Doc. 75.-order of General Grant.
headquarters military division of the Mississippi, Nashville, Tenn., February 6, 1864.
General orders, No. 4.
I. The great demand for pilots having rendered this branch of business an unreasonable monopoly, whereby great extortion is practised, to the detriment of the service, it is therefore ordered:
1st.
That on and after the twentieth day of February, every boat doing business on the Mississippi and its tributaries shall at all times carry at least one steersman, who shall have a certificate of the local board under the direction of the Supervising Inspector, to whom pilots and other officers shall give every opportunity and facility for learning the business of piloting.
2d.
In order to prevent extortion, now practised upon the Government by parties whose licenses are derived from, and who are protected by it, pilots shall be divided, under the directions of the United States Supervising Inspectors, into classes termed first and second, and the rates of piloting on the Mississippi and its tributaries above Memphis, shall be for pilots of the first class, not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars per month and subsistence, and in the trade below Memphis, three hundred dollars per month, and for single trips less than ten days, not exceeding fifteen dollars per day while actually in service.
And the rates for pilots of the second class, not exceeding two hundred dollars per month and subsistence above Memphis, and two hundred and fifty dollars per month below Memphis; and for single trips less than ten days, not exceeding twelve dollars and a half per day while actually in service.
3d.
When it is inconvenient to procure two good pilots on each boat, such boats may take one good pilot and one steersman; and in cases where boats are proceeding together and cannot conveniently secure pilots for all, they may proceed with good steersmen, providing the leading boat or boats have good and safe pilots, in which case they will file with the post commander at the place of departure satisfactory evidence that they could not conveniently procure two good pilots.
4th.
The masters or owners of boats are prohibited from directly or indirectly paying or seeking to induce pilots to change boats by offering rates above those fixed herein.
5th.
Any violation or evasion of this order, or any refusal to perform service when called upon, or any neglect of pilots or other officers to furnish all the opportunities and facilities to steersmen for learning the business of piloting, shall be regarded as a military offence, and punished, on conviction by a military commission, by confinement in a military prison not exceeding (60) sixty days, or a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or both.
II.
For the greater protection of transports from danger of loss by fire, it is ordered:
1st.
That every steamboat navigating the waters of this military division, (except ferry-boats and boats lying up for repairs,) shall at all times keep a watch of at least four men on every boat, two of whom shall be at all times on duty--one on the boiler, one on the main decks, and continually passing over their respective decks until relieved; and all boats lying up for repairs shall keep a like watch of at least three men. Said watchmen to be carefully selected and registered as such on the portage book.
2d.
That every steamboat shall, at all times, except when actually storing freight in, or discharging it from the hold, or in other cases of actual necessity, keep the hatches and scuttles securely closed and locked, the key to be kept by the captain or first mate, who shall be held
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responsible for the same, and without whose permission no person shall be permitted to go into the hold, and who shall also, at all times when the hold is open, place an extra watch therein.
3d.
That every boat shall keep at least one barrel of water on each fore and each after-guard, and four barrels on the hurricane-deck; also three dozen buckets; and shall keep its hose constantly attached to its pump and ready for instant service.
4th.
No candles or open lights shall be allowed in the hold or state-rooms of any boats.
5th.
That from and after the issuing of this order, no skiffs or small row-boats shall be permitted to ply in the harbors of Louisville, Cairo, or Memphis; but every boat, except those belonging to steamboats, shall be taken to such place as the post commander shall direct, and there be kept, except in cases where special permission to the contrary shall be given by the provost-marshal; and that the small boats of all steamers shall be kept on deck, or properly drawn out of water.
6th.
That the officers of steamboats shall, according to their proper authority, be held strictly accountable for the enforcement of this order on their several boats, and for extraordinary care and watchfulness.
7th.
The quartermaster's department and post commanders are charged with the general execution of this order, and will detail, if necessary, such men as secret police to accompany transports navigating the rivers as may be deemed necessary, and will also at once arrest any person, and seize any boat, failing to comply with this order, and the boat to be turned over to the Quartermaster's Department for the public service, the offender to be tried and punished by military law. 