St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-14
SWIMMERS OF FAME.
Feats of the Poet ByrOn---The FIX
ample of Leander in Swimming
the Hellespont Taken as a
Model

the HelIespont Taken as a
Model.
Boston Globe.
The recent feat of Steve Brodie, the
newsboy, who few years ago leaped
from Brooklyn bridge, in swimming
from Albany to New York in little
over six days, thus beating Capt. Paul
Boyton's record, is without parallel in
the history of swimming.
Even Leander, who nightly swan
across the HelleSpOnt, distance of four
miles. to visit his lady love, would prob
ably have demurred at siX-dayS' trip.
The unfortunate lover was finally
drowned while making his nightly
voyage, but this has not deferred
several who wished to initiate his exam
pie. Lord Byron, who was we'll deyel-
oped in his arms and chest, succeeded IN
swimming the Hellespont in an hour
and twenty minutes, and it is much to
be doubted if lover ever made better
time. The poet was a great swimmer
and proud of his accomplishment, yet
he nearly lost his life at one of the Eng
liSh watering places, being rescued in
an exhausted condition by the look
erS-On.
The English channel has long been a
favorite resort for swimming featS.
Capt. Boynton swan across from France
to little town in Kent in less than
day, while Capt. Webb, thirteen years
ago, swan from Dover to Calais, dist
ance of thirty miles, in twenty-five hours
and forty minutes.
One of England'S admiralS, who rose
to his position from that of cabin boy,
got his first commission for his proWeSS
as swimmer. During the naval war
between England and Holland two cen
turtles ago, the admiral of the English
fleet found that he was lost unless he
could communicate with number of
his vessels that were hidden from his
sight beyond projecting point Of land.
The only way to send All order to these
vessels was by swing, for it would have
been impossible for any boat to make
the passage. A cabinsboy, a strong. ath
letic young fellow, who had run
away to see, undertook to carry the
order. Holding it in his mouth he swan
through the smoke of the battle to the
reserve vessels, brought them up in
time and saved the day.
The annals of our navy record many
similar gallant deeds of sailors who
have risked their lives in the water,
while every year the government
dWdIuS W PCOplC WIN iiofG
saved others from drowning by their
ability to swim. Indeed, one of the
greatest of Americans, Benjamin Frank
lin, was a famous swimmer, and
wrote two essays on the sub
ject which are interesting reading.
Few men have possessed such COM
mand over themselves in the water as
he, for he was not only able to fly kite
while floating, but Oh one occasion float
ed asleep on the water for an hour.
While in England, working at his trade
of printer, his swimming featS caused
him to be so much talked about that at
one time he had serious thoughts of
opening swimming school.
The exploit of Brodie will doubtless
lead many to undertake risks of long
distance swimming, but it will do far
more good if it awakens general inter-
est in an accomplishment which is not
only likely to prove of great use to Its
possessors, but which can honestly be
classed as an innocent and healthy
amusement,