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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