Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-11-02
SWIMMING THE CHANNEL.
A Gamble with the Tides and winds
They Usually win.
(From the New York SUM-

(From the New YORK SUM-
For several wears three men have been
conspicuous in trying to swim the Eng
lish channel, a feat which Captain Mat
thew Webb accomplished on his second
attempt IN 1876. T. w. Burgess, who
succeeded recently, after being nearly
twenty-four hours in the water, In reach
Ing Cape Griznez from Dover. has been
more persistent than HIS rivals. but Mon
tagu Holbein and Jabez Wolfe have
made go many gallant efforts that to
keep count of them is difficult. On Au-
gust 6, 1907. Mr. Wolfe had to give up
when only thrce-quarters Of mile from
the French coast. Nr. Holbein entered
the water on the French side at Cape
GriHnez August ~. 1909. at 5.+5 p. M,
swan all night. and began the day with
high hopes OF wading out on the beach
at Dover, but eventually he had the
same experience as every other contend
or, nut Webb Mr.. Burgess. on one of hts
earlier swims. got within hailing distance
Of the French coast. but had to own
himself beaten, although his strokes We're
still vigorous He was able to climb
the ladder of tug without assistance.
Captain webb seems to have had re-
narSable luck with the tides in 1915
swimming the channel turns upon the
question of taking advantage of AMI
"bucking" the contcndng tides from east
to west and west to east as they swirl
through the strait II It were only a mat
ter OF distance there are probably 1oO
men in England, country OF strong
swimmers who could cross from Dover
TO the cape between Calais and Bou-
lopne IN about twelve hours The tides
T..
Atlantic simultaneously and ebb in tn"
same way. About where the rising tides
meet n stream is formed--the intermedi-
ate stream. 1t is called. Il runs at flrs.
with what is called the channel stream
and turning, runs with the North Sea
strenm. High tides are often very high,
sometimes forty feet High winds also
prevail In the strait In which the water
is always In motion one way or the other
II is said to be never slack. A swim
mer may make the incest calculations to
catch favorable tide TO carry him first
east and then west. only 10 find that the
wind upsets them and he is borne along
so far in one direction that ne can never
make up the lost space when the tide
turns
The truth is that swimming the chan
unusually high tide driven by strong
wind has sometimes set at naugh, the
efforts of the swimmer when his face
could he distinguished from the shore
toward which he was struggling To
realize what endurance is required to
make the attempt creditably II must bo
understood that tie water is not only
often rough, but always cold even in
midsummer Nourishment or stmuants
are needed by the swimmer every two
or tsree hours, and his body must b..
well oiled. only a powerful full-hloodcd
man In perfect physical condition AMI
a natural long dlstance swimmer can
hope to conquer tho channel II is one
of the greatest feats Of endurance even
TO fail respectfully. Mr. burgess will b.
envied 10y Messrs. Wolfe and Holbein.
but doubtless they will continue to strug-
gle with he tides In the strait. having
faith that some day or other they will
have the same luck thai made the sue
cess of the Yorkshireman possible.