SWI. ( 886 ) S W I
Anitnalium , has also touched upon thesubject, and may be consulted.
It is ascertained, upon the truestprinciples in hydrostatics, that the bodyof a man is nearly equal, in weight orgravity, to the proportionate volume ofwater in w hich it is immersed ; so thatit is, almost of itself, in equilibrium, andconsequently requires very little aid tosupport it.
There is noxountry, perhaps, bettercalculated for improvement in this artthan Great Britain and Ireland ; andnone in which common sense prescribesmore forcibly the necessity of havingits youth early instructed. It is mani-fest, that although every sea officer isexposed ten times a day to the dangerof being drowned, too few of that classknow how to swim. We have, indeed,experienced, in the loss of the brave andgallant Captain Jarvis, the truth of thisobservation.
The French have paid particular at-tention to this branch of military know-ledge, and there are not only individualsattached to their armies, w ho can swimwith perfect ease, but companies, calledcompagniesde nageurs , have been formed,and are still encouraged in their service.Their dress is adapted to the functionsthey are destined to perform, such aspassing a river, &c. in order of battle,or in detached parties, &c. for the pur-pose of surprizing an enemy’s advancedposts, or of affording assistance (by drag-ging light cables across) to targe bodiesof their own men who might be orderedto pass in pontoons.
In 1799 a detachment of French swimmers passed the river Linth in theneighbourhood of Zurich , took the ad-vanced posts of the Cossacks by sur-prize, and cut them to pieces. Thevictory, indeed, which was afterwardsgained by Massena over the Russians ,was entirely owing to the protectionwhich this corps of swimmers afforded,when a considerable division of French troops effected their passage over theLinth . It is well known, that the Rus-sian general Prince Corsacow, made amost disorderly retreat out of Zurich ,after having lost his military chest, hismagazines, stores, &c. and upwards of5000 men. The particulars of thisevent may be seen in General Massena’sdispatches, where he speaks in the highestterms of the corps of swimmers.
der the command of Moreau , waswatching the right bank of the Danube ,that French general followed the ex-ample ttf Massena, and was equally suc-cessful. Two companies of experiencedswimmers crossed the river during thenight, and whilst one was engaged indriving in the Austrian advanced posts,the other was employed in draggingsome pontoon* across, and thus enableda whole battalion to get over.
The Austrians, being suddenly at-tacked throughout the whole extent oftheir cantonments, made a precipitateretreat, and before the close of thefollowing day, the whole of the repub-lican division were on the right bank ofthe Danube .
We are perfectly convinced withinourselves (and indeed the example ofthe ancients as well as the practice ofthe modern French bear us through)that the formation of a school of mili-tary natation would he very beneficialto Great Britain . A small corps ofswimmers could, in the space of sixweeks or two months, at farthest, herendered not only masters of the artthemselves, but be made capable ofteaching others.
Extract of a letter written by General Moreau , when he had the chief com-mand of the army of the Rhine , tothe minister of the war department.Neresheim , 24 Ik June .—I herewithtransmit to you a copy of my dispatchto the First Consul, with a correct de-tail of the battle of Ilochstedt. Mar-shal Kray is forced to abandon Uim.This successful event on our part is ofconsiderable moment; but great exer-tions were required to secure it. Youwill be able to form some opinion ofthe difficulties we had to encounter,when I state, that although we hadneither the advantage of a bridge, nor asingle pontoon to cross on, the passageof the river was rendered easy by the in-trepidity of a small body of swimmers.
Certified as correct,
(Signed) Carnot.After having given a detailed accountof the state of the two armies, theFrench general states, that eighty swim-mers having crossed the river, and beingsupplied (by means of two very smallboats dispatched after them) with mus-kets and cartouch boxes, took posses-sion of the two villages of Grensheim