New-York tribune., 1911-09-07
'SW|MS ENGLISH CHANNEL
Burgess Duplicates FeatAchieved
by Captain Webb in 1875.
is STUNG BY JELLYFlSH
Disheartened at One Point AL
most to Delirium, but Success
Comes After AZ 1-2 Hours.

1
London, Sept 6-WIll,am T. Burgess.
/ Yorkshirenan by birth and a naturalized
/ Frenchman. accomplished to-day the feat
OF swimming TO France. Though scores OF
attempts have been made 20 duplicate Cap
( tain webbs performance in 1875. this is the
only one which has succeeded. Burgess
/ first essayed the task in 1904, and has sue
ceeded only on his sixteenth attempt.
/ On this occasion, which Burgess declared
would be his last attempt, Burgess started
from South Foreland. Dover, at His o'clock
/ Tuesday morning, and landed at lie Cnate-
/ let, a little village two miles east or cape
/ Girls Nez. at $50 o'clock this morning, ac-
complaining the passage in q hours %
minutes. A motor boat accompanied the
swimmer. and Il is estimated that Burgess,
owing to the zigzag course he was COM
PEELED TO take because Of the banning tioes'
covered sixty miles.
Soon after the start dense fog settled
down over the Channel, and no furtheI
tidlngs OF his progress were received until
J the announcement was made that he mad
successfully accomplished the task ana
landed on the French side.
/ Throughout the trip Burgess was favored
/ by calm sea, but a strong tide was run
ming and a severe strain was put on 'he
swimmer 10 get past the Goodwin SaIius.
Twice he was attacked by sickness ana
several times was only held 70 his TASK
/ by the strongest will power and the en-
couraging words of the men IN the noa''
/ He remained on French soil just long
enough 70 telegraph word OF MS SUICIDES
/ 10 his wife in Levallois. near Paris anu
/ partake of refreshments in oathing Oo"'
/ Then he returned h. the motor ooat-'o
rest and sleep.
Ovation at Deal.
When he landed at Deal this evening
Burgess received a trenendous o'a''0.i
and with difficulty made his way throus"
! the cheering crowd 10 hotel speaking
Of his achievement he said
"rn the time the swim occupied l should
/ have been able 10 cross the Channei t"lee
but Tor the adverse currents. Against
these I had a terrific fight and again came
within an ace OF failing. When approach
inp Cane Girls Nez the strong outward set
/ NJ the current forced me to alter my
course three times I was held up Ior
some time. but when had rounded the
!
that I was assured Of success.
,Tt was lust IN the slack of the tide that
/ T got in If I had not managed 1t then
/ : miebr have missed Il and drifted to
Calais. II took three full tides ana TWO
part tides to bring me over
.T was severely stung several times ny
! ieIvAsh, and while in mid-channel' atter
a sick spell. 7 felt heartbroken For
IL, n-~ dEIfr
my pilots began 10 sing and TINS gave me
fresh courage 10 persevere'
II was clock in the morning When the
swimmer sighted the semaphore az Trls
Nez. which is q miles from the EngHsh
coast He was then two miles 10 the west
southwest. In these two miles II was
hattie with the currents, but when Burgess
got within the shelter Of the cape ne swan
! easily ashore. he stumbled for TWO OF
three steps then walked steadily without
assistance.
The keeper Of the lighthouse first caught
sight Of two boats approaching the shore
2 n1otorboat and a Deal pilot boat He
then made out figure IN the water about
half mile away, struggling against the
fierce cross-currents. He saw Burgess
with a last great effort. reach the neacn
az LIE Chatelet and drag himseH ashore
Conveyed by Amateurs.
At the same time the bathers also caught
sight OF the swimmer and word was passed
rapidly that II was Burgess finishing MS
long swim. A large throng soon assembled
~ the waters edge and many persons
nlurped in and conveyed the plucky SWIM
/ r,er ashore. encoura ging him with cheers.
fWhen Burgess regained his feet ne was
seized. raised shoulder high and carried 10
\ bathhouse 10 the strains OF the Mar
seilaise." sung wildly by the excited crowd
After a rundown and the administration
of stimulants, Burgess did not appear
much worse for the ordeal
| For the trip across the Channel Burgess
vas we'll creased. lie wore a PAR OF
goggles and a rubber bathing cap. AZ
marty OF eleven accompanied him in the
rnotorboat. soon after the start the wind
frasbened. and for time the swimmer
had a bad experience in lumpy sea. The
water penetrated his goggles and especial
" affected the right eye, a small pool cob
/ leot,ug III the cyepiece and necessltatns
q change in the goggles many times.
Finally both eyes became badly nfiamed,
and during the first few hours the chances
of a successful issue seemed remote.
/ After four hours the wind began TO drop,
and with this change the sea fell smooth
again. The swimmer ate some sweet
/ chocolate which, however. he did not di-
/ gast and he consulted with the pilot as TO
/ the advisability Of his continuing. Being
1 informed that the wind was lessening be-
decided 10 60 on. although feeling in bad
condition.
By nightfall the wind had subs.dcd alto
gether and there was an oily calm on the
water Burgess had completely recovered
ana was swimming powerfully He was
bright and CHEEKY and from time 10 time
-chatted with mis- companions in the boat.
The next flood tide set him right back
/ toward England over the dreadful Ridge
/ shoal where he noticed the chill Of shal-
/ low water He asked that soundings be
/ taken. and being informed that the depth
was twenfy-one fathoms. he concluded
| that he was nearer England than France
! The swimmer Weidmsn dived in and
! accompanied Burgess from O'Clock until
after midnight The night was ideal. with
/ bright moon. but there was haze on
/ the water Burgess took hot milk. grapes
/ AMI chocolate at half hour intervals o..
Asked Men to Sing to Him.
At 4s0 o'clock in the morning the
/ dawning light showed them the French
village saLgatte. three miles distant Bur
i CESS complained Of feeling weak and light
I headed He said ne could see mrages and
had III OF the blues. and II the boys didn't
/ sing TO him he should soon chuck it,