The morning times., 1896-01-12

! carrying great deal or res,l.i.a ii,u uiVidaal
his shoulders 4'Hsiulliiy On
III he has not the lives of sev...
ureu passengers in his keeping as ncn-
, case OF The pilot. who Conducts ~ ~. IN The
. Audhtic liners down New YORK No.. sieat
/ e HAs nas millions Of dollars sa-il ne
. OF property in his care, which Ia worth
! safely guided through the (e,-,o,,. must see
nels which lie between the s,a. eaan.
Liberty and Sandy Hook. @'ae Of
And then, tCo. New York ua-h,
the only Place in this country vbe-i - not
fui pilots are required, and wbers sEii
weight OF responsibility regtin,, ,ie ~, :, the
skiiful Old salts is very heavy A 'hese
a river or harbor pilots trsjnt,.
De OF the most severe kind His ,s-t uiust
apprenticeship cannot possibly he - a. Of
ul!h may become doctor in tbesa a..l- eel.
Dy attending for few terms = eays
Institution OF doubtful merit a. Heuical
man may become minister .lSer notner
knowing the cdnons OF his creed. H'ut
RIGID EXAMINATIONS
But the men who are chosen to take
ships up the harbor and down The hs..a s..a'
or 10 guide steamboats, up the treacha.oS'
channels OF the Mississippi or the Budso-
receive their appointments only af,a.
examination, the rigidness Of which sc..li al
candidates into the most laborious ursna.s a,es
ton for their work. 'pdra-
IL is noticeable that after pilot has ooo.
secured his license. he keeps il ana VIee a.9e
Is 4 testimony to the thorou nos - =. uis US
preparation Many OF the most st;p.l, ss
pilots are gray haired old inen. who 4t'-,al b.-l
been In the service for many wear, -e's ens
VINO are finally retired by the plloi 60 90
uilssioners, not because OF any real n,,'st.
ment OF their powers. but because that--..
| cary an aged man is not a proper uerSon
10 De intrusted with the Temporary Esor.
Ing OF valuable lives and property.
An example OF this kind OF disr1isSal t,o,,
lhe service IS the case of John TavIor
one or the Oldest and best-kpoyEn bs,Ja,,
pilots OF New York. He was el@,b,,-o.l -ool
years Old, but in spite OF his advanCas
age, he was beyond question one of ,ba
most skillfui pilots In the seryire u,-
term OF service had covered a ueriod =,
half n century.
IL Is noticeable, too, that sons ~ nj.
lots are likely to follow the coIIinc ~ ~. r.
Fathers, and there are many cases in tba
service today of young men who are iu.t
emerging from their apprenticeships yboss
Iathers are becoming Superannuated in The
service. Ihere have been, sometimes. Ar.
corning 10 the record of the pilot commits
sloners, cases OF three generations OF The
same family serving in various ratings and
pilots at the same time. But these -
have been rare.
PILOTS OF THE POTOMAC.
The pilots of our own Potomac river ar.
men OF no mean skill. 1t is well k1ovn
that the cha mel of the river is verv
treacherous and shifting. The hundreds
or thousands of dollars which have been
spent IN dredging the devious stream have
10 large extent been simply so pany
dollars sunk in the sand OF the river he'd
EFen tue most skillful pilots in Unce
sans service are sometimes puzzIed and
grievousiy perplexed by the eyer-c1,s no.
ing conditions Of the Potomac river he'd.
Most of the pilots who guide various
cfaft up the Potomac are those eplnlovad
os the government. A pilot in The service
: VI tne government may be relied on as
Deing skiilfni member OF his class.
ohiy plots OF the most tried skin and
experience are allowed to stand at the
wheeis or Uncle Sans water craft. and
ohe VINO secures a place under the govern
,5lsnt pa ~ IS sure OF a good place and good pas.
but lie VIII nave opportunity in abuuiance
10 tax his arts and exhibit his skin
But the best OF them err Tho rarort
u great disasters from the mistakes OF i
piiots IS remarkably small, but the times !
"here tne shoals of treacherous and wind |
ny river channels have been encountered /
Win slight damage have been quite nunler.
oas ID the experiences OF most river pilots.
sald one OF the most experienced OF item
he other day:
1t IS simply impossible for a plot TO
leep the run OF these channels If one
'omes up the river often he has the advsn.
age OF taking frequent notes on the cham
LEI, so to speak, but if he only comes into
ne POTOMAC once or twice 4 year, as is
he case with NE, it is very hard.
SPECIALLY EMPLOTFD.
Fortunately, however, it is not often
hat am asked to do it, AS rule special
'ilots are Kept for these waters and take
rest and watch the other fellow While
Ee re ecomingfromthe ebayupto Washington.
wen one or these fellows who Is right
u practice makes little slip aud brushes
ne sand with the boats keel, Just enough
make him keep his eyes open and watch
ut sharper, You know"
"hen the torpedo boat Gushing came I'D
ne river short time ago, to 90 into winter
uafters, one or two of the group OF men
II the dock at the Navy Yard who were
vatching her approach, saw her strike 4
ahh OF sand on the north side OF he chan.
ei, ABOUT a quarter OF a mile below the
ocS- The Gushing is stiff little boat. as
II torpedo boats are, and it was but the
'ork or moment to get her free from the
ana. Ii was mere brush but it was On
iustration OF the fact that even the most
Hliirul pilots of the P Potomachave hard work
trace the winding channel success fully.
ut this incident happened at point where
lie channel Is generally clear OF sand.
MANY DANGEROUS POINTS.
The dangerous points in the channel Of
lie Potomac are scattered ali along the
myth OF the river, and only I very small
oreon or the stream is free from shifting
md.
Ihe great rallying point for pilots of al
eSreeS of skill, Of course, is New I5..-
mere probably rour-fifths Of all the piloh
this country serve their apprenticeship
nd secure the nautical education which
ives them license TO literally go down %
lie sea in ships.
The apprenticeship generally covers sev
,al years, though after year or two OF
,rvice young man may be given license
a low rating.
A Pilots salary depends altogether upon
S rating, as shown by his license. Ihe
ting of his license is dependent solely On
S experience and the quality OF his exam
alton before the commissioners.
The ordinary young man who is eanal
ite for a pilots position generally ges
pace on one OF the pilCt bouts WhicA ~
and down New York harbor doing ms
lianeous plotting for all sorts Of craft
ming from all qua rteTs Of the globe.
HIS FIRST RATING.
After serving under an old pilot on one
these boats for suitable length Ol tlns
is eligible 10 be examined b. The pAos
These officials are men
hose list OF things not known about tus
IuiremeDts of plotting is not Terih lis
owing. They PROFOUND series "i prln,
questions to the applicant whlen ~.
OF the whole subject e
1lh,i. LIE e-nrniratin,,, f,,- -l,.Ial railway