They have 23 vessels from their house, 14 of which are ships chiefly em ployed in the Southern trade, and their entrance into port is frequent. 1840.] The ship Bristol, from Liverpool, went ashore on Rockaway shoals, Nov. 20th, 1836, and nearly 100 souls perished. The following statements were made and published at the time. "Before the gale set in, the Bristol was seen by the Columbus, which prssed under her stern at 10 3-4, P. M. standing to the Eastward under three topsails, with a lantern at her foretopmast head for a Pilot-the Highland lights bearing to the Southward of West, and Sandy Hook light distant five miles." The pilots attempted to show at the time that no blame could be attached to them. On which the following statement appeared; being a letter from one of the most respectable houses in the city. --- "COL. WEBB, Sir: We had the following vessels off Sandy Hook, on Sunday, (the day the Bristol was wrecked,) that were unable to obtain Pilots, and were compelled to take the risk of going ashore in company with the ship Bristol their loss would not have been of much consequence, if those on board had been saved, as they were all insured, and as it appears that the underwriters are much more willing to pay two or three hundred thousand dollars a year for vessels going ashore on our coast, than they are disposed to get up an effectual petition to the Legislature to alter our Monopoly Pilot laws. Brigs Sterling, Baron, Benjamin. Schrs. Powhattan, Albecross, New York." (Vide Appendix A.) The loss of the Bristol raised the public indignation against the then Pilot laws, to a very high pitch. The loss of the barque Mexico has already been alluded to in the journal of Capt. Earl. Of 116 souls on board, not more than 6 or 7 were saved. The following is an extract from the statement of the loss which appeared at the time: "The barque Mexico, Capt. Winslow, sailed from Liverpool on theth of October last, having on board a crew consisting of 12 men, and 104 passengers, in all 116 souls. She made the Highland lights on Satur day night last at 11 o'clock, and on Sunday morning was off the bar, with thirty or more square rigged vessels, all having signals flying for pilots, but not a Pilot was there in sight. The Mexico continued standing off and on the Hook till midnight; she and the whole fleet of ships displayed lanterns from their yards for Pilots. Still no Pilot came. At midnight the wind increased to a violent gale from the North East, the barque was no longer able to hold to windward, and was blown off a distance of some 40 miles, &c. &c. She went ashore 26 miles east of Sandy Hook, at Hempstead beach." 3. AFFIDAVIT OF CAPT. CHAMPLIN. "Lyme, May 12, 1840. "I, Christopher H. Champlin, of Lyme, in the State of Connecticut, on oath depose and say, that on the first day of January, A. D. 1839, I was on my homeward passage from London in the packet ship Montreal, I reached the bar off Sandy Hook, about 8 o'clock in the morning, and remained there until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, waiting for a Pilot, but none came. I then ran my ship in, and anchored abreast of the light-house. At about half past 6 o'clock in the evening, a steamboat came down, with a Pilot on board, and towed me in as far as the lower Bay, where I anchored. The wind during the day was from S. to S.S. W., but about 9 o'clock in the evening a snow storm commenced, and the wind was then about N.E. While I was lying off the Hook, there were a large number of other vessels, as many I should [think] as twenty in all, waiting for Pilots. Among them was the barque Mexico, with a signal for a Pilot, and signals of distress. I spoke her, and she requested permission to follow me in. I told her I did not like to venture, but advised her to run in, as she was in distress. I afterwards saw her lower her boat, which went to one of the other ships. When I got in I saw her in the offing, lying to. Her subsequent loss is well known. C. H. CHAMPLIN. State of Connecticut, [Signed] SS. Lyme, May 12, 1840. Personally appeared Capt. Christopher H. Champlin, to me known, and subscribed and made oath to the foregoing affidavit. [Signed] HENRY M. WAITE, 4. AFFIDAVIT OF CAPT. A Judge of the Superior Court JOHN M. BROWN. "City and County of New-York, ss. I, John M. Brown, of Brooklyn, New-York, Master Mariner and Wrecker, hereby certify that I have followed the sea for the last twelve years, and have been much engaged in the wrecking business, near the port of New-York. I do certify, that on the first of January, 1837, I was bringing a cargo of wrecked goods from the Brig General Trotter, stranded on Long Island, and I was off the Bar at Sandy Hook about 9 o'clock, A. M. I saw the Barque Mexico, about 10 o'clock, with a signal of distress flying and a signal for a pilot. The wind was at that time fair to go into port, and I proceeded up to the city. I saw the Barque Mexico up to 4 o'clock in the afternoon of that day, and the signals were still flying. I also saw sixteen other square rigged vessels wanting Pilots; and I am well acquainted with pilot boats, but could see none on that occasion. At eleven P. M. the wind changed to the Westward, and blew heavily. I got up as far as Staten Island on the night of the first of January. If the barque Mexico, and other vessels, had got pilots when I first saw them, they would have had a fair tide, and fair wind to get safe y up into the Bay, and could have done so; but I did not see any pilot on the next day, nor until I heard the Mexico was lost, and I was on my way to her relief. Since the pilot law of the United States has come into force I have seen that the pilots have gone well to sea to look for vessels, which they seldom or never did before. I have spoken them off Cape May, and out off sight of land. Signed and Sworn to, before me, this 9th day of May 1840. (signed,) JOHN M. BROWN. (signed) JAMES BERGEN. Public Notary.. Such is some of the testimony which might be brought forward to shew that, before the reform that was introduced into the pilot system in consequence of the law of Congress of 2d March 1837, and of the New-Jersey pilot laws, the pilots of New-York were not only inadequate in number, but lamentably deficient in activity, for the protection of the port of New-York. I have before me lists of vessels stranded and lost in the vicinity of N. York with in the last six years, from which it appears that far less injury has been sustained by shipping during the three years the co-operation of the NewJersey pilots commenced than there had been for the three previous years. These lists are taken from the records of Insurance offices, returns of wreck masters, and certificates of others cognizant of such matters. I select the following remarks from some of these lists: 66 Brig Hancock, with a New-York pilot on board of the name of [I withhold the name] who was drunk on the cabin floor when she struck on the west Bank. Brig New-England-lost in consequence of the drunkenness of the same pilot." Several others are mentioned as having New-York Pilots on board, and not one, as having a New-Jersey Pilot. The following affidavits will go, more particularly to evince the good effects of the system introduced in 1837, and the competency and faithfulness of the New-Jersey Pilots. 5. AFFIDAVIT OF CAPT. D. G. BAILY. "City and County of New-York, ss. I, D. G. Baily Master of the Ship South America, do declare and say, that I have sailed out of the Port of NewYork for the last fifteen years and have had occasion to become well acquainted with the system of pilotage in force for the port of New-York, up to the passage of the Law giving the right of competition to the New-Jersey Pilots. I have had great reason to complain of the inattention and negligence of the New-York Pilots, and know that their conduct was a cause of general complaint up to that time. Since the competition of the New-Jersey Pilots, I have had occasion to be well satisfied with the effects of the Law of the United States, and I know of no reason to alter it. Under the old system, I have often been dangerously delayed for want of a Pilot, and have often been boarded by the New-York news-boats before I could get a pilot. It is my belief that an alteration of the law as it now stands would be injurious in its effects. I have had a New-Jersey Pilot on one occasion, and he gave me complete satisfaction. I have heard the New-Jersey pilots praised by ship-masters of my acquaintances, as being fully competent for their busi ness." Signed and Sworn to before me, this 9th day of May, 1840. [Signed] JAS. BERGEN, Not. Pub. J (signed) D. G. BAILY. "I have read the foregoing affidavit of D. G. Baily, and having commanded several packet Ships out of the port of New-York, have had experience as to the system of pilotage of the port of New-York, and my own knowledge enables me to declare that the statement of Capt. Baily is similar to what I should make under oath. (Signed) WM. C. THOMPSON, Com'r. Ship Stephen Whitney. "P. S. I have had New-Jersey pilots on many occasions and they have invariably given me satisfaction. (Signed) WM. C. THOMPSON. 6. AFFIDAVIT OF CAPT. THOMAS BRITTIN. "City and County of New-York, ss. I, Thomas Brittin, now commanding the ship Gladiator of New-York do declare and say, that I have commanded vessels out of the port of New-York for nineteen years, and up to March 1837, have arrived off Sandy Hook with a signal for a pilot flying, but was frequently compelled to run into port without a pilot, as none could be procured, notwithstanding the ordinary measures having been taken to attract the notice of the pilots if any were in sight. Up to that time the whole business of piloting vessels as conducted by the New-York pilots, was a subject of general complaint among ship masters. Since the establishment of the New-Jersey opposition, pilotage has been well conducted, and the competition has had the effect of causing vessels to be supplied with pilots a long distance from Sandy Hook. In my last voyage, I got a pilot to the Eastward of Fire Island light. In my last voyage but one, I got a pilot off Barnegat, N. J. I know of no reason to complain of the present law as to pilots, and am fully convinced that the removal of the N. J. competition would be highly injurious to the commerce of N. Y. and hazardous to the lives of pasengers and seamen. I have had occasion to employ the New-Jersey pilots, and they have invariably given satisfaction." Signed and Sworn to before me, this 9th day of May 1840. (Signed) JAMES BERGEN, Notary Public. (Signed) THOMAS BRITTON. 7. In a statement made by James Bergen, Notary Public, of vessels stranded and wrecked, he closes as follows: "And I do further declare that &c-and that the pilots up to March 1837 were not in the habit of going to sea; and, since then. I have seen the New York and Jersey pilots seventy miles from Sandy Hook. I have no reason to know that any unusual complaint has been made by ship-masters or merchants, as to the pilots, for the last three years." [signed] JAMES BERGEN, Notary Public. 8. That the New Jersey pilots have been, at least, as competent and faithful in the discharge of their duties, since the law of 1837, as their competi tors, we have abundant proof. I have before me a list of twenty six vessels of the largest class, which during the years 1838, 1839 and 1840, have been run aground and more or less damaged (some being totally lost) whilst under the care of New York pilots-[and the name of the pilot in each case is given, which I, however, withhold from the public eye]; whilst during that period, not more than two or three cases, it is believed, can be pointed out of any accidents happening to vessels having on board Jersey pilots. The following certificate is to the same purport: I hereby certify that I was a passenger in the ship Zenobia, Nathaniel Kinsman, master, from Canton to New York; that we took a pilot [as I believe from boat No. 6] at about 5 o'clock on the afternoon of Monday the 25th ultimo, at a distance of some 20 or 25 miles to the Southward and Eastward of Sandy Hook-the land, at that time, not being visible, owing to a thick haze. We stood in till about 9 P. M. with the wind from the S. East; when owing to the strength of the ebb tide, we anchored outside the Bar. We got under way at about 4 A. M. of the 26th with a moderate breeze from the Northward and Eastward, and stood up the Bay, the weather being quite clear and pleasant. As we progressed the wind hauled more to the Northward. At about o'clock the Pilot tacked ship to the East. ward, the ebb tide setting out strong soon afterwards. We were headed off to E. S. E. and for a short time to S. East, the wind coming in from the sea with a thick fog. When we were in the act of going about, not many minutes after the fog came in, the ship struck on "the middle." "It was a subject of remark when the pilot came on board, that he was ignorant of his distance from, and of the exact direction of the Hook; and at the time we struck, that he did not know the state of the tides. In reply to the inquiry of Captain Kinsman, what was to be done to get the ship off, he said it would be of no use to anchor, that she would come off with the food, &c. In trimming the sails he seemed to follow the suggestions of Captain K. rather than to act from his own judgment. "At the request of Captain K. I left the Zenobia in the ship's boat, at about 7 o'clock for New York, to procure a steamboat, and other assis tance. 66 The Zenobia is owned by D. P. Parker, Esq. of Boston, land had on board. at the time she struck, a cargo of teas, silks &c., worth some $600,000 and the pilot was made aware of the value of his charge, soon after getting on board. [signed] A. A. LOW. By another statement, it appears that the Buoy of "the Middle" was in sight when the vessel struck. The vessel was considered as in great danger of being lost. By other statements, it appears that the ship Henry Fourth, from South America, was run ashore in good weather by a New York pilot, whose brother has been seen at Washington endeavoring to get a repeal of the Pilot Law. The Henry Fourth was a total loss. 9. As a further proof of the general satisfactioh which has been given by the operation of the existing law, I here give some extracts from the remonstrances of those whose interests should be consulted, against the repeal of that law. A. Resolutions of the Board of Underwriters, passed 25th February, 1840. Whereas, information has been received by the Board of Underwriters of New York, that efforts are now making for procuring an alteration or amendment of the Act of Congress, passed 2d day of March, 1837, pertaining to the Pilot system, and whereas, this Board know of no desirable change in the Law at it now stands |