A Dive from an altitude of one hundred and thirty feet.

Manawatu Herald, 8 July 1893, Page 3

A Dive from an altitude of one hundred and thirty feet.

Visitors to the Aquarium were the witnesses of a diving feat which, for coolness and daring, certainly pats any other performance of the kind into the shade. For some time past Mr Burns, and later Mr O'Bourke, have been taking! the cleverest;- 1 of 'headers 'into a . specially prepared

, tank 7ft in ! depth from heights of • f^om 40ft to 50fb; but it remained •for' Mr Stephen Burnham, of Manchester, to go one better in the shape of a sheer fall into it from an altitude of about 180 ft. for the purposes of the performance, a 1 considerable portion- of the roof exactly • above the tank has been removed,

and a strong convenient staging

erected, to which Mr Burnham is * hauled up by means of ropes and pulleys. The • height from this platform to the bottom of the tank is, as' has beep stated] sbiiie ißst< atiid to the ordinary observer the idea of leaping from it into the shallow body of water below would appear as absurd as the carrying of it into effect would be dangerous, if not absolutely fatal. That this thought would be present in the minds of most of the spectators was evidently anticipated by Mr Josiah Ritchie, managing director of the Aquarium, who, before introducing Mr Burn- : ham, delivered a few preliminary remarks of a reassuring character to the audience, stating that the skill and perfect presence of mind of the latter were guarantees of. the. feasibility and safety of the teat about to be attempted. As a preparation for M&? audience,' ProfesdorU O'Rourtfe made his graceful dive from a plat form about 40ft. above the water, and then Mr* Burnham appeared. He is a man with strongly-marked features aad • an v air of quiet composure and self-reliance. His form, though powerful, is extremely spare, and shows njothing but bone and muscle; He'was clad in a light but curiousjy-matle costume, taid to resemble r thq|e\iii ; use by American • ' bridge jvtn?pferV,V aud withou t any further ceremony was swung up to hiSS^#^rfttove;- ; {he-' roofer^'Ontje tl|sP|ijityas seen that he intended to trapeze attached to „ A staging.. - Mr Burnham is evidently^ a>- man <>.whQ J! d o es,f not believe iii endeavouring to enhance the' value of his performance by tantalising delays of over-elaborate preparation. Within a minute he gave the signal that he was ready, and immadiately allowed his heels to slip ove,L* the side of the trapeze bar. He' fell feet firs'tj with his body absolutely erect, aud of course with ever-increasing velocity. For a moment it seemed to the spectators

as if he would cleave the water

in. this position, with a resuljb H too dreadful to contemplate; but their apprehensions were soon relieved.- ; • Biirnhani certainly touched,; or seemed to touch the water with his feet, but in the same instant drew them up, and by so doing caused' himself to fall on the broad of his. back. ' The collision of his descend-. ing body with the water was accompanie by a loud orash, and the upward buwt of a. large quantity of heavy, spray. But few seconds elapsed before h& showed his head above the water, clambered over the 1 side of the tank, and walked off to his dressing room, dripping, but imgerjfeqrbable as ever, , and apparently.; not in the least upset by the tremendoußri.physioal shock he must have received in achieving his daring and difficult feat.

Dr Morgan T. Wills, a recognised. American authority on cerebral disease and insanity, writes : — " It is well for us to know that the emotions cause more unhappiness and orime than any u'ii <: function of the brain. Humatl beings are governed by their emotions ; and it is well that they should be, though it is emotions that Wear away the brain. It is the emotions such as anxiety, fear, sorrow, and love. I consider that eight hours are sufficient, for a man to use his brain, because if he exceeds that time he becomes nervous and fretful, and an exhaustive brain is an irritable brain. .You may not feel the evil effects of the stress of brain work at the time, but you will sooner or later, when it will be too late. The men that work at night with their brains are the ones that expose themselves to danger and death, which will surely come unless the great strain on the mind is lightened. Any man that neglects the first warning of a brain or nervous system that is becoming exhausted, overtaxed, or about to break down, is not only a fool but a criminal. These signs are not many, but they tell the story of coming dangers only too plainly. Headache, sleeplessness, irritability of temper, neuralgic pains about the head and heart, unrefreshful sleep, nervous dyspepsia, dull eyes, heaviness of the head and stupid feeling aftor meals, worry about trifles, unreasonable anger, tingling and numbness in the limbs, cold feet and hands, flushed face and burning ears, palpitation of the heart, and irregular, weak and unsteady pulse. When you note these symptoms, beware ; the brain and nerves are about to break down, and it may be insanity, perhaps death." For all such troubles we recommend Clements Tonic. This is a specific, brain and nerve food, and positively repairs the ravages of over work, time and disease, strengthens the whole system, and adds new life, and tone, and animation, as it did in the case of Mr J. Webster, Bulli, N.S.W., who writes on March. 24th, 1893 :— For about the last two years -I have suffered severely from neuralgia ; in fact I suffered so much that I became thoroughly weak. Many a night, instead of going to bed, I paced the room from; end to end. I cannot tell you how many remedies I tried, btit I can tell yon this— l never received any benefit from theni. At last my attention was drawn to one of your advertisements, in which I saw ,that the party had suffered from the same complaint to which I have been a martyr. I immediately got a bottle of Clements Tonic. Before I had finished the first bottle I found myself getting better daily. I resolved to continue Clements Tonic. I did so; by the time I had finished the second large bottle I was entirely cured. I would advise all who are suffering from neuralgic complaints to give Clements Tonic a trial ; I know that it has cured me, and it will not fail in other cases. I considered myself incurable, but thanks to Clements Tonic, I have entirely altered my opinion. lam never tired of recommending Clements Tonic. — Wishing .you al manner of success, I remain, yours gratefully, Mrs J. Webster, Bulli, N.S.W.