The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-31
The Art of Swimming.

The chest stroke, the most straightforward
style OF swimming. is, and will always be, the
most poUuiar. Although, as a rule, rapid pro-
~eress with 1t cannot be easily made yet there
Are amongst the swimmers of the present day
|uGs Jew notable exceptions, who cOntrive to pass,
~ at all events, to keep level with representa-
es oil almost all the other styles desCribabie.
#.8h this chest stroke much greater distance
Fcan be traversed than with any other, as it
leaves the head entirely free, and is the most
natural position attainable good swimmer
never tires at this, and while it ls most grace
ful stroke, 1t is better performed as rule, than
all the other strokes put together as it is the
first acquired by the aspirant.
Side swimming, as its name indicates, is q
style OF swimming on the side; keeping por-
lion of the head immersed and striking out one
arm whilst the other IS describing half circle.
II is capital Tor work against tide but is prnci-
pslly used to gain speed. 1t is employed, almost
without exception, by competitors IN the races
at the Lambeth Baths. Any old swimmers who
fall ACROSS these pages may recollect youth
who was matched to Swim Beck with, the then
champion, about nlne years ago; and if they DO,
they will eCal with pleasure the easy dexterity
and grace which that youth possessed and
which enabled him to attain speed which was
most extraordinary, cons dering his 0lim figure
and his years. 1t was RraVely asserted to me
by professional the other day, that the sI0e
stoke introduced bv George Pewtress, .
swimmer OF twenty years back. OF course, this
is too evidently absurd to require refutation.
but II 1t were needed, curious little old swim
ming handbook In my possession, two centuries
old, would show the ialacy, as it describes,
"How to Swim, neither on the Back nor on the
Belly and the directions following clearly
point to the system now so much practised,
which IS doubtless as old as Adam.
The overland stroke consists of the ordinary
side stroke, but with one arm performing
circle, one half in the water and one in the air;
the hands being kept in a cup-like form, or it
may be the ordinary breast stroke, but with the
arms thrust forth alternately and brought
rapidly back through the water. The last
N OIL no Thpra iG n
much quicker movement of The arms, but the
first IS the most popular and most practised, as
it is by far the easiest of requirement The
overland stroke is the most eXhausting, and
always involves great expenditure OF strength;
it is only used where rapidity is needed for q
short distance, as, for instance, at the end of q
swimming race, or, it may be, to reach a sinking
person. There is, however, swimmer, we'll
known at the Lambeth Baths, who can swim
five hundred yards in an almost incredibly short
space OF time; but we are informed he throws q
hammer continually in his trade, and that Is
just the kind of practice needed for his stroke.
There are a good many hybrid styles which l
have not space 10 discuss here, but the three
above mentioned are at the root of them all;
there remains but one great division, and that
! shall but touch briefly, and that is, swimming
oD the back. Man, whether in the water or
out, Is at a disadvantage when ION his back;
and hewill not resort to ocomotion in that
position unless it be to go quite gently Us a rest
In the sea this style OF swimming Is very plea
sant Indeed, l have experienced few things
pleasanter than to lie almost motionless, floating
on the blue waters of the Mediterranean, and 10
be lifted gently up and down by the pleasant
waves of that tideless a.-LOadon Sooiety.