New York Consolidated Laws, Navigation Law - NAV § 90. Licensing of Sandy Hook pilots;  apprenticeship

1. No license shall hereafter be granted to any person to act as pilot for the port of New York by way of Sandy Hook or by the way of Sands Point or Execution Rocks, unless the applicant shall have served an apprenticeship in the New York Sandy Hook pilot service in the manner provided in this section.  Subject to the rules and regulations of the board of commissioners, the executive committee of the United New York Sandy Hook Pilots Benevolent Association (hereinafter designated the benevolent association) shall have sole control over all apprentices and be charged with the responsibility to instruct such apprentices in their duties as Sandy Hook pilots.  No other apprenticeship shall be accepted by the commissioners.  Application for apprenticeship may be made to the board of commissioners on a form to be prescribed by such commissioners.  The qualifications necessary for an applicant to enter into an apprenticeship shall be prescribed by rule or regulation of the board of commissioners.  The names of all persons accepted as apprentices shall be registered in the books of the board of commissioners and certified to the benevolent association in the order of their acceptance.  Apprentices shall serve at least four years apprenticeship.  Each apprentice shall be examined by the board of commissioners upon completion of his apprenticeship and if found worthy and qualified may be licensed as a New York Sandy Hook pilot in the lowest grade then established by the commissioners.  In the event a national or other emergency shall make it imperative to the safe movement of vessels in and out of the port of New York by the way of Sandy Hook or by the way of Sands Point or Execution Rocks, that licenses to pilot such vessels be issued to persons who have not served the apprenticeship herein prescribed, then in that event the board of commissioners may issue temporary pilot licenses, other than full branch licenses, to qualified persons to serve as Sandy Hook pilots so long as the emergency continues or until the pilots so licensed can be replaced by deputy pilots licensed after completion of the prescribed term of apprenticeship.

2. The commissioners, or a majority of them, shall license for such terms as they may think proper, as many pilots as they may deem necessary to pilot ships to and from the port of New York by the way of Sandy Hook or by the way of Sands Point or Execution Rocks and such commissioners may specify in such licenses different degrees of qualifications appropriate to different parts or branches of pilot duty, according to the competency of the applicant.  A license shall be denied to any person holding any license or authority from or under the authority of the laws of any other state.