Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-08-11
The Pilots Association and the Norfolk
Coal Trade.
Special Correspondence of the Alexandria
Gazette Washington, July s, 1898.

Special Correspondence of the Alexandra
Gazette, Washington, July s. 1898.
The Gazette's correspondent waited up
on Colonel Lamb, of Norfolk, who is now
here, day Or two ago and asked him tc
give the facts concerning the differences
between the Pilots Association of Norfolk
and the Pocahontas Coal Company. He
at first said he preferred not to do so, that
he had devoted friends in the Association
and that at best it was only family
quarrel, and that he did not care to have
any outsider know anything about it
However, when pressed, he said we might
see the kilograms which were really public
property, as they concerned the charter
ing of vessels to load with Pocahontas
coal for the War Department. 1t seems
that for himself, and not as agent of Cast
ner, Curran and BulEtt, in order to in
crease the commerce Of Norfolk and ex'
tend the sale of Pocahontas coal he had
made an arrangement with the Bureau oi
Equipment to charter them vessels at the
lowest possible freight. In attempting tc
do this he had to report to that bureau
the difficulties in his way in order to get
freights as low from Norfolk to points oi
destination as were obtainabe in Balti'
more in order that the Pocahontas coal
could compete with the Cumberland coal
at Baltimore, and one of them was that
the masters of vessels complained that
| while coal vessels were free from coast
wise pilotage in going to and from Balti-
more, if they went tc or from Norfolk,
even without calling upon the pilots, they
were forced to pay constructive pilotagel
or in lien thereof, a license of 1Oc per reg
istered ton for navigating their vessels dur
ing year. To prevent federal legislation
which might be injurious to the Pilot AS
sociation of Virginia, Col, Lamb suggested
to the association to waive constructive
pilotage; that is, not to charge for service;
not rendered for all vessels chartered tc
load coal at Lambert's Point and New
port News by the Bureau of Equipment
This was very handsomely acceded to and
has enabled a number of vessels to be char
tered to load Pocahontas coal that could
not otherwise,have been obtained. The Wal
Department desiring to have some Poca-
hontas coal and knowing of the immunity
from pilots license OF the Navy Depart
ment, requested Colonel Lamb to get tht
same privilege for vessels chartered to loac
coal at the Virginia ports by the War De
partment; and, in pursuance of this, Colo
mel Lamb telegraphed on June 8, 1898
from New York city, as follows:
capt. o. E. Edwards, Pilot Association
Norfolk, Virginia
"War Department want same exemp
ton from license of vessels chartered by
them as navy has. Authorize me tt
promise it. Direct (answer) to Washing
ton. (Signed) VIM. Lamb.
And to which he received the following
reply:
"Col. VIM. Lamb, Shoreham Hotel
Washington, D. c.;
"My people will not consent to any fur
ther concessions in pilotage.
(Signed) 0. E. Edwards,
To which Col. Lamb Immediately re
piled as follows
Dispatch received. Your people ar
very unpatriotic. Hope decision was no
unanimous. Will not charter vessels 70
my to 60 to Norfolk,
| (Signe0 VIM. Lamb.
And Colonel Lamb says he has charter
ed No vessels, and that Lambert's Poin
has lost business by it; that he was unwiil
ing to discriminate between the army ant
navy.