 Tonight the DuPont company brings you Mr. Cunningham Sweeps the Seas starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. on the Cavalcade of America. But first here is Gain Whitman. It won't be long now until a cold spell may freeze the water in your auto or truck radiator. You can avoid a freezer by using DuPont antifreeze. But before you put in any antifreeze, clean the rust and scum out of your radiator using DuPont Cooling System Cleanser. It dissolves rust chemically without harming the hose or metal parts. Then drain, refill with fresh water and pour in a can of DuPont Cooling System Sealer. That will prevent leaks in the radiator and hose connections and will prevent the loss of antifreeze during the winter. It takes only a few minutes to protect your cooling system with these DuPont radiator service products. Examples of better things for better living through chemistry. The pony express. The jut propelled plane. America the football game. America means skyscrapers and haylofts. The crack of a pioneers flintlock and the sound of the riveters machine. Home sweet home and the basin street blues. America is your story. America is you and everyone you know. Tonight we present Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Mr. Cunningham Sweeps the Seas. Another true story on the DuPont cavalcade of America. People had never heard of him, this gust of his Cunningham American. He was young, he was handsome, he was daring. But most important of all, he believed in freedom. So firmly, so passionately, that he convinced evenly usually cautious Dr. Benjamin Franklin that one ship could harass a mighty English Navy. Now certainly not one of the crew of his majesty's mail packet, the Prince of Orange, had ever heard of gust of his Cunningham. And so the Prince of Orange one night in the year 1777 sailed toward Liverpool. It was near midnight. Sailing home, sailing home, sailing home to many England. Sailing home. I'll turn at the wheel, go below and have you rubbed. Aye, that I will, Borny. What are the orders? Orders? Ha ha! Straight for England and Omelette. Right, straight as he goes. Hold it off a moment. What's the matter? I thought I heard a sound as wasn't our ship. Now what are you popping your eyes out from your head for? You'll not see a thing in this jar. Listen. You'll not. He didn't have a ship. And I'm Captain Cunningham, United States Navy. United States what? United States Navy, sir. I have the honor to command this lugger, the surprise. Sir, may I ask the meaning of this outrage? It's no outrage, Captain Alston. Your ship, the Prince of Orange, is a prize of war captured by rules of warfare. What? You rammed his Majesty's mail packet? Yes, I did. Now shall we discuss getting your crew and yourself back to England? This is no better than piracy, sir. I disagree with you, Captain. I'm flying the flag of my country at the mast head of my vessel. What on earth? I've never seen that flag before. No, I guess you haven't. It's new. Captain, what did you say your name was? Cunningham. Captain Gustavus Cunningham, recently commissioned by Dr. Benjamin Franklin in the United States Commission in Paris. I see. May I ask a question, Captain? Certainly, sir. How many ships have you under your command? Just one, this one. You mean to tell me that you dared sail out in this cockle shell against the mightiest navy in the world? Why not? On the American continent, Captain Alston, men dared to fight against his majesty's pict-trained troops, men who were farmers, bakers, trappers, even boys who had never held a gun before. Can I do less? But it's absurd, sir. Absurd? Well, then so are those boys and men who fight for freedom in America. But I don't think so. An idea can be called absurd only when the thought behind the action is foolish and worthless. Is freedom a foolish and worthless thing, Captain Alston? No. My confidence, sir. Maybe at war, but by heaven I can respect and admire your courage, and I will have done the same thing myself, sir. Cutting, are we ready to sail? Aye, sir. We're ready. Good. We take the tide tonight, Mr. Cutting. What's this? Captain, sir. French police coming aboard, sir. Well, police? Well, where are they? Yeah, they are, sir, right there. They're aboard now, sir. Have I the honor of addressing Captain Cunningham? I am Captain Cunningham. Oh, my compliments, Mr. You are under arrest. What did you say? I regret, Monsieur. You are under arrest. Oh, it must be a mistake, wasn't it? Oh, a mistake, Monsieur. I am Major Bolaire, Dunkirk Police. Well, you're sure you want me? Positive, Capitaine. What are the charges? Eh, lass, I can give no information, sir. They can't do it, sir. You give the word and we'll chuck a lot of them in the harbor. That's right, Captain. They have no right to do it. I, uh, I, uh, hope, Captain Cunningham, that you would come quietly, that we could avoid unpleasantness. Major Bolaire, you're aware that this ship is United States soil. That is true, Capitaine, but... I have orders. Now will you please to come with me? Where to? To Monsieur Le Maire. The mayor of Dunkirk? Well, what's he want with you, Captain? Listen, Harding, Briggs, I, I'm, I'm sure this is all a mistake, but... Major, I'll go along with you. Oh, merci, Monsieur. Mr. Harding. Aye, sir. Take charge until I return. I'll be back in time to sail with the tide. Monsieur Le Maire. I demand to know why I've been brought here with no word of explanation, no charge, nothing. Captain, will you believe me when I tell you that I had no wish to do this, but I have my orders? Orders, orders. Everyone has orders, but no one tells me why I was arrested. Forced to leave my ship. Monsieur Le Maire, the tide is running. I've got to sail. I am afraid that will be impossible, Captain Cunningham. Impossible. Look, Monsieur Le Maire, you don't understand. My country, the United States, is fighting a war for independence, for freedom. I am a part of that fight. I must sail this evening. Captain, your ship has been confiscated. Your crew disbanded, and you, you yourself must remain a guest. What? What did you say? My ship confiscated? By whose orders? By what rights have you got? Monsieur, I have a great admiration for you and what you are doing. But France is neutral. You use the purse of Dunkirk as arbor for your prizes. That, Monsieur, is impossible. I give you my word not to use French ports again. Monsieur, I am sorry to repeat. You are not to leave here. I demand that Benjamin Franklin be notified. I have already done so. You what? Captain, there was no other course. As I said, I have great admiration for you, but I cannot reconcile my admiration and my duty to my country. Therefore, you are a prisoner. No, no, no, Monsieur. My, my guest. For how long? That I do not know. And meanwhile, enemy ships will get to the United States with supplies to use against General Washington. Monsieur Le Maire, I will do everything in my power to escape. I was afraid of that, Monsieur. You are making it very difficult. Listen to me. Even if you escape, there is no use. You have no ship, no crew, Captain. I am afraid the war for independence is over as far as you are concerned. Oh, Major Bolaire. Any news? One moment, Captain. I need to open your door and come in. So, any news, Major? News? I do not know, Captain Conningham. I have been in a cell for two weeks. Dr. Franklin must have done something by now. I could seem so. Then I... Wait a minute. Why did you come here? You have never been here before. I came to see Monsieur if you have been treated well. Yes, yes, very well. There are no complaints. None, but I don't care about that. What I want to know is... Good, good. I must leave you now, Monsieur. You came to see if I was being treated well. Major Bolaire... I must go now. This is a very bad lock. Now the key is stuck. I don't care about keys or anything else, but getting out of here, is there any news of the revolution? It seems I cannot lock this cell door. Certainly bad lock. Excuse me, Monsieur, but I shall have to attend to this. I shall be gone over... half an hour. Au revoir, Capitaine. Get out of my way. Wait. You're an American. Yes, come with me quickly. What is all this? An escape arrange for you. You wanted to get out, didn't you? Of course, but I... Come on, we can't stand here talking my carriage is waiting. Who are you? Never mind that now. For heaven's sake, man, you'll have to trust me. We've got only a half hour to get out of France. This is as far as I go. We're at the harbor. That's right. Get out. Where can I go? It's dark, Captain. But I think your eyes are good enough to make out a ship in front of you there. What about it? Go aboard and you'll see. Goodbye, Captain. Hey, Captain. Mr. Briggs, but I can't believe it. That is right. And, frankly, Captain, almost the whole crew. But this ship, it's... it's not the surprise. Ah, that it ain't, sir. It's a new one from Dr. Franklin, and a trim cut as she is. But, but... Franklin, I thought you meant to be back in the United States. I... Yes, Captain. Not while you were still here. That's right enough, Captain. We stayed around. But you might have been taken prisoner. Anything might... May risk that, sir. Thank you, Mr. Harding. Mr. Briggs. We haven't got a name for the ship yet, sir. We thought of how you might like to christen her. Yes. Gentlemen, how would the name revenge suit you? That's the ticket, sir. Good by me, sir. Good. That's it, then. And, look, sir, that's the flag. Not made of rags and tanners this time. Oh, that she's not, sir. And she looks grand up there, sir. Captain, we got less than half an hour to sail out. Wait, I... I must tell you, men, something. Ain't nothing wrong, is that, sir? No, Mr. Briggs, except we cannot use French ports anymore. You know what that means. Why, sir? It means taking our risks. And more than that, Mr. Harding, it means that we'll be hunted over the seas. It means there'll be days when we'll have nothing to eat, perhaps not even water to drink. They'll blockade us, gentlemen. There'll be no ports open to us. Aye, that's true, sir. But there'll be ships to take, sir. That's the only way we can exist, Mr. Harding. If any of us are wounded, the best we can hope for is a rough bandage and a quick recovery. It'll be a long cruise, gentlemen, and a hard one. It's a black picture, you paint, sir. Very black, Mr. Briggs. But the only one. Captain. Yes, Mr. Harding. Are there any orders, sir? And the rest of you? Order, sir. Then, God bless you, gentlemen. Orders, Mr. Harding. Nice, then. Orders. Stand by to cast off. We'll take the tide and head straight for England. You are listening to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Gustavus Cunningham in Mr. Cunningham Sweeps the Seas on the cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As the second part of our story opens, Captain Cunningham, commanding the Cutter Revenge, has sailed out to intercept enemy shipping to America. And, apparently, he has done well for, in the Admiralty, in London. Uh, Captain Alston, it was, uh, months ago when you first encountered this Captain Cunningham. True? Last March, my lord. Are you sure he had only one ship? Oh, thank you, my lord. It is hard to believe that one man commanding one ship... In 18 months, he's taken over 60 of our ships. Where does the man put in? Where did he get supplies? My lord, what he needs, he takes. From us. Incredible. He's either a devil or a very lucky man. He's a seamen, sir. Oh, Alston, you seem fond of the man. Let's call it admiration, my lord. Oh, mm-hmm. Uh, Captain, you know the frigate gullet here? Yes, I do, my lord. A ship of the lion. Forty guns? Yes, my lord. Would, uh, Cunningham attack her? Well, if he saw the gullet here, I have no doubt that he would. He's never yet refused the battle. Very well, Captain Alston. I put you in command of the gullet here with orders to find this Cunningham and bring him to England. Aye, aye, sir. Yes, Mr. Harding? Yeah. Better take the glass, sir. The ship? Just off starboard about three points. Ah, give me the glass. Could you make her out, Mr. Harding? No, sir. And she's big. Powerful. She's English. Aye, sir. But I think we could outrun her. That we could, sir. She's coming about now. Oh, there's her name. What's that? G-A-L-A. Galatia. Yeah, it looks like she's seen us, sir. Galatia. At least 40 guns. Wouldn't you say, Mr. Harding? Ship of the lion. Now, wouldn't it be foolhardy for us to attack the Galatia on Mr. Harding? Aye. There's some people might say that, sir. But she may be carrying supplies to be used against General Washington. Oh, there's always that, sir. In that case, we wouldn't be foolhardy, would we? I think not, sir. All right. But this time we've got to be a little more careful. We'll make a run for it. Run for it? But Captain... I didn't say we were going to keep running, Mr. Harding, but we've got to be careful. 40 guns against 15 will make a man a little more cautious. Now, here's what we'll do. Outmanoeuvre the Galatia, sir. We'll come a stern of it. Good. We'll keep a stern until we're right under it. And swing hard to port and fire a starboard gun at the same time. I hope it works, sir. We'll trust our speed to pull us out and away before the Galatia can manoeuvre for a broadside. Draw a pair closer. Yes. Are you married, Mr. Harding? Married? Yes, sir. Order starboard guns to get fuses ready. Starboard guns! Fuses ready! Starboard guns! Fuses ready! You're a wife in America, Mr. Harding? Yes, sir, but... I'm married to you. You, sir? You sound surprised. It wasn't man of surprise, sir. It's just that you never spoken of it. Neither of you. Well, we've been a mite busy, sir. Order Mr. Briggs to stand ready. Stand ready to swing hard to port, Mr. Briggs. Aye, aye, sir. What's her name, Mr. Briggs? My wife? Yes. Mary. Mine is Anne. Order light diffuses, Mr. Harding. Light diffuses on starboard guns. Aye, sir. Light diffuses. Her eyes are blue and her hair is gold. And her voice is sweeter than a homeward breeze. I love her very much. Good work. We caught him neatly now. Swing hard to port. Bring her out of port until you break fire. Fuse in the wind, sir. And look, the galaxy is swinging around for a broadside. She's going to break our deck. Captain Alston. I'm sorry you were wounded, Captain. No, it's all right. Will you do me the honor of seeing to my wounded men, Captain? Of course, sir. Thank you. Sir, please consider yourself my prisoner. And I shall have to strike your colors. I'm afraid you'll find that impossible. They're nailed to the mast head. Captain Cunningham, as warden of Mill's prison, it's my duty to warn you of any further attempts to escape will be met with according to the rules of war governing such an act. But I may have your word that you will not attempt another escape. Excuse me, sir, but I cannot give you my word on that. You give me no alternative, sir. I shall have to place you in the dungeons and keep you under surveillance night and day. Thank you, sir. I shall be grateful for the company. I can't believe your story, Captain Cunningham. You actually dug your way out of Mill's prison with your bare hand. It was hard on my fingers, Mr. Williams, but I didn't finish his shovel. You took a tremendous chance coming here to London. Why did you do it? Well, your name was given me a long time ago as an American sympathizer. Can you get me to France? Yes, but why? Well, once there, I... I can persuade Dr. Franklin to give me another ship. But, man, look at you, weak. Your wounds opened again. No, you better go back to America. If you sail again, you may not come back alive. The men at Concord in Lexington, some of them, didn't come back. No, Mr. Williams, I'm going to sail again. I'll get a ship and... But I'm enough, man. No one could ask more of you. I thought about that, Mr. Williams, while I was in prison. There's no rule, sir, by which any of us can measure devotion to our cause. I can't rest until I can look to the land and sky of the United States and say, this is my country, free. Free because I fought to make it so. Do you understand? I shall get in touch with Dr. Franklin's agent in France. You can leave London in two days. Well, Captain, there's another ship for you with Dr. Franklin's compliments. Thank you, sir. You always turn up with a ship at the right time, don't you? That's my job. Now, there's a crew aboard the Leona. You've got to sail within the hour. Well, sir, thank you for all you've done. For all I've done. Man, I... Never mind. Goodbye, Captain. And God speed you. Goodbye. Listen, pipe the Captain aboard. Briggs, Mr. Briggs. Welcome aboard the Leona, sir. Briggs, Avery, Hawkins, Slade. How did you get here? I thought you were... In prison, sir? Well, we were, Captain, but the American Commission got an exchange of prisoners and we're all ready again to sail with you anywhere. Thank you, Mr. Briggs, and all of you. You know, it'll be the same as it was. No, no less. No, we're not thinking of that, sir. We'll give them another run for it. What's the matter? Why did you come back? Captain, the news. Captain, the news. Quick, man, what news? Lord Cornwall is surrendered to General Washington. What? The news just came by fast packet from America. Then... Then it's all over. We won! We're free! We've won. There's a new nation, Captain. The United States of America. The United States of America. And there's our flag, sir. Nailed to the mastic. Our flag. Our flag, gentlemen. Look up to it. A flag of a new nation in liberty. A nation of free men. And may God grant that none of us now or ever forget that it was conceived in the blood of patriots. Grown in the deep and bitter soil of struggle. And matured to the rites of free men. Men who show a new way to the world. The American way. In a moment, our star, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., will return. But first, here is Gain Whitman speaking for DuPont. Good evening. Recently, I was walking along a stream near my house. Down where there were some rocks along the bank, a couple of youngsters were playing with handfuls of yellowish foam that had formed between the rocks, washing their hands in it. Look what we've got, they said. Indian soap. We used to call it Indian soap when I was a kid, too. And thinking about that got me started thinking about soap. You know, people used to have to make their own soap. Maybe your own grandmother did. It was a tiresome, unpleasant job. First you had to try out the fat, then you mixed it with lye. And after it cooked for most of the day, smelling up the whole house, you finally got some chunks of coarse brown soap. You could wash with it all right, but sometimes you washed your skin right off with it. When American ingenuity came along and took over the nation's job of soap-making, making a business of it, a load was lifted from the American housewife's back. It's a long, long way, a way of progress from the harsh brown soap of grandmother's day to the dainty, convenient cake of soap you use in your bathroom. Now, there's a modern development in soap chemistry, which promises you additional comfort, convenience, and efficiency. There are powders and crystals, which represent another step forward. Soapless soaps. They're grand for woolens. They don't leave rings around the bathtub. They wash dishes sparkling clean, so you don't even need to wipe them. And they work in the hardest water, even in cold, soft water. Soapless soaps are products of chemical research. Many of them depend for their effectiveness on chemical compounds known as fatty alcohol sulfates manufactured by the DuPont Company under the trademark DuPenol. If you ever start doubting whether there's progress in America, just think of your grandmother making her own soap in the kitchen. And then go into your own kitchen and wash the dishes with these new synthetic detergents, as chemists call them. You have your answer. DuPenol products are among the many different things manufactured for your comfort and convenience by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. And now our star and a former naval officer with five years active duty, Commander Douglas Fairbanks Jr., United States Naval Reserve. Thank you. This is Navy Week. The origin of our Navy, 171 years ago, has been engulfed with the very roots of American life and thought. At the outset of this Navy Week, I would like to say that it was a privilege to enact the role of Gustavus Cunningham on Cavalcade. His flawless seamanship and unswerving loyalty contributed to the beginning of our Navy's traditional determination to safeguard American rights and American freedom throughout the world. And so, as we take leave of Captain Cunningham and the wooden ships of our first American fleet, I ask all of you in Cavalcade's audience to join me in an old Navy toast to the officers and men of our Navy today, wherever you may be. Blue skies, fair winds, and calm seas. Thank you. Next week, the DuPont Cavalcade brings you George Murphy and Flying Tigers Fly Again. It's another true story of an enterprising group of ex-GIs, three ace pilots who decided to convert wartime knowledge to peacetime usefulness to establish their own airline. Be sure and listen next Monday to Flying Tigers Fly Again, starring George Murphy. Music for the DuPont Cavalcade is composed and conducted by Robert Armbruster. Tonight's play was written by Russell Hughes. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. will soon be seen in the RKO Technicolor picture, Sinbad the Sailor. Featured in tonight's cast with Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Zuko as Captain Alston, Bill Johnstone as Harding, and Wally Mayer as Briggs. Others in the cast were Carl Harbert, Herbert Rawlinson, Ramsey Hill, Jay Novello, Frederick Warlock, and Alec Harford. This is John Heiston inviting you to listen next week to George Murphy in Flying Tigers Fly Again on the Cavalcade of America, brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.