New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-15
PILOTS FOR WARSHIPS,
NAVY RULES CRITICISED.
Recent Mishap ArouSes Demand
for More Precautions.

No accident In recent years to vessels naviza4r,
the waters of New-York Harbor has stirred ID "a
much criticism as the grounding January Of
the United States battleships Kentucky and Kea-.
sarge, followed by the collision OF the Alabama
with the Kentucky
It was not the extent Of the damage to the shIvs
nor the seriousness Of the accident as a whole Sor
no lives were lost nor was there any injured
that caused so much national and even interua.
tionaI interest in the case but there seems to be
universal feeling among vessel owners and agents
masters OF steamships and others directly inter-
ested in the commerce OF this the greatest seaport
of the American continent that there is something
radically wrong with the law or with the navy
regulations that compel the commander and the
navigating officer OF warship TO enter and lsaYs
this and other harbors without pilot
The fact that the recent accident was not a
serious one they say. does not furnish excuse
for continuing the old stereotyped rule Of not
taking pilot, for, 1t is pointed out. the conditions
were favorable for much more serious catas-
trophe which but for the excellent Judgment and
quick action Of those on board the Alabama would
undoubtedly have resulted in loss OF life and proba-
bly, the loss Of at least one batueship.
Shipping men who read in The Tribune the dis
patch from Washington stating that Representative
Acheson of Pennsylvania, had introduced a bill
which if It becomes a law Will compel batteships
and cruisers Of the first and second classes TO have
pilots on board when entering leaving port
said they hoped the bill would pass. although they
admitted that the chance Of its being held up In
Congress was good.
The captain of an ocean steamship who has
tered this port more than hundred times said
yesterday that such accident as that Of January
was likely to happen in any on5 Of the narrow
channels of this harbor. and that If by collision
between two battleships Of them was TO have
been sunk in Gedneys Channel. for instance, it Is
more than likely that the entire oceangolng tra1a
of New-York would be tied up for not less tIsn
three weeks. That is 10 say, none or the Dig
passenger steamers would be able 10 enter or leave
this port until the 6unken vessel was raised ana
the channel cleared, for there Is not water enough
permit the passage of these great steamships with
a full cargo
SIMILAR ACCIDENT AvERTED.
An officer Of a coastwise steamer who was for
herlv harbor pilot in speaking Of the Kentucky
Alabama collision. said that six Tarships ordered
out Of this harbor about seven years ago nearly
came to grief at the same spot as the Kentucky
Il was pilot" said he, "of the centre ship OF the
squadron. which was going out in single column
formauon- When within an eighth OF niue e
the captain OF the snip, VINO was on me oriaso
with me- that if he held his course IN opedencs %
the flagship ahead his ship would be aground N
less than ten minutes. He seemed aStonlsheds 0us
he made up his mind in 5l5y 10 - the signal
officer; and to me. Pilot, take charge OF me SHY
about shaved clear of the east bank. I don't think
that skipper was ever reprimanded toF getting 0U'
Continuing ne declared that It was next to an
outrage to spend S6.0O0000 to build 2nd EQUIP mas
feet Of water and then put her il the hands o.
man who may have been in this harnor IoI 1 3b
greatest draught Of his former vessels had Ossn =
again" said he. just think of this; s4 10y
enters tie United States service. BY faithful ana
heroic conduct for twenty-five years as he Is
courtnlartiaIIed his reputation is attacked ana e
is practically disgTaeed f2r an qS 5 he nav avoided
a pilot costing perhaps 500 were taAs zen s III n
would bs responsible and would keep 'h7 S1'S
Speaking Of the present pilot system in force: II
is the pilot who decides at what stage OK {as ~ ~
she shall go out and ne declared that no plCs IN
et Df f as soon - as She stops Tor any reason
narroW channel With fair td s,t she sake t6sy
must reach the bar at as near hisn "s'7'
"As a matter Of fact" he said the tendency o q
a northwest wind blowing for two days !, 5,t = ~ al
at least two ana qPshaiI tSe taking snip
drawing twenty-seven feet over spot on ing soviaS
showing thirty feet OF water instead 5tS 81 As
consequence she won't answer her AslLL easssi''
either goes ashore or runs into some o 9ber great
emergency. he declared no ship OF gLe@t tber tIns
than at high water: The same officer maze sr "a CO..
portant point regarding the ksntns IN chaTgs q
the Alabama his prompt action ll lanui9h nS il Is
so that she struck only glanchs pow, .H III by
said that he had no signal from tne ~ @controi
whistle otherwise that she "es v.' .5ont some
suggests
speciaf Signal TO be sounded as soon as EgSJs5 h
a squadron strikes bottom or becomes
PATRIOTISM OF PILOTS.
Captain Ira Harris, the supervising lnspSCsO,
steamboats, for this port speaking OF the - -,
Hook pilots said II don't know OF more p4H-0 :,
and loyal set Of seafarng men than our piIo1~ -.
two wars they volunteered their services ~ a.
government, and I think they sholll - vers
couraged. If all the buoys in the naIg S,la end
taken lin in time of war foreign meet 49, wills
Il difficult 10 find the way into the haI2O1sa
pilots. BY their long experience ano ~ Ears
could handle ships perfectly Saptsst bs army
said that when he was superintendent %. %
aoort service the captains were fhsss
take pilots. When he explained the loyst3 and ths
men TO the War Department they yle4uSN'
pilots have been employed ever since, Iva said
Captain NiCkerson, OF the FAN fSlNcL Ihefnsf
he believed that the captain OF any vessel ,IsS %
a warshp a merchantmen, should &c 1I''
employ q pilot at his discretion to re-
The Sandy Hook pilots themselves p4SsS y,sster-
main silent in this controversy. Those sset - tbs
dav spoke with admiration OF the olACcstS hs4t q
navy with whom they say they are on tn SSaSy and
terms They declared they were always .SSe~fnnent
glad 10 be OF assistance 10 the Navy DSse~1.igstns
and several pointed 10 the fact that the avg s-
officers OF our warships must ne capaOtt5t rarbof
cent men 10 be able to enter ar! leave W. uIthcut
so many times and In all sorts OF weStt!Is' W.
anv rnshap Said one OF the Oldest plots' fhess
'Consid4rlng the limited opportunities CI ~ ire
officers have OF studying the local condt35ia'c hsr
harbor other than the facts printed Oh '''
/ think they do remarkably Well