
riers eff the deep has been reflected in
changes in the system of the bar and har-
Dor pilot service Of this port, and similar
changes that are to be made shortly at
the port OF New York. And the other
ports viii probably follow the example of
Savannah and New York. The adop-
ton of the steam pilot beat is referred TO.
In the ola days, when sailing craft We're
doing the ocean trade. a fleet of pilot
schooners constantly patroned the ocean
FOR maybe as much as 200 miles from the
harbOr entrance. on the lookout for in
coming vessels. If two or more pilot boats
saw the conner at or about the same time
then began a race for keeps" Pilots are
true s9ortsmen. There isn't a Dunraven
in the service in America Being into a
race they never quit until beaten; and
when they are beaten. they take 1t phil
graphically. Some Of the most exciting
races ever sailed have been between pilot
craft for the prize of an incoming ship.
The life of the pilot is one Of hardship.
ana at the same time Of romance. He
must be prepared physically to undergo
whatever demands may be made upon
him by circumstances. He must be able
TO face a blizzard in the dead Of night.
TO ride in cockle-sholl OF a slim through
the blizzard in a raging sea. TO Chamber
up frozen rope hanging over the side
of a ship, and when he reaches the deck
be competent to take immediate charge
Of the ship and guide her safely into port
without once being doubtful Of his reck-
oning. lie must be prepared to take an
chances as against the elements. and TO
be ready to make a trip to Davy Jones
locker, for statistics show that the per-
centage Of pilots who go to sea and never
come back is quite large.
These clements of danger are in the
steam pilot service, as well as in the old
sailing boat service But they are not as
great Pilotagc has now been reduced to
almost a scientific basis. 1t is co-opera-
tive among the men, hence there is no
longer necessity for the large fleets, the
long cruises and the desperate races. 1t
is needless to remark that there is great
economy in the new arrangement. Prob
ably majority of incoming craft, as has
been stated. now sail at once to the har-
Dor ohing hence the pilots know precise
~ where TO find them and no goose chases
are necessary. The steam pilot boats are
swift and powerful. and have no diff
Guilty in covering quickly ali of the space
off the bar necessary for the taking care
of whatever sailing craft may desire their
services. Being provided with great en-
CINE power, they are prepared to render
assistance to vessels in distress, which
the old pilot schooner could very seldom
do.
There can be no doubt that the adop-
ton Of the steamer in the pilot service
has improved that service, and at the same
time lessened the risk of life and the ex-
penses Of the men. The New York pilots
have not yet retired their sail craft and
put steamers into service. but they are
preparing to do so at an early day. The
change has been decided upon and will
be made. The Savannah pilots may take
to themselves credit for having been
among the first to see the advantages Of
the steam system and adopt 1t.