FRENCH SWIMMING DRILL.
The citizens of the great French Republic bestow a great deal of attention upon swimming, and, as a natural consequence, the French excel in the art. This is especially the case in the army and navy, no French soldier or sailor being considered au fait until he has obtained his certificate as a good swimmer. The art is taught upon purely scientific principles, namely, General Pfuest's system. The bathing establishments are built and the swimming masters ap pointed by the Government, and every citizen can obtain a sound practical knowledge of this useful accomplishment by visiting one of these establishments, which are to be found in every town and city of France, and the people are not slow to avail themselves of the opportunity so afforded them, some of them becoming splendid swimmers. As an example for our Canadian volunteers to follow, the author records the following interesting account (extracted from the Penny Magazine) of a remarkable swimming tournament, which took place in the River Seine, Paris, France, which indicates the high standard of excellence attained by French soldiers. It was, in fact, a test of what might be accomplished in an emergency. The first person to arrive was Viscount Courtioron, who left the swimming school in a boat containing thirteen men, and when he had reached the Quai d'Orsay, he leaped into the water, dressed and fully equipped as an infantry soldier, with accoutrements on ; assuming the upright position, as described before, he raised himself out of the water at a distance of thirty fathoms, and discharged his rifle, which contained a heavy charge, and made a very loud report ; at this signal, an old soldier who was stationed at Point Royal, leaped into the river from a bridge, the height being sixty-four feet, and swimming to the front, carried to M. Courtioron a tin box containing despatches,
who after reading them, swam to the boat to give instructions•to his men. Instantly sixty-five persons who had come with the colonel of the regiment in other boats, leaped into the water and followed his movements as if on parade, the orders being given by sound of trumpet, and in this way the evolutions were carried out succestfully. The cavalry, mounted, are also exercised in swimming, so that in case of war, by this means an enemy may be surprised, or comrades rescued, or they may thus save themselves.