A LADY'S SWIMMING FEAT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2130, 1 November 1875, Page 3

A LADY'S SWIMMING FEAT.

Another great feat in the art o.f natation was accomplished on the Ist of September, when Miss Agnes Alice Beckwith swam from London Bridge to the Royal Hospital at Greenwich in little more than an hour. The heroine was borne on the 14th of August, 1861, so that she has yery recently celebrated her fourteenth birthday ; nevertheless* she has for years given illustrations of* ornamental swimming at most of our watering-places and inland towns where there are baths suitable for such, a purpose. Her feat, considering her youth, and the difficulties by which she was surrounded, was perfectly marvellous, and elicited, as it deserved, unbounded applause from thousands who witnessed the finish. Following so closely after the gallant act of Captain Webb, the announcement that a young lady—a mere child, in fact—intended to shew that pluck and ability to endure immersion were not altogether confined to the male' sex, created immense excitement, and all along the course there was little short of an ovation. Miss Beckwith was taught to swim at the age of three, and when she had attained that of seven she took part in a series of entertainments at the Lambeth Baths, where she astonished the spectators by the ease and grace with which she demonstrated many novelties in the art. Swimming like a duck or a dog, floating ' on the water* diving, turning summer- 1 saults through hoops, and going through a variety of other acrobatic performances, she proved herself to be a veritable mermaid; the water, in fact, seemed to he her home. At Brill's Baths, Brighton, at the .Nassau, Westward-Ho, Plymouth, at the Crystal Palace, at Stafford, Worcester, and at numbers of other places, Miss Beckwith has exhibited her natatory powers, and has demonstrated the peculiarities of the mode adopted by her family for paving life, whilst she has given private lessons in the art of swimming to many ladies of the upper classes. A swim of five nvles in the Thames was, therefore, considered from the first an act which she could easily accomplish, and so it proved. The only difficulty which was felt was the low temperature ofthe water, for Miss Beekwith, unlike Capfain Webb, is not blessed with a skin that is impervious to cold, and cramp, it was feared, might prevent her from accomplishing her task. Special provision for a number of ladies and gentlemen desirous of witnessing the feat was made, one of the river boats, the Volunteer, having been chartered for the occasion. The company, or rather the excursion party, with Professor Beckwith and his acomplished daughter on board, left Westminster Pier soon after 4 o'clock, and, after calling at Waterloo and elsewhere, reached the starting-point at Lon • don Bridge at a quarter to five. On the wharves, piers, the bridge itself, and indeed upon every spot on both sides of the river, thousands of persons had congregated ; and as the young lady appeared on the deck of the steamer, clad in a tight bathing costume of rose-pink lama, trimmed with white lace, and with her long, flowing, flaxen hair neatly bound by a ribbon, ready to plunge into the Thames, vociferous cheers, again and again rcranewed, came from all sides. A small boat conveyed the youthful swimmer and her father and brother into the centre of the stream, and at five minutes to five Miss Beckwith commenced her task. She plunged from the bow of the Isoat with the greatest ease and sangfroid, and on rising to the surface struck out bravely towards Greenwich. At about a quarter to sis the trees of Greenwich Park were distinctly visible, and as Miss Beckwich was careering along there was but little doubt of her success. Three cheers were called for, and then came Millwall Pier, the cattle-sheds at Deptford—time, ten minutes to six—Perm's engine-works, and ultimately Greenwich. A * band on board the Volunteer played, " See the Conquering Hero Comes," and, with much cheering and firing of cannon, Miss Beckwith, in order to show that she was but little distressed by her feat, astonished the spectators by some cleverly-executed tricks with a hoop thrown to her by her brother, which* she continued until the Royal, Hospital was reached at four minutes past six, when she was lifted out of the water by her father, amidst a scene of the wildest enthusiasm and delight. The time occupied in swimming the distance, which was rather over five miles, ■was one hour and nine minutes. In the cabin of the steamer Miss Beckwith assumed her ordinary attire, and soon afterwards was taken to the Ship Hotel for refreshment. She asserted that she did not feel in the least tired —r-jn, faptj she could have swum another five miles with the greatest ease; and as for the fear that the cold of the water might affect her, she assured her friends that she felt not the slightest inconvenience froni it, but that she was warmer, indeed, when she left the Thames than alie was when she entered i fc. Miss Beck.

with, like Captain Webb, adopted the breast stroke all the way, and never at any time attempted to relieve herself by swimmimg on her side, in which she is an adept. Although brandy and port wine were provided for her use en voyage, she declined to take either, and therefore performed without the slightest stimulant. It is worthy of mention that this was Miss Beckwith's first essay of the sort, if we except a trial trip from Battersea to Westminster. Her nearest approach to the present feat was a swim of two-and-a-half miles in the Lambeth Baths in three-quarters of an hour. The i object of the present feat was to decide a wager of £60 to £4.0 laid against her by Mr Baylis, the money being deposited with Bell's Life.—Home News.