The New York herald., 1874-08-19
THE SWIMMING MATCH.
Probable Change of
Course.
THE MYSTERIOUS FRENcHMAN
LONG BRANCH, August Is, 1874.

LONG BRANCH, August lS, 1874
The great international ocean swimming match
for the championship OF England and America is
now fixed to take place ON Saturday afternoon
next at two O'Clock, storm or hne The course
agreed upon is from point directly opposite the
Ocean HOTEL about half a mile from the shore,
down to point opposite the West End Hotel, one
mile and a half as the crow iles and return to the
place OF starting. The tides and currents are
strong and varied along the coast, and the swim
mers Will nave to make good two miles SWIM
ming at least each way, or iour miles in oil. II the
sea should be as lazy and lakeke, as 1t is on this
gorious August day, the task will be compare
lively easy and there Will be fair trial OF speed
between the two. But believe somebody has
somewhere remarked that Old Ocean has temper
as ickle as a woman's, and so, although he is oil
smiles to-day, he may be all irowns and tempes,s
tomorrow At least that is the conve ntlonal way
OF describing woman's temper, and, suppose, it
must be correct.
PROPOSITION FOR A CHANGE OF PROGRAMME.
In consequence OF this uncertainty as to the
mood in which the sea may be found on Saturday,
and the desire 10 witness a iar trial OF speed be-
tween the English and American champions with
out the "scral ches, or as the English would say
the "nukes" just as likely to declare in favor OF
one as OF the other In race up and down. or more
correctly speaking, down and up the shore, II has
suggest instead OF long shore course, which is
subject the eccentriclties OF the tides and
rents. to make The match a clean, flying race from
q vessel two and half or three miles out at In
o direct line from the Ocean House, to the shore.
This would put the contestants on more certain
equality and would make the match a more ex.
cltlng one, 1t Is thought, whatever might be the
condition OF the weather. as the swim
mer would be in sight or the whole
mass Of spectators during the entire
match from the start to the close. 1t Is proba-
BILE, but by no means certain, that the proposed
change Of course may be eventually adopted. 1t is
rumOred that Johnson raises some objection,
considering his chances best IN rough water ami
being willing to take all the risks oil the shore
Ioute.
THE FEELING AT THE BRANCH.
Popular sentiment at the Branch Ia decidedly in
favor OF Trautze, and the people will be well
pleased as rule II he should carry OF the VIC
tory This is not to be wondered at, since Trautze
Is q New York boy and q fine fellow. He is about
twenty eight years Of age, splendidly built with
heaithtui bronzed complexion, muscular limbs,
broad chest and pleasing countenance. He Is
naturally fair, with brown hair, heavy brown
mustache and good teeth, but his skin is now
tanned rich brown. He has trained down If
teen pounds in a. short time, under the
careful guidance Of Mr. Wightman o.
New York, without losing fraction Of
his strength, and, although ne is stu
probably trite too much In flesh, he hopes to be
in splendid condition by the day OF the match. He
Is modest but hopeful, and might almost say
his best to win. II he should really come Off the
victor the credt viii be great for he Is not water
light Of an amateur rather than as professional:
His style OF swimming Is remarkably smooth and
easy, and he mas broad full cnest-just such as Is
rolnng. rollicking, kicking diving, dev-may carc
porpoise IN the water as IS his English competitor,
| THE ENGLISH CHAMPION,
| for Johnson seems to be IN his natural element
when he is ording it over the waves and playing
'catch me II you CAM With the breakers. lie is
| what Is called "hanu over hand" swimmer,
| and has wonderful power OF breath suspension,
head under water. There Is a romance anoat that
he has been lOur minutes under wafer; out this
S al @ mSs sS1e as down
with him and breakiasted OF broied blue FISH at
the bottom OF the fishing grounds on the Branch.
There Is no doubt however, that he makes dives
protracted to q wonderful length Of time, and that
In swimming he can take dozen hand over hand
1t to take in supply OF air. Johnson is also q
powerfully built man. not so large as Trautze, but
plexiOned, with an English face OF the rougher
| type, and looks as II he might be as dangerous an
Trsuge he moaes Sn man and he
| Indignantly denies the truth OF the rumor that
he Is to let Trautze win for the purpose Of
| pOcketing the odds on himself Indeed, from
| what have seen OF botn the men, incline to the
belief that neither would lend himself to any
underhanded or unfair practice, ana the rumOr Is
the creation OF the Imagination OF some oversharp
wiSeacreS Of the knOw-nOthing order.
THE MYSTERIOUS FRENCHMAN.
! Landre, the mysterious French acrobat, who
has been quietly taking 10 the water, like q duck
for aweek past. striking out all alone quarter OF
a mile from shore and swimming over the course
first agreed upon Tor the race, was on the sands
to-day, but did not go out. He was not feeling
Johnson was also little under the weather TO-
day and did not make his appearance, SO Irautze
the water more than twenty or thlrty minutes.
but swan out some distance in the
smooth sea and seemed TO be in excellent
condition. The interest felt in the COM
mysterious movements OF Landre and by the re-
port tina. he would 90 In from the Shore II not
testants anyhow. People who have seen Landre
In the water have grown wild with enthusiasm
but this is "a He is STEADY
strong and enduring swimmer, but is not remark
able lOr speed He tells us to-day that he shall not
join In the race, since he has to travel "all over
the world" for living Is here to-day and gone to.
morrow and shall leave Long Branch before sat
urday. He does not believe ne could race with the
came to endurance he would swim as far and stay
in the water as long as any living man. "Besides. y
should make notfling If should win. Better per
form to the people on shore aud gather your paper
stamps or c0ppers OF them." hlnted that II he
should win he might nave a subscription taken fol
shrugged hts shoulders, apparently having but
untary contributions. "Ahl" sad he, 'ff 1t came
to diving now. Why, dved the other day from
boat two miles from shore and reached the bottom
OF the sea with ease, coming up again to the sur
face within q space not longer than this from tht
boat' spreading mis- arms apart to signify the dis
tauCe). Still, 1t Is by no means certain that tht
sly Frenchman will not be on hand on saturday
The general opinion Is that Johnson WIN win tht
race but aS the Frenchman said to-day, I'M
Trautze is a splendid swimmer, and-notis ver
ronsf'