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One important factor in commerce was the pilot. The first one was Samuel Carr, who lived on Dauphine Island. It seems the island had been in whole or part granted him, but he cut down the timber and killed the cattle to such an extent that the governor and council moved him over to Mobile Point. That was to be his headquarters, and a house was ordered built there. He was succeeded in 1768 by Captain Richard Harley, whose salary was £50.

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The British foreign office thought the situation better in 1766, but if so it was because so many of the 21st were absent, and we know there was an encampment on Dauphine Island. A memorial from the inhabitants showed that three officers were dead and eleven absent, besides the deputy commissary of stores, the fort adjutant and barrack master, the chaplain, surgeon, minister, and schoolmaster, who were also absent from Mobile. The minister was Mr. Hart still, but early next year he resigned. He gave as reasons that he had no church building, parsonage, nor hope of promotion to chaplainship of the fort, and found it impossible to support his family on so inconsiderable a salary in a country where the expense of living was so extravagant.