Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-09-26
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
English Bathing Places.


NJ. D. Conway sends to the Cincinnati Com
mercial the following description Of bathing at
the popular seaside resorts in England and
Scotland
''rhe most favorable seaside city in England
is Brighton, but it is bit of the West-End of
London transferred to the coast and the beach
il all shingles and it is an execrable place.
There is not, said Dr. johnson of it once, there
is not even tree to hang ones self on, as one
is sure to wish to do, after being there few
hours 1t is hot dusty, brassy, and yet not
without interest in one way or another, on &C.
count Of its association with the Georges and
their fine ladies.
Scarborough is the spaugled stage queen of
wateriug- -placeS-the Long Branch of England
in all but proximity to the metropolis. For
adventures, firtations, balls ostentatlon Scar
borough is unequaled. The Isle of Wight is
pretty, but too hot In fact tropical. People
who wish real advantages of pure air, quiet,
healthy life, and pleasant scenery, to Liam
dudno, in Wales; to Bournemouth, Weymouth
and dozen other quiet spots of that kind,
But the democratic watering places OF England
are Marsate and Ramsgate. They are only
from two to three hours from London trains
speed between them and London all day like
shuttles and they swarm with all the lower
middlc-class and the trades-people Of the huge
city. For pure, balmy air. pleasant walks and
drives, and general healthiness, they equal any
race Margate and Ramsgate are only
some ten miles apart. The former is very
fast place, like Coney Island. Ramsgate is
not quite so fast, and has better stands
But as I have said, it is excessively demo
cratic The family must be poorly, Oft indeed
that cannot afford jaunt to this place and a
dip in the sea. The scene on the sands dur
lug every hour Of the day is something quite
indescribable, and such as can be witnessed
nowhere else on earth.
Early in the morning-6 o'clock-the bath
ing begins The bathing machines are small
houses on large wheels, which are drawn or
rather jcrked, by horses down into the water $
edge. lfthe bather has survived the joltings Of
this operation, which hurl him or her against
the side of the machine, he or she descends a
small ladder into the water. The women and
men are appointed to different parts of the
beach.
Up to the hour OF s clock the men bathc
Ey hundreds without rag on After that
hour they put on a rag that is ala strip Of
so.cacd drawers, Just four inches wide. De
corum thus secured, they bathe during the
morning less than hundred yards from where
the other sex are bathing The theory Of the
female bathing is that the mon are absent
Really, there are always between one and two
thousand thronging the shore near them, to
say nothing of the bathing men. No effort Is
made to secure any privacy. The female bath
ing costumes arc gowns, that reach to the
knee. drawers or trowsers being unknown.
They arc without ornament OF any kind mere
dingy, ugly gowns, in which, any attempt at
swimming being out Of the question, the DANES
bob up and down quite ludicrously. These
gowns have been used by success We genera
tons Of bathers until they arc almost rags,
and the waves show those habitcd in them
as little respcct as the gaZerS from the beach.
Decorum would suffer little in comparison If
they plunged in without any gown at all One
always hears the ladies when they first come,
declare that nothing could induce them to 60
into the water So But the warm sun and the
seductive wave soon relax their modesty, and
those at Ramsgate are for the most part hon
est, though humble people. But really no
large bathing shore in England is more dccorus
than this, while one or two are worse. The
truth is England is many years behind other
countries in it's bathing arrangements. There
is hardly stream that is not alive with men
bathing even though it be, las in the Thames)
close to the most public thoroughfares; ltwas
complained in the Town Council of Windsor:
the other day, that the Queens first sight On
reaching that place was large number OF men
dabbling around the railway station where she
alights. The custom prevailing at French and
Belgian shores, of demanding that both men
and women shall be decorously dressed, and
then permitting them to 60 into the sea to-
eether, is not considered respectable here. at
Llandudno in Wales bold reformer has got
possession of the bathing machines, and has
adopted the rule of the Continent on this
matter. -..
A MODERN LEAR.-A correspondent OF the
Rochester Democrat, who says he is an old
resident of East Clarkson, sends an account OF
the misfortunes of an old man who died at
East C]arkson on Monday. The deceased, 50
runs the account, had been man OF some
property, which he divided between his two
sons. they promising to take care OF him foI
the remainder of his life. One of his sons re-
sides in Albion and the other on the town line
between Parma and Clarkson, and the old man
lived alternately with each. His keeping was
soon regarded by the sons as an lntolerable
burden. Although he was over eighty years
of age, and very feeble, his son in Albion has
been known to bring hiHi as far as Brockport
and then leave him to walk to the residence OF
the other son, distance OF SIX miles Finaily
these unnatural sons tried to get the old man
in the poor house, and, not succeeding, quar-
relied as to which of them should keep him
During the week preceding his death he was
staying with his son in Clarkson. When he
was taken sick one. of the neighbors went tc
tbe house and asked his daughter-in-law in re
pard to his condition, She answered that Sht
Guessed he was we'll enough, as he had made
Sufficient noise during the night. But the
man insisted on seeing the sufferer, and, go!lnIs
into the bed room, found him dead The
wretchcd chamber he occupied was in mos
filthy condition, and the corpse presented q pitt
able sight. The body was prepared for burial BY
the neighbors, who wished to place it in anoth
er apartment, but this was refused by th9 Z
daughter-in.law. The Coroner was called
heard all the circumstances, and SAID ne coule
do nothing in the matter.
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