“Seth Parker”

History of an Unpleasant Incident

From Our Own Correspondent.

PAPEETE, January 15.

THE “Seth Parker,” a lateen rigged four-masted American schooner yacht of 840 tons, arrived off Papeete on De cember 22 with engine troubles, and was towed to her berth by one of the local trading craft. This vessel was built by the American Shipping Board many years ago; she is clumsy and lethargic in appearance, but her interior has been luxuriously furnished out to suit the needs of her present owner, Mr. Phillips Lord.

Phillips Lord is better known to the public as “Seth Parker” of the National Broadcasting Co. of America. He has also been starred in motion picures, is a composer of hymns, and the author of “Way Back Home,” “Seth Parker’s Al bum” and other works of fiction.

The present voyage of the “Seth Par ker” commenced from New York about a year ago and a programme has been broadcast from every port of call and a nightly hook-up maintained with Amer ica and other countries. A radio tele phone outfit has also been installed on board for communication with New York.

The “Seth Parker” left Tahiti for Samoa after about three w'eeks’ stay in port to continue her voyage round the world.

After leaving Tahiti, the “Seth Parker” made history of a not very pleasant character.

The schooner was northwards of the Cooks, when H.M.A.S. Australia, bound for England with Prince Henry and suite, left Samoa for Panama. The radio man conceived the brilliant idea of bringing the warship and the Royal Prince to the “Seth Parker,” and so he sent out an appeal for help. The warship immediately altered course and raced to the schooner’s assistance. Arriving there, the British naval men found the schooner safe and comfortable enough; while they could hear the radio announcer eagerly telling his American audience that the yacht was lying there in the middle of the Pacific,, with a British warship and British Prince standing by. The appeal for help appeared to have been nothing more or less than a “publicity stunt,” characteristic of the cheapest and shoddiest Yankee-ism.

The incident, involving a gross abuse of the brotherhood of the sea, was com mented upon most unflatteringly all over the world, and condemned particularly by the better classes of Americans.

By a remarkable coincidence, the war ship had not been gone 15 hours when the “Seth Parker” got the full benefit of the hurricane which devastated the Cook Islands on February 11: and there was no fake this time about the radio an nouncer’s frantic wireless appeal for help. But the Australia’s captain was not going to be caught again. “Send out a general appeal,” he replied by wireless.

The “Seth Parker” thereupon launched the “S.O.S.,” and the warship raced back, 300 miles, in the teeth of the hurricane, found the schooner in a bad way; ano, displaying magnificent seamanship, tome members of the crew aboard the war ship.