San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-07
AMERICAN IS
SUCCESSFUL IN
CHANNEL SWIM
Sullivan Lands at Calais,
France, After Long
Struggle.
WOMAN GIVES 1T UP
Mrs. Carson Completely
Exhausted Six Miles
From Shore.
WOMAN GIVES IT UP
BY the Associated Press.

Dover, Aug. 7.-Observers who were
in the small boat that accompanied
Henry Sullivan of Lowell, Mass, on
his swim across the English channel
say that in the final stages of his
great effort the American athlete
showed a marvellous degree Of dogged
determination.
Sullivan had the misfortune TO meet
one strong tide setting from French
capes and the captain Of the accom-
panying motor lugger estimated that
but for this the swim world have
been accomplished in about Elk hours
less time. As it was, Sullivan per-
formed the feat in 81 hours % min
utes, as compared with Captain
Webb's 81 hours 45 minutes and
Burgess 90 hours 81 minutes.
Because of this battling tide ii took
the swimmer from 8:15 o'clock yester-
day morning until s :05 last night TO
make the last six miles Of his journey.
The trouble was cue to the flood tide
which was running two ours behind
its normal schedule.
Little Change for Hours.
The last twelve hours of the swim
proved 10 be tremendous endurance
test. At s O'Clock yesterday morning
the pier at Calais YVES little over
three miles ahead. but for the next
two hours. the swimmers relative
position to the land was unchanged.
Then the tide set off the coast and
Sullivan was forced to make great
fight 10 retain his advantage.
When Sullivan first felt bottom, he
attempted TO stand but staggered as
though intoxicated, and one Of the
crew, jumped from the boat up TO his
waist in water.
II don't want any help" cried Sui
Ivan. I'll finish this myself"
He staggered ashore.
First Food Was Ice Cream.
A scene of wild enthusiasm followed
on the part OF the crowd and every
one wanted to help carry 10 the Casino
the first American ever to accomplish
the channel swim. Incidentally. il
was just as well they did not, as his
body was covered with grease.
Sullivan's first food when he reached
the Casino was n dish of ice cream.
He later took little soup.
Only once during the nearly IS
hours he was in the water did Sullivan
take nourishment, and then he ate an
egg and drank some milk. He was q
little sick during the early stages Of
the journey. He drank hot WAFER,
which Immediately relieved him. He
chatted all the way with the occu-
pants of the boat and was apparently
little distressed at any time.
Sullivan swan nearly 90 miles. al
though the distance from point to
point as an airplane makes the trip
is only approximately 90 Is miles.
Mrs. Clemington Carson, the Ameri-
can woman long distance swimmer, is
reported TO have abandoned her at
tempt to swim the channel at point
six miles off Cape Gris-Nez oil the
French coast. She is said TO have be-
come very exhausted during the last
half hour she was in the water.
Wants no More Honors.
I'm satisfied with what I've done:
I'm not planning any other swim; all
/ want is Sleep" Sullivan told the
correspondent upon returning to
Dover today in the motor boat which
had accompanied him across the chan
mel.
Sullivan's eyes were slightly blood
shot and his rudy face was bristling
with two-day growth of beard, but
he was smiling almost from ear to
ear and declared he felt fine-not
tired but sleepy, although he had
caught n few hours sleep last nigH
in Calais.
From start to finish. Sullivan
plugged away with a straight breast
stroke. He says he had found from
experience that to alter stroke or
flop over on mis- back for, rest
caused the muscles to contract and
bodied i'll for the achievement Of an
such as his.
The Daily Sketch announced today
that it had decided to award to Sui
Ivan the 1000 pounds prize it of
fered some time ago fer the channel
swim. The newspaper says that al
though Sullivan entered the contest
he did not fulfill the conditions. in
AS much as there was no representa-
tive of the paper in the accompanying
boat, but that in view of his pluck
and the fact that there is no doubt
If his having accomplished the feat,
The prize will be awarded.
mi Fed WIG HAnnY