PORT SERVICES AS REGARDS SHIPPING 47 
of work, which is often of an arduous, and even of a 
dangerous, character. Pontoons and lifting machines of 
various types and designations are utilized for raising 
submerged vessels. 
PILOTAGE 
The guidance of vessels into and out of port is a duty 
which is usually performed by a body of men known as 
pilots, who, while acting individually and often paid 
independently, are under the control of a pilotage board, 
or of a pilotage committee of the port authority, by whom 
their licences are issued. Pilotage, as already stated, is 
sometimes compulsory, that is, the master of a ship must 
engage a pilot, however unnecessary it may seem under 
favourable circumstances, and however competent he 
may be, himself, to navigate the ship; in other cases, it 
is not compulsory. Among leading ports at which pilotage 
is compulsory, may be instanced London, Liverpool, 
Glasgow and Belfast. Pilotage is mot compulsory for 
most of the Bristol Channel and Tyne ports. 
TOWAGE 
While a ship may practically reach her destination under 
her own power, yet in manceuvring in and out of narrow 
entrances and to and from a dockside berth, she will 
probably need the assistance of tugs—from one or two to 
half a dozen. It is a sight to be remembered to see six or 
seven relatively tiny little tugs taking charge, fore and aft, 
of a huge leviathan like the s.s. Olympic, and swinging the 
great vessel round in the confined waterway, bringing her 
finally to rest alongside the quay at the appointed berth. 
Apart from this, there are towage services of greater or 
less duration required in connection with the control of 
disabled vessels, or under special circumstances, such as 
the transfer of a ship from wet dock to dry dock, and 
vice versa. Such towage may be provided by the port 
authority, but more often it is an independent service 
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