It is the swimmer’s opinion, that the timing of mid, or half stroke, is the most elegant, most difficult, and to conceal, yet fully make use of this “break,” constitutes the criterion as to whether the swimmer, be he amateur or professional, is first-class or not.

From the EXMOUTH JOURNAL, Sept. 6th, 1902

A NOTEWORTHY SWIM.

A long swim from Exmouth to half-a-mile beyond the pier of Starcross, was on Thursday evening undertaken and accomplished by Mr. J. ATWOOD.SLATER, an Exmouth visitor.  Starting from opposite the pier head, the swimmer, piloted by Mr. H. Tupman, in the Ernest, swam round the Bight on the west side of the Warren, passing the ships anchored therein, and hugging the west shore of the Exe, paused finally under the lodge at the further end of Starcross at 5.45 p.m., having, in logic swum the distance of two-and-a-quarter miles in twenty-three minutes.  The aid the swimmer derived from choosing the flood tide he admitted was considerable, and served him for nearly half the distance; when out of the influence of this, the water suddenly became very choppy, the waves being too small for the swimmer to time, yet with annoying frequency throwing their crests above the surface of the water.  Subsequently a great stillness was encountered, until Starcross was neared and passed; the boat, swimmer and pilot lying finally becalmed at the point aforesaid.—­J.A.S.

From the WESTERN DAILY PRESS, Sept. 15th, 1903.

A SWIM ROUND MONT ST. MICHAEL, NORMANDY.

Sir,—­On August 22nd, at 5 p.m., on August 28th, at 9 a.m., and on August 29th, at 10 a.m., I achieved in a more successful measure than had hitherto been accomplished the problem of swimming round Mont St. Michael, Normandy, at high water.  Previously acquainted with the certainty that an adverse current would at one point or another be met, I pre-arranged, and made three bold attempts, and by going in a certain direction, met with the greatest success at the first essay.  The tides that rise and flow against the base of the mount are more insidious and taxing to strike against than those which encircle the Mount of St. Michael, in Cornwall; but then the quality of the sea must be more pure and far more buoyant off the Cornish coast, and freshens to a greater extent the elastic movements of the swimmer.  The sea, speaking from experience, does not harass one, swimming in the bay of St. Michael, Normandy, until the “retirage” is met; when all the force that can be exerted is necessarily called forth to prevent being seaward swept.

Yours faithfully,

J. ATWOOD.SLATER

Albi, Tarn, France,

September 7th, 1903.

ARCHITECTURE.

From the PATRIOTE ALBIGEOIS, Sept. 29th, 1903.

Albigeois, vous qui passez frequemment dans les rues adjacentes a votre cathedrale, n’avez-vous pas remarque la figure d’un artiste recemment installe, avec son chevalet, aupres du gigantesque monument et mettant toute la science technique de son art a le reproduire exactement.