Evening star., 1914-04-19

LfLULNh vessel through the
M - hannels Ind
NSnS through the obstruc-
tons of busy
port of entry and placing it at its dock.
If the meaning isn't followed strictly to
letter it produces effects upon commerce
so vast and far-reaching as to make
the Iandsman cape with astonishment.
Therefore. il means responsibility.
Hence il requires training to meet
tins condition. not thes training of the
seafaring man only, but that of the
pilot. which further means intelligence
Perhaps that is why Ezekiel said: "The
inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were
thy mariners; thy wise men o Tyrus.
that were in thee, We're thy pilots
To all this Uncle Sam has bowed AN
acknowledgment He has done more
ne has given his aid. The result is that
he is justly proud of his product but
there are also other results. He has
benefited.
II the. maritime laws required pilots
to board every vessel, both foreign and
American. which enters Uncle Sans
ports. there would not be enough pilots
TO equal the demand. But the laws
apply only to foreign vessels. and to
ports. The statistics for last year show
that the tonnage of vessels hailing from
foreign ports that entered United States
ports was over So:ooO.ooo. This means
that about $4,000 different ships entered
and. because while entering the ports
they were in charge of trained pilots
out Few went aground. But if one
went aground with serious results il
meant not only the endangering of prop
erty that represented an outlay of mil
mons of dollars. but an interruption to
coiilherce. Consequently to guard
against this Uncle Sam has fostered the
pilots until they have grown into as
soclations of experts. The associations
nave benefited ships, ships have in
riched Uncle Sam VI
mere is world of romance conjured
up IN the word pilot. Though the yoca-
llon OF harbor plotting today is strictly
a commercial operation the men who do
tne work are no less stalwart and hrave
than they were in the days when il
savored of the romance of the sea Jnst
picture to yourself the approach of YOUR
vessel to port entrance Far ahead
on the horizon you will see a long Iou-
dark strip just above the seas. and as
the vessel plows onward and the coast
me oegins to assume an irregular shape
you VIII notice that little prirn- looking
vessel is steaming toward YOU
-
presently YOU will hear the command
issued from the bridge to clear away the
JACOBS ladder. and You will watch a
group OF sailors heave a heavy rope lad
DER with wooden steps over the tall side
OF the steamship and make it fast You
VIII feel the vessel slacken its headwav.
ana after a bit you will note that il has
stopped entirely
All this time the little vessel far off
,.o,' var aru mas neen drawing closer. Now
y',,,b mn ean see mat there is great white
NUMBER on its smokestack. 1t is the
marx OF the pilot. The little vessel stops
a hundred Yards or SO from the steamer
and small boat. manned by two oars
men, drops from its davits to the water,
thlrd man climbs down the short side
OF the steamer. and the little shell bobs
away over the waves toward you
'rdhlng your neck over the rail you
~atch the oarsmen skillfully steady the
boat at the bottom of the ladder II is
a long distance down to th, bottorr, of
mat ladder. and as it swings about with
the movement of the ship you marvel
al ,he nimoleness of the man in citi-
zen Clothes who makes spring for IL
ana runs quickly up its length. You only
nave a moments glance at him, for he is
no sooner over the rail than he is up on
tne navigating bridge and the vessel has
started again Just as quickly too the
small boat has darted away from the
side of the steamer and is half way back
to its parent ship.
This is ii sight you are permitted to
watch only in comparatively fair weather
with comparatively light seaway run
nlnG- In stormy weather it is different
Vlie moment as YOU cling to the
ran ard look over the side, you feel your
self going Up. and you look down the
vessels side as YOU would down the slight
incline of cellar door The next mo-
ineflt you 90 downward and you find
Yourself gazing straight down into seeth-
ing waves, as IL you We're suspended
in air.