The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-12
Vim. T. Burgess Swims
English Channel On
Sixteenth Attempt
TRIED IT FIRST IN 1904

The Hero of the Story StarteSi From
and Landed at In Chatelet at s:5s
Yesterday Morning. Accomplishing
utes, After Much Adventure.
(By the Associated Press
Deal. Eng, Sept. 6.-After a lapse
of SO years Captain Matthew Webb
feat Of swimming the English chan
mel has been duplicated by VIM. r.
Burgess, a Yorkshireman by birth
and a naturalized Frenchman. 1t
was Burgess sixteenth attempt, he
having first essayed the task IN 1904.
Burgess started from South Fore
land, Dover. at Has O'Clock Tuesday
morning. He landed at lie Chate5st.
a little village two miles east OF
Cape Girls Nez. at $50 o'clock this
morning, accomplishing the passage
in % hours and 35 minutes. A
motor boat accompanied lhe swim
mer, and it is estimated that Bur-
CESS, owing to the zigzag course he
was compelled TO take because of the
battling tides. covered sixty miles.
Soon after the start a dense fog
settled down over the channel and
no further ti6ings of his progress
We're received until the announcements
was made that he had successfully
accomplished the task and landed on
the French side.
Throughout the trip Burgess was
favored by a calm sea, but a strong
tide was running and a severe strain
was put on the to get past
the Goodwin Sands. Twice he was
attacked by sickness. and several
times was only held TO his task by
the strongest will power and the en-
c~ouraging words of the men in the
boat. He remained on French soil
just long enough to telegraph word
of his success to his wife and partake
Of refreshments in a bathing box
Then he returned by motor boat TO
rest and sleep.
When he landed at Deal this even
ing Burgess received a tremendous
ovation and with difficulty made his
way through the cheering throng 20
a hotel.
Speaking Of his great achievement
he said. In the time the swim
occupied ] should have been able TO
cross the hannel twice, but for the
adverse currents. Against these j
had a terrific fight and again came
within an ace Of failing. When ap-
preaching Cpe Girls Nez, the strong
outward set Of the current forced
me TO alter my course three times.
l was held up for some time. but
when / had rounded the corner l
found slack water and then knew that
] was assured of success.
1T was just in the slack of the tide
that I got in. IF had not managed
it then l might have missed il and
Grifted to ala 1t took three full
lrtes and two part tides TO bring me
over.
Il was severely stung several times
by Jelly fish, and while in mid channel,
after a sick spell, l Iclt heart broken.
For a while / was almost delirious,
but my pilots began to sing. and this
gave me fresh courage to p~erSevere."
1t was seven O'Clock in he morning
when the swimmer sighted Girls NeZ
sCmaphore. He was then two miles
to the west, southwest. In those
two miles il was a battle with the cur
rents, but when Burges got within
he shelter of the Cape he swan
easily ashore He umb for two
or three steps then walked steadily
assistance. He looked re-
markabIy fresh, considering his long
immersien-
Paris, Sept. 6.-The news hat Bur
CESS had repeated the famous exploit
of Captain Webb. in 1875. IN swim
ming the English Channel caused
much enthusiasm in Paris. Burgess
is an old resident Of Paris and has
taken part in all the most notable
swimming events in France in the
last decade.
London, Sept. 6.-The King tonight
sent a telegram of hearty c~ongratula-
tons to Burgess.