Swimming. From time immemorial the great usefulness of swimming has been universally acknowledged, and the ease with which the art of supporting the human body in water can be acquired is a statement as old as the hills. The absolute correctness of the assertion that there is no difficulty in the way of the individual who would become a swimmer is open to question, but it is certain that the number of those who surmount all obstacles grows larger year by year. This is due in no small measure to the greatly increased facilities for the pursuit of this most healthful and pleasurable pastime afforded by the erection of many additional and improved public baths; also to the extensive encouragement the sport receives from the numerous swimming clubs in existence. Valuable aid is given to those wishing to know how to swim by such works as Wilson's Swimming Instructor; but there is no teaching equal to that which is to be obtained in the water with a proficient as guide. The pupil's every movement is watched, mistakes pointed out, and a bad style avoided—a great thing if one wishes to share in the delights of competition, of which there are now so many opportunities. No greater stimulus was ever given to an art than Captain Matthew Webb (1848-83) gave to swimming when he crossed the English Channel in the water. How stupendous the feat was is explained by the time it occupied. Starting from the Admiralty Pier, Dover, on August 24, 1875, Webb swam or floated for 21 h. 45 m., in which time he reached Calais Sands, where his journey ended. By this feat, the greatest recorded, Captain Webb (drowned in his attempt to swim through the Niagara Rapids) made himself for ever afterwards famous. A notable long swim was accomplished on September 2, 1884, by Mr Horace Davenport, who held the title of amateur champion from 1874 to 1879 inclusive, and must be reckoned as one of the strongest of strong swimmers, his mile time in still water, 29 m. 25½ s., accomplished on August 11, 1887, remaining unbeaten by amateurs. Starting from the East Pier, Southsea, Mr Davenport crossed to Ryde Pier and then returned to the Clarence Esplanade Pier, Southsea, without resting, the double journey in a choppy sea occupying 5 h. 25 m. Other long swims, in which it will be seen ladies have played a prominent part, are as follows: 20 miles 3 furlongs, by F. Cavill, 5 h. 51 m., in Thames (with tide), July 8, 1876; 20 miles, Miss Agnes Beckwith, 6 h. 25 m., in Thames (with tide); 18 miles, F. Cavill, 5 h. 58 m., Yarra, Queensland, March 1879; 10 miles, Miss Agnes Beckwith, 2 h. 43 m., in Thames (with tide), July 5, 1876; 10 miles, J. B. Johnson, 2 h. 40 m., Delaware River, United States (with tide),
August 24, 1875; 9 miles, Miss Emily Parker, 2 h. 24 m. 30 s., in Thames (with tide), September 18, 1875; 5½ miles in the sea at Brighton, Miss Dick, 2 h. 43 m., September 9, 1875; 5 miles, C. Whyte, 1 h. 4 m. 23 s., in Thames (with tide), July 18, 1870; 5 miles, Miss Lizzie Gillespie, 1 h. 20 m. 7 s., in river Tay, Dundee (with tide), August 1880; 2 miles, E. T. Jones, 25 m. 22¾ s., in Thames, September 10, 1877; 2000 yards, J. B. Johnson, 34 m. 30 s., in Serpentine Lake, August 1873; 1 mile, E. T. Jones, 25 m. 22¾ s., in Thames, September 10, 1877. The difference between swimming in open water and in a bath is exceedingly great, on account not only of the lower temperature of the former, but also because of the advantage turning and pushing off at each end of the bath gives the swimmer. In Hollingworth Lake on August 23, 1884, J. J. Collier swam a mile in 28 m. 19¾ s.; at Lambeth Baths (40 yards long) the same swimmer, on October 23, 1885, did the distance in 27 m. 3½ s. Again, it took Collier 15 m. 44 s. to swim 1000 yards in Hollingworth Lake; while at Lambeth Baths, Westminster, the distance was, on October 16, 1890, swum by J. Nuttall in 13 m. 54½ s. The difference in the times for half a mile is comparatively greater; but this may not be so real as the figures indicate. On 16th July 1898 J. A. Jarvis won the mile amateur championship in 26 m. 37½ s. Jarvis also won the amateur half-mile championship (1898) at Leicester in the record time of 12 m. 52 s. The same swimmer won the quarter-mile salt-water championship (1898) at Weymouth in 6 m. 32 s. A quarter of a mile was swum by J. Finney in Blackpool Bath in 5 m. 57 s.; at Lambeth Nuttall swam 400 yards in 5 m. 16½ s. At Manchester on July 6, 1898, J. H. Derbyshire, amateur, won the national 100-yards championship in the record time of 60¾ s., the previous world's record being that of J. H. Tyers—61¾ s.
Until April 7, 1886, a much disputed question was the length of time a person could remain under water. On the date given J. Finney, in a tank at the Canterbury Theatre of Varieties, London, remained below the surface 4 m. 29¼ s., which time will probably never be equalled, the nearest approach to it being 3 m. 18¾ s. on September 27, 1889, by Miss Annie Johnson. Finney also has swum 113 yards 1 foot in costume under water. This he did on October 20, 1882, at Blackpool, in a bath 28 yards 1 foot long. The best plunge or standing dive, the body, which has to be kept face downwards, having no progressive action imparted to it other than the impetus of the dive, stands to the credit of W. Alleson, amateur, who on 7th October 1896, at Lewisham, did 80 ft. 8½ in. Among other remarkable performances may be mentioned those of T. Burns, who dived from Runcorn Bridge (85 feet) in October 1889, and then swam to Liverpool, from whence he walked to London and dived off London Bridge; and J. Finney, who, at Manchester on April 30, 1890, with his mouth picked up seventy-five coins from the bottom of a tank, his hands being tied behind his back.
See Wilson's Swimming Instructor (1883), Cobbett's Swimming (1889), and the Badminton book by Sinclair and Henry (1893; 3d ed. 1900); also CRAMP, RESPIRATION (ARTIFICIAL), DROWNING, and HUMANE SOCIETY.