The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-28
SWIMMING THE CHANNEL.
Eleven Hours In Water-Taken Out in =
state near Collapse.


DOVER, Aug. 15.-At a few minutes be-
fore one o'clock ttis morning, Mr.. Cnvli came
down on TO the Admiralty Pier and, after the
passengers from the Ostend mail packet had
landed, he undressed himself. He was then
thoroughly rubbed down from head to foot
with porpOise oil. and be put on a pair OF draw
ers and a Jersey. DR.. Clements Walter accom-
panied the swimmer. and. having examined hip
oefore the start, pronounced him To be IN excel
lent condition. A small crowd bad assembled
on the pier, and they gave him hearty cheer
"a be- dived from the pier head at few minutes
Ann, and was attended by two smal boats The
sea was caiul, and there was all almost imper-
stars shone brightly. The temperature Of the
water was So.
Caviu started at a rapid pace, and at 2 O'Clock
was abreast Of Shakespeare Chn, well out In
the tideway. After = long pull tue lugger came
up with the small boat al 2;lo, and gave the
he was getting on all right At i've minutes to
the harOor tug Granville came out Ia him, Out
remained by MIN only few minutes. Accord
Ing to bearings taken from the pier and Folke-
stone lights, Cavili at 3 O'Clock was ga miles
direct from contemporaries CIin. Al 800 ne took
some hot coffee. Daylight appeared al about
o'clock, Dut though the weather continued fine,
the water did not improve In smoothness.
Cayill had some beef tea AT 40 and maiDthined
a rapid pace, steering as straight as possible for
Cape Grsnez. Twenty minutes later he bad
short spurt to come up with the boat, which had
left him some distance behind, and o'clock ne
nad some more coffee.
The ebb tide had now turned 20 the food,
which carried him to the northeast OF the NarTe
buoy. At seven he shouted to Mr.. Toms, asking
hun the distance from shore, and received In re-
ply " You are seven miles on, right IN the stream
Of the Virnv." The sun beginning to shine out
brightly had the effect OF increasing the TEN
perature Of the water td5Js degrees), and Cavill
said he found u warmer. by 800 II was reported
that he Vas nall way across, and he took more
been In "a boat alongside the swimmer. returned
TO the llgger and reported Clvill To be cheerful,
although complaining of chilliness. He was Il this
tune cling about twenty strokes per minute. He
was told about THIS tlme tnat he WIS only I've
miles from the coast OF France, and he asked
how long that would take. The answer was,
ABOUT Ave hours aud he I'd, 81 cannot 30
that" His gradual exhaustion WAS now becom-
ing apparent, and the effect produced by 10 con
tinued exertions was aggravated by an attack Of
wind ON the stomach. lie declined To take any
more solid meat. DR.. Walter gave him, at a
quarter to eleven, ammonia as "a stlnulant, but
the effect was not nstlng.
AT Ave minutes to o'clock Mr.. Pamplln WIS
lust about " enter the water to swim by Cavllis
side, but Mr.. Saith, Ca'llls represen tative IN
the lugger, after consulting with Mr.. Toms, the
P9 called n out ME sInF no H. .a YS1 cl G4d
was not wiling to come out, and Mr.. Smith an
swered, " Tell MIN he has been an hour and a
quarter 6 dorS ls' mr. M sm e en shuued
10 the swimmer, you had better get out.
Fred" Cavil reluctantly gave way, and was
with some difficulty lifted into the boat. lie
had been eleven hours IN the water. According
to Mr.. Toms's calculation, which was made with
greai care, he was ~ miles ron Dover ron 2n
the nearest land, from Cape Grishez, and os
from Calais
Sir. Clement Walter, the Dover surgeon who
accompanied Cavill, saws tnat the swim ner
maintained fair temperature TIL noon. short
ly before one he became perfectly white, and pc
gan to roll about IN the water IKE struggling
dog. The doctor said ne would not hold him
self responsible for the swimmers life. and pre-
p rations were at once made To get him out. A
sheet was cast under his body and no was lifted
into the boat, a matter OF some difficulty with
SO heayyla man. He was uDcoDscious, aud re-
NAMED 80 for over twenty minutes. notwith-
standing that every effort was made TO resusci-
tate MIN. lie was for time almost pulseless.