The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-11-27
BEAUTIFUL THAMES.
IT IS BY FAR THE MOST ELEGANT WA
TER PARK IN THE WORLD.

A Pleasure Stream ON Which In the Sea-
SON There L. Always d Crowd and Yet
Plenty Of Room-The Trip From oxford
to Richmond a Delightful Experience.
The river Thames is the most impor-
tant as il is the most beautiful water
park in the world. It Is to London and
the adjacent counties what the Charles
river should and can by the diligence
of public spirit be to Boston and the ad-
jacent towns. With the hope OF stirring
this public spirit and showing what the
English do with their beautiful river,
and how they manage 1t, how they pay
for its maintenance al o water park, ]
present what follows:
The Thames, counting all its turn
ings and twistings and not measuring
by u direct line, runs something like 200
miles from it's source to the sea. On its
banks are 10 counties, including Lon
don, having q population OF 8, 500, 900
people and o ratable valuation of about
$500. 600, 900. 1t drains, with its tribu.
taries, an area of more than 8. 900 square
miles. Until it enters the county OF
London it is distinctly q river of pleas
ure. From the western border of the
county of London to the sea. a distance Of
sixty odd miles, it is q highway Of com.
merce. By it's aid London has become
the greatest port i'm the world.
1t ia of the Thames as q pleasure
stream that l propose to write, but it is
we'll to understand at the outset that the
river from start to finish as q water
park and as a commercial highway is
under the control Of a single authority
called 1.-The Thames conservancy. "
For purposes Of administration the river
is technically divided into two parts
the upper and the lower. The upper
portion is practically what / have al
ready indicated al the water park Oh
pleasure section, and with that portion
: only am ! now concerned. ~
:. One sees the upper Thames at its best
from the middle Of May toTthe end Of
September. Between those dates thu
trip down stream, say from Oxford tc
Richmond. a journey Of 100 miles, Ii
!. one of the most delightful experiences
D that can corle to a lover of outdoor pas
time. The best way to see the stream
0 is to row or punt CT paddle down thu
] rive, stopping overnight at any pleas
/ ant inn You may come to and making
the journey in easy stages OF about q
miles q day. In this way you see som
of the loveliest portions Of the Englisl
, country to the best advantage and un
:, der ideal conditions. This journey is
!" favorite one with thousands of people
!, and the facilities for undertaking it il
comfort are abundant In fact, tn
> Thames abounds in facilities for out
|. door pleasure. At every few miles Their
are lighthouses and inns, and almos
anywhere you can put up ON the bank
for a days picnic. From end to end {
!. the course, now ON one side of th
: stream and now ON the other, there is
towing path for the free use of the pull
lie. Wherever the path shifts from on
|. side of the stream to the other there
q ferry station.
There are some 40 locks ON til
Thames. At each lock there are keeper
always ON duty, and they reside in pre-
ty cottages ON the banks. Most Of q
locks are supplied with inclined role
; ways, over which small boats can |
|. easily taken if you prefer not to wa
for a passage through the lock.
-, Many of the Thameside towns hay
an annual rowing regatta, each Of whic
makes for its district the great fete ds
Of the year. The chief of these regatt'
is that at Henley, whose fame is know
to amateur oarsmen the world over.
Thames fete day affords u OF the mo
delightful spectacles that can be ina
, ined. The course il literally cover,