New Britain herald., 1926-02-02
THAMES RIVER IS
 LITTLE STREAM
But One Of Worlds Most I'm.
 portant Waterways

Washington, D. C.. Feb, s-The Thames, one Of the best known streams In the world. went on a rampage recently and gave the residents of the usually peaceful valley sights familiar to those who live along such old hands at flood ing as the Mississippi, the Seine and the Yellow river Of China. Chicken GOODS and dog kennels, garden furniture and even bunga- lows swirled along where Eng lands holiday crowds normally play on a gentle little river.
 What the Thames is like ordi- narlly is told In a bulletin from the Washington. D. C.. headquarters Of 'he National Geographic society.
 "The Thames seldom has very destructive floods," says the bule- lin. Tt has no mountains In it's basin. only gentle hills, and the run-off is usually slow. It Is rather a small river as rivers go, only 16l miles long with a drainage basin Of about 5000 square miles. The Danube Is ten times, the Mis- sissippi fifteen times, and the Rhine more than four times as long. Be side the million and a quarter square miles drained by the Mis- sissippi, or even the 75,o06 square miles drained by the Rhine, the Thames basin seems almost in- significant.
 Grows Quickly
 The birthplace of the Thames is only about 20 miles short of the sea on the western side Of Eng land. northeast Of Bristol and Bath. A small spring formerly gushed up at what is known as Thames Head and trickled in d lazy little Till down a meadow. The outflow Of this head spring Is now 7iped away to furnish water for the Thames and Severn canal. But springs abound in this >gion, and about half a mile down the meadow the infant Thames Is to be seen in the shape of q little runnel fully two feet wide. An other half mile, and the Thames is a really respectable brook. Soon it's first mill appears, one of the many that dot its banks. By the time Oxford Is reached, thanks to many little affluents. the stream is l5h feet wide, well deserving the name river
 The Thames flows through country rich in historic associations and beautiful rural scenery. The oldest bridge across the stream. fifteen miles above Oxford, was built in the thirteenth century by monks of a nearby abbey. Para ioXically, it is named Newbridge.' Already some four centuries old, this structure was the scene of 7Eirnish In l64i between Crom- wells forces and those of the R0ya1ists, Not far below New bridge is the only surviving rope- ferry on the Thames.
 Oxford on Banks of Thames
 Al Oxford, still about sixty miles above London, one comes upon q little town known through out the world. because of the men of note who have come from there fo shape the destinies of Great ! Britain. This has been England's great university town since the | twelfth century Traditions ara cherished in Oxford. and equally | 90 is architecture. Oxford's old bur 1 if 2 marked flavor Of medievaNsm. | T2e waters of the Thames, nearly l doubled in size at Oxford by the 1 inflow of the Cherwen, have long been the scene of inter -colleeiare 1 wing contests.
 The Thames has q series ot q 1 ore and half of locks, and | 'ough 8 rather small stream, ex- l pt near London, carries con- ! 7Hrahle traffic on barges. By use '5 the Thames and Severn canal .' Is possible for barges to go hrcHeh to the vest coast Of Eng ~Gd.
 }'"s Through English Playground
 E'rom Oxford 10 London, and
 '''V ttw1on Reading and
 '" ''' I'll" mos flows through
 C jN' r1c~' r>J"'il1l coun-