The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-05
THE EMPEROR's CAPTAIN
"Ben Parker" Proved of Great Assist
ance to the Shamrock

New York. Oct. 5.-The World says:
Captain Ben" Parker. the German en-
peror's racing skipper, who has been
spoken of in the capacity of an addi
tional captain on the Shamrock, was
greatly in evidence on the Irish cup
hunter on Wednesday.
His advice TO Captain Wringe, who
held the tiller Of the yacht nearly all
day Tuesday, assisted materially in
keeping the challenger well up with the
Columbia.
To Captain Parker belongs no small
need of the success that fell to the
visitors in the first trial of the series
of races of 1899.
Captain Parker arrived on the liner
New York, but owing to the fact that
he sailed under an assumed name.
Captain Jones of Southampton man
aged to arrive in port and get safely
aboard the Shamrock without being in
terVieWed.
During a conversation on board the
Erin one of the officers of the yacht
said that Captain HOgarth did not
touch the tiller of the Shamrock during
the race.
What did he do, then?' was asked.
'Why, he Just attended to the sails
and did it well tOo-It was Bob Wringe,
as clever man as ever stepped aboard
a cutter, that managed to get away
with the start, and right nicely he ac-
complished it. too. After that Bob
he took the boat all the way over the
course"
Are you not mistaken? ?" inquired the
Mistaken, well guess not, Ben is
an 1tchen Ferry man, and the best rae
ing skipper in all England, except per-
haps his brother. I have known him
all his life, and know there could be
no mistake. It was Captain Ben that
held the stick"
Captain Parker at that moment came
alongside the Erin in a launch, the 9TH
er occupants of which were Captains
Wringe and Hogarth, and Sailmaker
| Ratsey.
Hello, Parker sang out man who
had known him for several years, and
/ the bronzed face, with its well trimmed
, dark mustache, was upturned to the
rail OF the big steamer, and he nodded
a good day to the man above him.
Later in the afternoon Mr.. Hamilton,
! the navigator Of the Shamrock. who
/ sailed on the Irish boat, was asked just
| how long Captain Parker had piloted
/ the yacht during the race.
! Parker-Parker, he said. 1--WE have
/ no Parker on board. l do not know
/ him. Say, Barrie" he called to Sir
! Thomas American representative
/ who is Captain Parker? don't know
| him at ALL
we have no Captain Parker or
/ board, replied Mr. Barrie. What Par
\ ker do you mean2"
| I mean the gentleman who was
! alongside a short time ago in the launch
I with Captain Hogarth and Wringe and
/ Mr. Ratsey."
oh, yes broke in Mr. Hamilton
/ THAT is Captain Jones. His name is
/ not Parker"
! After some more fencing, Mr.. Hamil-
I ton admitted that the mysterious Cap
/ tain Jones was a close friend of both
( Captain Hogarth and Wringe, and con-
/ Guided by. saying:
Il don't say that he might not have
! given some advice to Captain Wringe
I as to what to do, but can assure you
I that he never touched the tiller at al
/ during the race"
Captain Parker. as the sailor who ar
/ rived on the liner New York undoubted-
4 ~ is, was busy all the morning, giving
/ instructions here and there on the deck
| of the Shamrock.
/ He suggested stretching the mainsai
/ here and there, critically examined the
I set of the topsail and discussed the sails
/ with Mr. Ratsey, who was with him or
I deck. The latter noted the remarks OF
/ the emperOr's captain with great care
! AS matter of fact, Captain Ben
/ Parker and his ability to sail a racing
/ ninety-footer will have a considerable
/ bearing on the outcome of the series Of
/ races between the Columbia and the
! Shamrock