188 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
arrangement—derived, if need be, from the fish-market, the present school 
board, and the board of control of the West Point and Annapolis schools. 
[ would not have the system of supervision by which our public schools 
are governed. Nor would I care to sce another board of regents such as 
Jirects public education in New York, excellent as that system may be in 
some respects. There is at least one illustration of what might be done to 
justify the proposition of this paper. I venture to give it at some length, 
as set forth by William Allen Butler, Tsq., in his plea before the legisla- 
sure of New York : 
In 1763 the Colonial legislature passed an act which organized the 
Board of Wardens for the port of New York, and gave them the power to 
license pilots, making it compulsory on masters of vessels to accept their 
services or pay half pilotage. Gradually a vicious element crept into the 
system. The Board of Wardens, appointed by the party in power in the 
State government, became infected with the virus of politics, which com- 
municated its bad influence to the pilots. The older pilots shirked their 
uty, and in the winter storms, instead of braving the dangers of the 
roast, toasted their toes in comfortable quarters, while incoming emigrant 
ressels were signaling in vain for their aid. 
The pilotage system became an intolerable monopoly. The Chamber 
of Commerce of New York, and the whole shipping interest, petitioned 
she legislature against it. The licensed pilots opposed the repeal or 
alteration of the law ; and in reply to a call from the legislature, the 
port wardens reported that officially” they knew of no existing evils. 
The legislature rose without acting on the subject ; but a terrible lesson 
was in reserve. On Sunday morning, the 27th of November, 1836, at 
nine o’clock, the passenger ship Bristol lay at the entrance of the port, 
“with the usual signal flying for a New York pilot ; but as none came 
out,” she remained in the offing until about four o’clock, half an hour 
oefore night fell in, when she struck upon Rockaway Beach and was lost. 
On Sunday morning, January 1, 1837, the bark Mexico, another passenger 
vessel, lay off the bar, with about thirty other square-rigged vessels, all 
having signals flying for pilots. The Mexico continued standing off and 
on till midnight, and at night the whole fleet of ships displayed lanterns 
from their yards for pilots. Still mo pilot came. and she was wrecked 
during the night. 
A fearful number of lives were lost by each of these disasters. On the 
-fated Mexico, one hundred and four passengers, two-thirds of their 
aumber being women and children, were frozen to death. 
A thrill of horror was caused by this awful sacrifice of life. Governor 
Marcy, in his annual message, three days subsequent to the loss of the 
Mexico, invited the attention of the legislature to the subject of the 
pilotage system. The legislature failed to act till 1845, when, in response 
to remonstrances and appeals, all pilotage laws then in existence in the 
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