Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-07-21
Extraordinary Performance In the
Thames.
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Extraordinary Performance In the
Thames.
AN ENGLISH SEA CAPTAIN SWIMMING
TWENTY MILES IN HOURS, 80 MINUTES.
From the LO1lOioTl Ddily NelCS .JlIy51
n remarkable exhibition of natatory pow
er and skill took lace in the Thames on
saturday afternoon, when Capt. Webb
undertook 10 perform the unprecet tented feat
of swim ming from Blackwell to Gravesend
dis lance of 20 miles. Mr.. Webb is sturdy
well -proportiOned Engiishman, p wears OF
age, stands feet inches, and weighs about
II stones. Master of "a merchantmen trading
between Liverpool and Ireland, he has not
hitherto appeared in the capacity of profess
slanal or amGteur swimmer. but he has from
early life accustomed himself to the water
and has succeeded in accomplishing more
lhan one notable exploit. Chief among these
was gallant display of heroism from on
bOard The Russia, one of the Cuuari line of
steamers, when in id-Atlantic, on her way
nom New for kto Liverpool in April, 1873.
w ME the snip was going at full speed
through heavy sea, against half a gale of
wind, sailor fell overheard. Mr.. Webb,
inen serving as able seaman. jumped after
MN Immediately, but the sailor had diSap-
peared never To rise again. and the brave
man who had plunged In was soon left far
oehlGd, out OF sight, bufetfng with the
waves. For thirty-iive minutes his fate was
uncertain, until the ship put about. and a
boat, which was promptly lowered, succeed
ed IL picking him up, For this coura geous
action Mr.. Webb was rewarded by a sub
ScriptiOn Of 100 raised by the paSsen gers
the silver medals of the Liverpool and Royol
humane Societies, and the Stanhope gold
med3l given by the latter society for the best
cease" OF the yea This medal was pre-
scented To him by the Duke of Edinburgh as
chairman at The one hundredth anniversary
.IEneF oi The society at the FreeY?aSod's
tavern in May, 1873
The present feat was undertaken for a
small wager of 900 to E1O accepted by the
adventurous VOya ger. Mr. Beci<yifI leach
er OF swimming, and a small party of friends,
went down per steamer Falcon to Black
well, and followed Capt Webb on his
course. lie plunged into the mid-channel OF
the Thames at twenty-five minutes past two
on The first OF slow ehb on calm and
rather dull afternoon. Feeling confident
that he could sustain himself against the
cOldnesS of the wat r. ana knowing also that
swimming was To him as walking - an or
binary man. Mr.. Webb took his work gently
SifiElng well out with his hands, and rest
iIS on his chest, he drove himself steadily
along with smart strokes by the feet AT
nFSt IL would seem that so small an Ohiar.
as one man in vast expanse Of water would
be altogether inadequate to cover twenty
miles; bat when i'm little more than an D,,ir
and half nearly one-half the distance had
been accomplished, and Capt. Webb was
sun vigorous as ever, the Chances became
decidedly In his favor. On receiving AZ this
stage three successive sips OF brandy and
water, he declared himself to be still quite
1resn. and to all appearance showed no signs
of falling of. A thunder storm of heayv
ram passed over without interfering with
me steady progress OF the swimmer, who
Iy ing chiefly on the chest took an O.ca sio,. al
cnange TO the side for brief period.
The expedition was not generally known.
Dul at various stages OF the course, and eSne-
claliy in passing tine training ships, the gal
ntSW1rnmer was warmly cheered, At RoSh-
eTNlIIe and GraveSend quite a tiOtiila Of boats
gathered around the still activeand vigorous
Iofm OF the swimmer, and at eighteen min
uteS past seven, off GraveSend Town pier
Capt. Webb was taken on board his attend
ant boat amid general plauditS. The twenty
miles was done in four hours and fifty-three
minutes, on a tide running about fOnr miles
WGhh mr.
somewhat chilled by his long Immersion.
Dut, according 10 his own outSpOken and
manly words, was call right" The feat is
Undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary
of the kind ever accomplished. IL is said
mat swim across the channel will he newt
attempted. Capt Webb is native of Shr0o-
sh4re' ana me son OF a surgeon in that county.
FAIR ONES AT THE OARs.-An exciting
regatta was rOwed at Trenton, n. L. on Fri
day last, the contestants being Miss Nixon
daughter OF Judge Nixon, of the United
states district and circuit courts; Miss H. C.
Mayer, and Miss J. NJ. Slade, of Trenton.
Inc course selected was Oh the canal from
Atterbury's to the Springs street bridge a
quarter of a mile. For weeks past the ladies'
have practiced nearly every day. The con-
lestants assembled on the ground al O'Clock
1ne boat was round yawl. of red cedar,
which foated like a feather. The ladies We're
afrayed In white, with their respective col
Ors, REQ, blue and green, worn IN the hair
around the neck, and in a sash. The trio are
ABOUT OF one age, II years, and manifested
surprising muscular development. They
We're rowed 10 the starting point, where they |
allghted, with the exception OF Miss MAYER,
VINO arranged her seat, grasped the oars and
pulled up the stream preparato tory To the start
she seemed nervous, and for minute or two
unable to guide the craft, but this soon
ceased; the boat was placed in position and
us occupant started for the string with an
easy and regular stroke. The start was sat-
lsfactory, and the flag fell. The water spurfed !
from the bows as with telling force the fair |
one pied the oars. In one minute aud ten |
seconds the one-eighth mile string was
passed, and as the boat shot by the home nag |
Inc judges announced the time, 2.O7. Miss
mayer received warm applause and congrat- |
ulatlons as she stepped from the boat which
was taken again to the starting point. Miss
Nixon followed. Her style of rowing was |
almost faultless, being graceful and effect
I've. The boat passed the half way line i'm az |
seconds, and reached home in oil Miss
SHADE was over confident, and did not exert
herself, seeming content to pull slow but
regular stroke. She passed the half way post
IN D seconds, and the home flag in 2iO1
Miss Mayer being the winner, was presented
WIN solid silver cup and a watch.
n JEALOUS INDIANS REyENGE-A tele-
gram nom Omaha, July &, SAYS :-Flannel
Jim was WinnebagO Indian but he had "a
heart as soft and sensitive as any white man
jim Tor some time past had not been happv
In MS domestic affairs. Years ago ne mar
rled dusky maiden OF the forest and gave
To her all the love of her savage heart Thai
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