Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, 19 February 1895, Page 3

Notes and Events.

• " 0 pilot ! 'tis a fearful night;, there's danger on the deep," mast have been the frequent ejaculations of passengers who have been traversing the English Channel during the past month or two. Fortunately there is a most admirable pilotage service from the Isle of Wight to the Thames, and in some of the late London magazines most interesting accounts of the said service have appeared. Our language is a most marvellous compound of French, Latin and Greek, with a few other styles, imported, manufactured, and the result of the growth, thrown in. The word " pilot " seems to have been obtained from the old French pilotier, meaning "to sound the depth of water with a line of plummet," which is exactly part of their ■ first duty to ascertain before undertaking the guidance of vessels. Those who want to know more than we extract we recommend them to obtain the Strand Magazine, but the following is something worth while having brought to mind. One pilot told his interviewer that after the Franco German war, when it was a question of bringing their from Germany, the French r Government applied to Trinity House, through the Foreign Office for a supply of London pilots to conduct the vessels containing them from Hamburg and Bremen to French ports. The state of affairs in France was such that they did not know whom they could trust. Tho Trinity House replied that their pilots were for the English coast only ; but the answer to that was that they knew the English pilots, and could trust them. They asked for twelve, and six were granted them; and these *rnen ran the vessels, loaded with prisoners, to Havre, Boulogne, and Cherbourg. The pilots are supposed to know the French coast as well as the English coast. Another peculiar incident is recorded. While the war was in prooteaf, M. Thiers went to England to tvy and fet the Government to nut ill boq6 offlwi with German? in

behalf of peace; He, went iii one of the Imperial men-of-war, and ah 1 * chored off Gravesend, going up to London by train. One of the pilots was especially engaged to conduct her in and otit. When M. Thiers' mission was concluded, the pilot was" ordered to take her to the Downs ; there she was itiet by another French vessel, which sent despatches on board. Then the pilot was ap proached and requested to take the ship over" to Cherbourg^ and great was the captain's surprise when he declined. When the war was de blared the pilots all received from Trinity HoUae a printed 1 notice* informing them that they were not to conduct ships of either of the belligerents beyond the three miles limit. This the pilot produced to show the reason for his refusal. The Vessel proceeded without hitil. In case of a war in which England was engaged in the Trinity House pilots can be drafted on board Her Majesty's ships to pilot them wherever required. In 1854 a large body of London pilots Were drafted on board of men-of-War bound for j the Baltic. Pilot Postgate told the following tale ;-— The moßt striking thing I have experienced in the matter of a sensational incident was on board one of the New Zealand boats a few years ago, when we were struck by a blizzard. I shall never forget that blizzard. Blowing great guns was nothing to it. We were in no special danger that I knew of, and yet soine of the passengers who were on board went on shore at Plymouth, and would have no more of it. One lady was going out to her husband at Gibraltar, but she refused to proceedi ' deciding to go overland. I represented to her that the storm was now over, and that 6he would be with her husband much sooner by travelling with the ship than by going through France and Spain. But nothing could induce her to go on board again. 'No,' said she. She had had enough of it, and preferred to forfeit her passage-money.