Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/32

22 NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. vi. JULY w, 1900. Then the 'D.N.B.' says "his capital dwindled." I do not say this is not so : but on referring to the account in the Times, 27 July, 1883, p. 2, quoted from the Sportsman just before his death, Webb is reported to have told the ferryman, in answer to a ques- tion, that he made 25,000 dollars by his Channel swim, and had then 15,000 still left. " Then," retorted the boatman, '• let me row you ashore and spend the rest of your money before you try this swim." These answers (if truly reported) were no doubt given on the principle that the questions were im- pertinent and ought not to have been asked. Then the ' D.N.B.' says that the railway companies had capital embarked in the Niagara attempt, but this is expressly denied in the account of the Times, 27 July, 1883. Then we are told by the 'D.N.B.': "He was perceived to throw up his arms, with his face towards the Canadian shore, but was never seen to rise again." This is literally true, but nevertheless gives a wrong im- pression, for his body was found—a rather uncommon thing in the liapids—and an inquest was held, which, I find from Palmer's invaluable index, was duly chronicled in the Times, 30 and 31 July, and 11 August, 1883. On p. 11 of 'The Art of Swimming' Webb says he was told by "Mr. Smith, of Uni- versity College Hospital, Oower Street." How both Webb and Payne could make such a mistake as this I cannot understand. Of course, I knew that Mr. Henry Smith, of King's College Hospital, had examined Webb and sent a note of it to the Lancet, but with such precise information as " University Col- lege " and the address, it never occurred to me that a mistake had been made. There was no " Smith " on the staff of University College Hospital in 1876, and I am quite satisfied that Henry Smith, M.D. (died 1894*), is the person intended. As Webb made this mistake, I think I am quite justified in assuming that he also made a mistake in imagining that Henry Smith, M.D., told him the nonsense he attributes to " Mr. Smith." He says Mr. Smith told him " that he believed more than six hours' sleep at a time to be absolutely injurious." There is little doubt that Webb's growth upwards was arrested by his only having four hours' sleep at a time from the age of fourteen. Dr. Thomas Law Webb, his brother, says this was probably so. ^Yebb was 5 ft. 8 in. stripped. According to the automatic weighing-machines, which give "Dr. Hutchin- 1 am indebted to F. Boase's ' Modern English Biography' for the dates of deaths throughout this note. son" as authority, Webb was out of pro- portion. I find the table referred to in "The Spirometer and Scale-Balance, by John Hutchinson, M.D.," published in 1852."* Oddly enough, he takes Webb's height for an example of the working of his table. On p. 66 he says: " This reads a man 5 ft. 8 in should weigh 11 st. 1 Ib." Webb, however, defied tables, for his actual weight stripped was 14 st. 71b.! He ought to have been about 6 ft. 4 in. in height. On p. 17 of 'The Art of Swimming' is an account, without, however, a date, of Webbs jumping from the s.s. Russia, for which he received the Stanhope gold medal. Ltind and Water of 4 Sept., 1875, p. 182, says this was on the 22nd, but the Field says it was 23 April, 1873. I believe the 22nd is the correct date. Talking one day with a friend, he said he had seen the original chart used for Webb's swim. 1 somewhat earnestly at once re- pudiated this, as I had seen the original at the British Museum. Nevertheless my friend was able to satisfy me that he was right Thereupon I spent some time in investigating this point, and I find that there are two original charts, and there may even be others. Mr. George H. Ward, who was the only non-seaman in the open row-boat the whole time, and who has kindly answered my questions, says, " I was not in a position to know who marked the course or how many had charts," so that it is clear that the charts were in the lugger. This is also confirmed by Q. R. Shingleton. who told me he was in the open row-boat twenty-eight hours, and whom I saw at Dover in May last, but his name is not in the list I give further on. RALPH THOMAS. Clifford s Inn. (To be continued.) CATALOGUES OF ENGLISH BOOK SALES. (Continued from 9th S. v. 492.) Hackett, C. Danvers, 1859, Feb. 23-24. P. Hall, Archdeacon, 1814, March 28 and 9 days. S. HalI<1.fa-%.,ReK-l;R f'J837' ***• 5 and 2 days- Griffiths & Son, Ludlow. [Halliwell J O.], 1836 May 23. S.-1857, May 21-23. ^TTVisu' S. - 1858, June 26. S.- 1861, April 15. 8. [Hamilton, Capt.J, 1859, Nov. 16 and 3 days. P. Hamilton Palace and Beckford Returns (i.e., im- perfect books), 1884, July a S. See also Beck- Hamilton Palace MSS., 1889, May 23. Hamper, W., 1831, July 21-23. E. • This was the only book he wrote, but rivine fresh facts scientifically it has spread his name all over the world. He died in Fiji in 1861.