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teach and practice Scientology.
In 1966, possibly taking a cue from the Victoria Inquiry, Health
Minister Kenneth Robinson of the English House of Commons was asked to
begin an inquiry into Scientology.
Hubbard responded to these attacks by creating a new branch of the
organization, the Public Investigation Section, staffed by private
investigators who would compile dossiers on each of the "enemies" of
Scientology. One of the investigators was given the task of
investigating and compiling a dossier on every psychiatrist in England.
The Public Investigation Section soon evolved into the Guardian's
Office of Scientology, a private intelligence organization designed to
"deal with any threats to Scientology." Mary Sue Hubbard was appointed
Controller for the "G.O."
Meanwhile Hubbard had been spending his time refining the "tech" and
the organizational structure of Scientology. A system of "ethics" was
established as a form of social control within Scientology. The lower
level auditing was standardized into a series of hierarchical "grades"
of auditing through which each preclear would progress on the road to
"clear."
In 1966, the "world's first Clear" was announced for the second
time, this time without a public demonstration of his powers. John
McMaster, a benign and much-loved disciple of Hubbard's, received this
distinction, much to his own surprise. After becoming "the world's first
clear," he served for a time as Hubbard's personal ambassador to
Scientologists around the globe, until eventually he, too, ran afoul of
Hubbard's temper and was reduced to the lowest rank in Scientology. He
later left Scientology and spoke scathingly of the man he had served so
faithfully.
In 1966, Hubbard journeyed to Rhodesia, having "discovered" in
auditing that in one of his past lives he had lived as Cecil Rhodes, the
British financier and administrator of that country. Hubbard had for
some time been looking for a more accommodating country in which to
establish the world headquarters of Scientology, and it was perhaps with
this in mind that he made his journey to Rhodesia.
Arriving in Rhodesia, Hubbard set out to conquer the hearts and
minds of those in power, socializing with all the right people, and
speaking on public television in order to ingratiate himself with the
natives of Rhodesia. In the end, however, what he accomplished was to
completely alienate Rhodesian officials with his opinionated views on
Rhodesian politics. He soon was expelled from the country.
If Hubbard's ego was temporarily deflated by this enforced exile, it
was restored when he arrived back in England where he was welcomed by
hundreds of jubilant and cheering Scientologists at the airport.
In 1966, Hubbard wrote a policy stating that he was resigning his
position of President and Executive Director of Scientology, probably
for legal reasons. However, evidence and witnesses to the contrary prove
that Hubbard remained in direct control of his church and its bank
accounts for many years to come.
Back in England, Hubbard was soon feeling the heat. Scientology had
become a subject for debate in the British Parliament. There had been a
recent scandal in East Grinstead in which a young girl, a Scientologist
with a prior history of schizophrenia, was discovered by police
wandering in the streets in the middle of the night in an incoherent
condition.
The police began to interrogate Scientologists as they arrived at
St. Hill. Eventually, the British succeeded in using the Aliens Act to
keep Scientologists out of the country, an action easily circumvented by
the Scientologists who would simply list other reasons for their visit
to the country.
In spite of all the problems, business was booming at St. Hill. In
spite of, or perhaps because of, the adverse publicity received during
this time, income was increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, Hubbard,
sensing the increasingly hostile climate in England, conceived a daring
plan.
Toward the end of 1966, the Hubbard Explorational Company Limited
was registered in London. At the same time, a select group of core
Scientologists arrived at St. Hill to begin training on a secret
project, known as the "Sea Project." Hubbard quietly purchased two
ships, a small schooner named the Enchanter, and a larger 414-ton
trawler named the Avon River. Crews of Scientologists were assigned to
the ships and spent long, hard hours scrubbing and refitting them, as
well as completing basic training in seamanship.
Hubbard said his goodbyes at St. Hill and flew to north Africa where
he planned to rendezvous with the ships. While waiting for the ships to
arrive, he purchased a third ship, a 3280-ton cattle ferry called the
Royal Scotsman. The ship was hurriedly registered in Sierra Leone to
bypass British regulations which prevented the ship from sailing.
By now the Sea Project, soon renamed the "Sea Organization," or "Sea
Org" as it is known today, was starting to take form. The Sea Org
members were dressed in naval-looking uniforms and drilled in the basic