The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-18
A SENS ATIoNAL DIVER
Drops Eighty three Feet on His Back
and lead.
FROM the London New'

/ FROM the London NeCs.
prof. Tommy Burns sensational feat
/ came of yesterday afternoon at the Royal
| aquarium. before large number Of jour-
nalists and others who had been specially in
I vited for the occasion. The professors"
I reputation had preceded him, and great
/ things we're expected Of him, though when
| one tried 70 measure the distance between
| the tiny platform Immediately below the
( roof and the snfellisb, shallow, darkish
1 tank sunk In the floor, one shuddered at the
1 possible consequences Of the plunge.
/ The professor had divsd from great nights
I before yesterdpy-five times from Ruucorn
/ bridge 100 feet one from the DaraDet of
| Jamaica street bridge, Glasgow and once
| from O'COnnell bridge into the Liffey-this
last, however. not being very deep dive
or dangerous feat. But the dive in the
aquarium was and Will he dangerous His
/ former jumps were into flowing water and
deep But the water 10 the aquarium tank
was still and only seven feet ia depth.
How can he do it p the question went
! round among the auXiously teXpectant Wis
itors; "it he dives head foremost IN the
usual way he'll break his neck on the brick
bottom; If be loses his balance and lands
nat on bis stomach or back his life will be
kuocked cut Of him." What is the hight of
the platform-can't be 100 feetp Fifty,
| should think" go, it's more than that;
sixty at the very least; should say, my
self, seventy" And so tue talk went on.
The fact is that vertical distances are
singularly deceptive The question was
putNt rest ~ the professors" intrOducer,
who stated that the platform was exactly
eighty three feet above the floor, OF, adding
the seven feet of water, ninety feet to the
bottom OF the tank
Prof Tommy" Burns is &c years old, So
feet in hight, and the very picture OF an
athlete. He appeared on the platform
dressed in blue paiamas, a fiesh-colOred,
skin-tight jacket, and a Oroad, deep collar,
covered with medals. The professor has
saved thirty lives in his time, and won,
as his introducer said, 400 prizes of all sorts.
'After the dive" said the speaker, PROF.
Burns will show some swimming feats." He,
at any rate. was, or seemed to be, confident
Of his professors" success. So was the
professor himself, for no sooner we're the
last words of the complimentary harangue
out OF the speakers mouth than Tommy"
Burns shook himself out of his breastplate
OF medals, uripped down to the floor, and
put his foot into the loop of a long rope. by
which he was briskly holsted to his dizzy
perch.
The tiny platform, secured by ropes,
shook and swayed, and the professor In
order to steady IL. stood stock still. Then
he guzed into the obloDg hole fer down be-
low-the tank, Is feet long by broad, and,
as already said. only deep. Then be drew
back, stretched his arms, and put his hand
TO his forehead. Next he came forward a
little, nicely adjusting his toes to the edge
Of platform, and he gazed again, and for
what seemed q long time. Whether he
meant to do it or not, he succeeded in
arousinR the feelings Of the spectators to
the hight of painful excitement.
There was absolute silence. At last the
professor slowly bending down into
crouching position. glided off his platform,
mead foremost, aud With stifiiy outstretched
arms meeting palm to palm, into empty
air. He began in the orthodox way, but
when little more than half way down, his
feet came forward, and in the twinkling of
au eye he struck the water with his head
shoulders and back. He cleft the water in
the opposite direction to that which be
would have followed had he dlved in the
Ordinary "header" fashion.
Falling as he did, he appeared not to
make straight for the bottom of the tank,
but 20 describe q curve from the surface to
the surface just avoiding the bottom. That
seems to be the trick Of it. The professor
| struck the surface with blow that re-
| sounded through the whole of the huga
! building, and sent spurts of water flying up
among the spectators in the front gallery.
| For moment or two the spectators stood
| breathless, as If they thought the diver was
| ktlled. They apDlauded loudly when be re-
| appeared, putting and blowing. Even If the
| secret OF his success be what has been sug.
| gested above the element of danger is uu-
| mistakable.