London, July 1.
By the photographs taken at the Bath Club Princess Margaret dives remarkably, not because she isa Princess but "really well. Princess Elizabeth ig only shown in the lite saving part of her competition, but ther swimming is said to be very strong. As you know, both won in their respective competitions which Included a length breast-stroke, width back-stroke, life saving and a dive from the side." Princess Margaret won against eight competitors, Princess Elizabeth against 10, and the Queen watched from the "balcony. Except for rising with the other competitors when Her Majesty entered, they gave no recognition of their mother, How English!
Granted that the Princesses got special attention from their instructress Miss Amy Dale and the Queen, congratulating her after the compet! tion, said "They owe it sll to you")
was nevertheless' a good performance, and worth thinking of. T doubt whether Queen Victoria ever bathed her life let alone learnt to swim. But even up to the War, boys and Airls, unless they lived by the sea or good river, mostly could not swim, Rudyard Kipling in "Stalky & Ca." confesses that when he was first at Westward Ho he was a "water-funk" as innumerable children were, Now swimming is a regular part of educa-Hon and the joyousness with which small brats leap into deep water Is a sight, So the Princesses are quite {in the order of things. We may see them at Wembley one day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.