Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-29
shipping Men Gathering Dala on
PIIalage Question.
ar. BARRETT BEGINS work
Moves That Bill be Referred Back
Committee on Currency and Com.
merce SO That Opposition May be
Given Hearing.

according 10 reports received by
shipping men from Richmond ycster-
day evening, Representative w T.
Barrett OF this city. offered a motion
in the house of delegates Yesterday
afternoon 10 recommii the new pilot
age bin TO the house committee on
currency and commerce for Il further
hearing.
MIR. Barretts motion to recommit
the bin WAS made at the request OF
I shipping interests In this city so that
The shipping interests OF Newpor.
News ard Norfolk may appear before
the committee to present Their u.Ioc-
tons TO the measure in its present
form.
Agents at Work.
Shi rping interests in this CITY and
Norfolk are still at work compiling
data to present to the Virginia lcgis,
laturc with their SIDE of the pilo,age
question. and ii they do not succeed
in getting Il hearing trfore the House
committee on currency and commerce.
their claims will he laid before the
Senate committee when the bill Is
being considered by that body.
What Local Agents Pay.
| was stated Yesterday that in 1907
the Newport News shipping agencies
paid the Virginia Pilots Association
nearly $4,000 for p.lo,age on vessels
carrying foreign commerce, and local
shipping men assert that wnen the
Norfolk figures are compiled they will
show tina the shipping agencies in
that city paid during the same period
on vessels CARRYING foreign commerce
pHoiage fees amounting to at least
100000. These figures do not. il is
said. include pilotage collected from
the United States government. on the
army transports plying here. or naval
vessels. nor does it include any of the
revenue collected from vessels employ.
cd N the coastwise trade. or outside
vessels that are not handled by the
agencies.
III regard to Il statement to the ef.
feo, that The difference between the
average OF all piloiagc charges rs paid
under the present regulations and the
average of those which will be paid
should the hill pass the legislature.
wuuli be about 40 cent per foot. the
shipping men agree that the only way
lisiA tIln ltSulA tulliu NJ NlIlNtu Ut
would be fer the average draft of the
vessels To fl the average of the new
tariff. Putting in the new rate OF
50 per foot for vessels drawing under
eight feet and $3.50 for vessels draw
ing eight feet and under ten feet tends
To bring down the average of the pilot.
age. hut the agents hold that ms 4
matter of fact. very few, If any. for
cifn vessels come into Hampton Roads
drawing so little water as this.
Increase in Rates.
The agents further claim that on
practically every bunker steamer com
Ing into Hampton Roads, and this
class OF vessel constitutes more than
half OF all of the vessels handled by
The pilots. the rate Will Ia increased
from $2.25 foot each way to 81. 81,
per foot each way, or Approximately
81 per foct from Cape Henry to New
port News or NoriC... and return, rs
against $3.50 per foot a. charged for
the round trip under the present rates
According 20 reports received here
from Richmond yestoday afternoon
the Pilots association claims that its
re, enue from the pilotase lax on
coast-wise vessels In 1907 amounted
10 approximately $21 1000 On the
other hand what the local shipping
men declare 20 be Il conservative estl-
mate Of the increase on foreign hot
toms under the new pilotage rates
would amount to at least $4,000 an
nrally. For this reason. shipping
men say that the pilots association
instead OF making a concession to
Hampton Roads shipping will collect
considerably more revenue under The
new hill than under the existing law
In the table published in this paper
Yesterday morning comparing the pre-.
sent and proposed new pilotage rates
il was stated that for vessels drawing