The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-07-10 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY SWIMMING FEAT.

The Daily News thus describes an extraordinary swimming
seat in the Thames :

A remarkable exhibition of natatory power and
skill took place in the Thames on Saturday afternoon,
when Captain Webb undertook to perform the unprece-
dented feat of swimming from Blackwell to Gravesend,
a distance of 20 miles. Mr. Webb is a sturdy, well-
proportioned Englishman, 27 years of age, stands sft.
81n., and weighs about 14 stone. Master of a merchant-
man trading between Liverpool and Ireland, he has
not hitherto appeared in the capacity of professional or
amateur swimmer, but he has from early life accus-
tomed himself to the water, and has susceeded in
accomplishing more than one notable exploit.
Chief among these was a gallant display of heroism
from on board the Bussian, one of the Cunard line
of steamers, when in mid-Atlantic, on her way from
New York to Liverpool in April, 1873. While the
ship was going at full speed through a heavy sea,
against half a gale of wind, a sailor fell overboard.
Mr. Webb, then serving as able seaman, jumped
after him immediately, but the sailor had disappeared
never to rise again and the brave man who had plunged
in was soon left far behind, out of sight, buffeting with
the waves. For thirty-five minutes his fate was un-
certain, until the ship put about, and a boat, which
bad been promptly lowered, succeeded in picking him
up. For this courageous action Mr. Webb was
rewarded by a subscription of £lOO raised by the
passengers, the silver medals of the Liverpool and
Royal Humane Societies, and the Stanhope gold
medal given by the latter society for the best "case"
of the year. This medal was presented to him by
the Duke of Edinburgh as chairman at the 100th an-
niversary dinner of the Society at the "Freemason's
Tavern" in May, 1873. The present feat was under-
tak4n for a small wager of £2O to £lO accepted by the
adventurous voyageur. Mr. Beckwith, teacher of
swimming, and a small party of friends, went down
per steamer Falcon to Blackwell, and followed Cap-
tain Webb on his course. He plunged into the mid-
channel of the Thames at twenty-five minutes past
two on the first of a slow ebb on a calm and rather
dull afternoon. Feeling confident that he could
sustain himself against the coldness of the water,
and knowing also that swimming was to him as walk-
ing to an ordinary man, Mr. Webb took his work
gently. Striking well out with his hands, and resting
on his chest, he drove himself steadily along with smart
strokes by the feet. At first it would seem that
the power of so small an object as one man in a vast
expanse of water would be altogether inadequate to
cover twenty miles; but when in little more than an
hour and a half nearly one half the distance had been
accomplished, and Captain Webb was still vigorous as
ever, the chances became decidedly in his favour. On
receiving at this stage three successive sips of brandy
and water, he declared himself to be still quite fresh,
and to all appearance showed no signs of falling off.
A thunderstorm of heavy rain passed over without
interfering with the steady progress of the swimmer,
who, lying chiefly on the chest, took an occasional
change to the side for a brief period. The expedi-
tion was not generally known, but at various stages
of the course, and especially in passing the training
ships, the gallant swimmer was warmly cheered. At
Rosherville and Gravesend quite a flotilla of boats
gathered around the still active and vigorous form of
the swimmer, and at eighteen minutes past seven, off
G-ravesend Town pier, Captain Webb was taken on
board his attendant boat amid general plaudits. The
twenty miles was done in four hours fifty-three minutes,
on a tide running about four miles an hour. Captain
Webb was pale and seemed somewhat chilled by his
long immersion, but, according to his own out-spoken
and manly words, was "all right." The feat is un-
doubtedly one of the most extraordinary of the kind
ever accomplished. It is said that a swim across the
Channel will be next attempted.