The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-14 00:00:00

A NOVEL SWIMMING MATCH.
(From Wednesday's Daily News.)

If old Father Thames could look out from his oozy
bed at what took place yesterday on his famous stream,
he would perhaps be as much surprised as were the
West India Islanders at the vessels of Columbus, or
the Mexicans at the cavalry of Cortes. Boat races
and swimming races are, as we know, very antique,
and even pedestrian matches in bags are not of
quite recent origin, but, for the first time in
the world's history, a race has been run in the
Thames from Putney to Hammersmith-bridge in
Captain Boyton's life-saving dress. The match was
got up by a committee connected with the Illustrated
Sporting and Dramatic News, consisting of Mr. Ingram,
M.P., Captain Boyton, Mr. C. S. Merriman Mr.
Byron Webber, and r. Michael Boyton, and the
competitors, twelve in number, were Mr. Horace
Davenport, West London Rowing Club, captain of
the Ilex Swimming Club, red and white, Mr. George
H. Vize, Thames Rowing Club, black; Mr. George
Godfrey, Thames Rowing Club, green; Mr. Alfred
Hall, West London R.wing Club, yellow; Mr. Ben-
jamin Cox, white ; Mr. J. Bowley, blue; Mr. Laurence
T. Whalley, red; Mr. Edward Jenkins, blue and white;
Mr. William Willis, ureen and black; Mr. David Pord-
age, red and black; Mr. L. F. Pearse, yellow and black;
Mr. Wm. P. Morgan' black and white. The Victoria
steamer, commanded by Captain Pichly, received the
party at the Temple Pier about three in the afternoon,
and some half a dozen steamers joined at Putney, so that
the procession was striking enough to inform the river
population that something unusual was about to take
place. A halt was made at the House of Commons
stairs, where the Duke of Teck and the Princess Mary
of Cambridge, with three of the Royal children, joined
the party. Their Royal Highnessess were accompanied
by Colonel Greville and Lady Caroline Cu-t. The first
public notice of the event was the firing of a Royal
salute by the Steamboat Company at Battersea as the
Victoria passed that point. Here the Citizen Ironmonger
joined in, and both steamers proceeded to the starting
place at Putney-bridge, where a considerable number of
boats had already assembled, and where the banks of
the river were lined by a considerable number of spec-
tators. Having arrived at Putney, the start was soon
effected, as the competitors were already "accoutred,"
but did not, like Cassius "plunge in," but walked
into the stream. The start was effected by means of
a line attached to a skiff moored some distance from
the shore, so that a good and fair " off " was affected
about half-past four. The men arranged themselves
in a row, and clung to a line stretched between two
boats, feet first, and each carrying a flag with distinc-
tive colours. Bowley (Blue) took the lead, followed at
various distances by the others, but towards the end
of the race Whalley (Red) took the lead, and won
by about 30 yards, performing the distance in about
32 minutes. Bowley came in second, whilst Willis,
who lost his colour during the race, was third, being
about one hundred yards behind. Theprizes, three in
number, consisted of a silver claret jug, manufactured
by Elkington and Co., the gift of the proprietors of the
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News; a Boyton
suit, presented by the Life Saving Dress Company
(Captain Boyton 's Patent) (Limited); and a silver
watch, the donation of Sir J. Bennett. At
the conclusion of the race Captain Boyton and
Mr. Merriman, inventor of the dress, had a
friendly contest without paddle., the former
illustrating the utility of the invention for the
last time on the Thames, previous to his departure for
Paris and Berlin. On the retura journey the success-
ful competitors received the priz as from the hands of
the Duchess of Teck on the forecastle. The Royal
party watched the proceedings with evident interest,
remaining on deck the whole time, and apparently
gratified with what they had witnessed. On arrival
at the House of Commons, the Royal visitors left the
, steamer amidst the hearty cheers of all on board.
Mr. John Latey, jun., acted as judge, Mr. West being
time keeper.