The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-05

daylight and fine weather, he will be
besieged with all sorts OF queries, from
general news and freight rates 70 fnan-
cial conditions and diplomatic situations
He is supposed to know Just what all the
big politicians have In mind. and when
certain countries are going 20 war They
/ VIII even invite his judgment as to the
relative merits Of American and Japanese
fleets Of equal size, and whatever he saws
goes
/ Perhaps the most dangerous form of
/ diversion IS when some radiant female
with huttering skirts ventures on the
/ bridge and with gracious manner besieges
/ him with questions. That is the most
/ dangerous of all diversions for the pilot.
/ but be IL said 10 the credit Of a we'll
+ disciplined ship, this quality Of interfer-
! ence is guarded against when the Mar
I rows OF the thick OF navigation is
/ reached
/ The anchor Is finally dropped 20 await
/ inspection by the quarantine officer. after
which the vessel is moored to her dock.
The passengers leave and each one of
I them Is suspected of having hidden treas
ure from the other side and searched
AL except the pilot, who is never sus-
pected by the customs officials Of doing
worse than concealing 100 choice Indian
/ cigars, or fragrant Havanas. Landed. he
forthwith proceeds, with true sailor in
sunct, 70 have a good time. He has done
nothing for "A week. except to respond
to the call for meals, and keep a night
watch, and he is bent on getting even
In this he generally succeeds, and BY
the generous If not profigate way. he
handles his roll, creates the impression
that he has been awarded about 40 per
cent salvage for the last service he
performed.
These brave men. Uho take life so
easily, and upon whose shoulders rests
mantle Of great responsibility. deserve
more than a fippant consideration Of
their calling.
We see the pilot as he is-knoWing him
on the land as a genial. generous fellow
but few are acquainted with the con
ditions which have made him peculiarly
expert In a service which constitutes q
most important part of the gear OF COM
merce Not in a few weeks. a few
months. or year has he attained 10
the degree Of a specialist IN his line but
only after years Of service as appreutica
under State laws, and then several rigid
examinations before board of pilot com
missioners. is he recognized as a fit and
proper person to shoulder his responsible
tiles. These commissions are authorized
by State law, ana are composed of men
who are best fitted 10 be the arbiters OF
the relationship existing between pilots
vessels, and ports interests.
AS great as the pilot responsibilities are
he has a pleasant. genial. and often boy
ish personality. which is developed largely
through what might be called ''the simple
life, and very close contact whh other
pilots on the same craft Cooped I'D as
they are day after day in a small cabin.
there Is engendeTed much familiarity. with
heated discussion and possibly acute diff
terences OF opinion. which, however are
healed with magic swiftness as soon e g
terra firma. their Mecca, is reached As
a humorous illustration Of these eondl-
lions, writer on the pilots life once
said:
There is more loud talking and less
fighting on board a pilot boat than i'm any
place outside of France"
But dangers come TO them as a test OF
true manhood, for lying I'm the path OF
shipping. there are sometimes collisions
and other mishaps with which the general
public never becomes acquainted. Many
bitter experiences come to them, while
occasionally one of their boats is cut
down or never heard from again The
James Turley. of Philadelphia. during a
northeast gale, some years ago. dropped
out of sight-a half-dozen pilots and her
entire crew being lost
Many rescues are effected by the pilots
off their ports. Much property IS saved
by their seryice-it being estimated that
In the single State of Virginia, the steam
pilot boat Relief has saved not far short
of million dollars during fifteen years
This saving Of life and property aside
from the specific duty of plotting. goes
ceaselessly on at all the ports Of this ma
ton.