SWIMMING THE CHANNEL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18990, 11 October 1923, Page 5

SWIMMING THE CHANNEL.

CONQUERED TWICE IN A WEEK. ARGENTINE'S RECORD TIME. In the same week as that in which Sullivan, (he American, swam the English Channel, the task was accomplished by Tirahosehi. an Argentinian, who, starting from the French shore at 8.8 p.m. on August 11, reached Dover at 12.33 next day. He thus set up a brilliant new record for Channel swims. His time, 16 hours 25 minutes, was 5 hours 20 minutes faster than t'ne previous record bv Captain M ebb in 1875. Tirahosehi's feat differs from the others, as he stalled from the French coast, the previous successful swimmers—Sullivan, Burgess, ami Captain Webb—having begun from the English side. Togh and Richards, the Americans, and Maciel, another Argentine, who started together from Dover on August 11. had to give up. Togh did best in getting within two and a-half miles of the French shore. The Paris correspondent of the Daily Clinnocle writes concerning Tirnbosrhi’s feat: I saw Tirahosehi off yesterday evening when he left Cape Grinez at 8.8. Ho was full of hope. He said to me: “East year when I attempted the Channel swim I took the wrong direction. After fighting against the flood tides and currents during 19i hours I suffered so much from the cold that when one and a-half miles from the goal 1 had to give up. This time my experience will serve me as far as the currents are concerned. As for the cold, the water is rather warm this year. And besides 1 have taken my precautions.” These consisted in covering his chest all over with grease, and donning dark-coloured tights—rovering all his body, including his feet, with the exception, however, of his head and hands. “You look exactly like one of those professional hotel thieves,” remarked one of Ids assistants laughingly, when be was dressed in tights. His head was protected by a special cap. “With this I’ll not feel the cold,” he said. Tirahosehi, who gave mo an account of his crossing on his return to Calais this afternoon, said that the first part of his performance was accomplished without incident. During his attempt last year he had to change his course five or six times, _ according to the tide currents. But this time, having carefully laid his plans accordto the tides, lie simply ignored the currents and, swimming swiftly and displaying considerable strength, passed across them. The route he followed was a sort of big V, one end being Capo Grisncz, the other Dover, and the base east of Cape Grisnez. During his swim Tirabosch took but Itllo food or drink. He never complained about the fatigue or cold, and in answer to the question of the captain of the tug Champion. which was escorting him, he invariably replied: “Pm all right and comfortable.” Towards 9 o’clock this morning, ns lie was approaching the English coast, the captain of The Champion warned Tirahosehi they were about to cross a strong and dangerous current, which, if the plucky swimmer did not collect all his strength, might sweep him off his course several miles. “I had better take my coat off, shouted the Italian, and to the astonishment of everyone in the tug Tirahosehi proceeded, with apparently remarkable ease, to take off his tights, which, as one may imagine, would be an extremely difficult thing to do for a man who had been swimming already for nearly 12 hours. This very act convinced the captain of the tug that Tirahosehi was still in perfect condition, and would make short work of the cross-tide current. Swimming—his body now completely nude—the Italian managed to negotiate the dangerous zone without great difficulty, and ho continued to swim rapidly towards Dover. He arrived in front of Shakespeare Cliff in the afternoon—at 12.35 exactly. » While the tug went into harbour Tirahosehi made for the beach, followed hy a small boat carrying the official controllers. The beach was crowded with people, and there were many bathers. Tirahosehi went to a man who was bathing and asked him to be good enough to go and borrow a couple of dressing gowns. This was done, and robed in. these gowns, the new champion swimmer landed and walked some 50 yards on the beach. Tirahosehi proceeded to an hotel, accompanied by loud cheering, where he took a, hot bath, dressed himself, and partook of some food. Then ho walked quietly to the harbour, whore ho boarded the Champion an hour after-his arrival at Dover, and then left for Calais. WEBB’S CHANNEL SWIM. A FRENCH ALLEGATION. The Petit Parisien has published a letter from a correspondent who denies that. Captain Webb swam the Channel unaided in 1875. The paper states that, its correspondent is right, and that his allegation is supported by other old residents who remembered Captain Webb’s performance. It is contended that he paddled across in a floating suit, and that ‘'all-he had to do was to use his arms and legs; the suit kept him afloat.’’ Others state that it was well known Captain Webb was not a great swimmer, and that when lie swam the Loire he used his floating suit. Fortunately for the credit of the English swimmer it is easy to disprove the allegations of the Petit. Parisian's correspondents, who are obviously confusing Captain Webb and Captain Boyton, the inventor of a life-saving dress with which ho was experimenting about the same time. Captain Webb never wore any such suit. How easily the mistake could be made will bo seen from the following table of dates of the two events : April 10, 1875.—Captain Pant "Boyton attempted to cress the Channel in a floating dress. May 2D, 1875. —Captain Pant Boyton paddled across the Channel in his life-saving dress. July 20, 1375.—Captain Webb swam from Dover to lintr.f gate. August 12, 1873.—Captain Webb attempted to swim across the Channel. Tjnsuceessful. August 24, 1875.—Captain Webb swam the Channel. It is true that doubts were cast on the genuineness of Captain Webb’s performance —not, however, on account of any dress he was supposed to have been wearing. but apparently through a suspicion that he rested himself by holding on to the accompanying boat. This allegation can fortunately be also disproved in the most convincing manner. Mr J. Bavington Jones, of the Dover Express, who was commissioned to write the full report which appeared in the Daily Telegraph of August 25, 1875, afterwards republished in book form the lengthy account he supplied to his ovai paper, and in a prefatory note to the first edition he states; — As there have recently been some questions raised as to the genuineness cf the performance. I further state that Captain Webb did the swim without any aid whatever, and that the refreshments which lie took were handed to him in the water without his touching the rowing boat or anything else, for support. As additional corroboration there is the evidence of the crew of the lugger Anne, which accompanied Captain Webb. Taken at the time, it was as follows: Dover, August 26, 1875. We, the undersigned, arc the rr- w of the lugger Anne, that accompanied Captain Webb in his swim across the Channel, and we can prove- and are ready, if necessary, to take our oath in a Court oi Law, that Captain Wel.h swam fairly the whole di.-tanee from Lover to Calais without any assistance, save what was civni him in the shape of retno-hinf nt.s, and that Captain Well a during the whole period, never touched the boat or any rope or anything whatever, save, as we have before said, the eatp containing the refreshmrnt given him. (Signed) c.eorge Toms, 28 ITnwkesburv street, Dover. Janies Bowles. 50 Oieuden str, rt. Henry Jell. 4 Seven Star street. Kd ward Stanley, 11 Hawkesbury street. John Decent, 2 Oxenden lane. .1. Cates, tl Seven Star street. John Dodd, 17 Bulwark street. Witnesses: A. ft. I’.avne and C. W. Baker. 2 Chore!i terrace. Queen's road, Battersea Park. Mr A. O. Payne, one of the witnesses to this document, was the sporting editor of (ho Standard, ami it was owing to Ids forethought that it was drawn up and signed by the men who witnessed Captain Webb’s great feat from start to finish. The original document is in the posse.-sion of the proprietors of Snorting Life, in which paper if was published. It is an easy matter also to refute the statements made by the Petit Parbsien's eorrospondonts to the effect that Captain Wehh “was not a great swimmer.” A gentleman on the staff of the Sportsman, who has a clear recollection of the event and the great interest it excited, informed a representative of the Daily Telegraph fhat Captain Wehh was not a rapid swimmer or a stvlist. but he possessed wonderful powers of endurance, as was proved by his feat. The captain was engaged in the mercantile marine. and had distinguished himself on more than one occasion by saving the life of a comrade from drowning. In 1875 Captain Webb abandoned a seafaring life and became a professional swimmer. Before his Channel feat, which lie performed in 211 hours, he svfam from Blackw.aH Pie" to Gravesend on July 3, 1575, a distance of 20 miles, in hours, a record which remained unbeaten until 18S9. After swim-

ruing the Channel he pave performances of diving and swimming at the, i\oyal Aquarium. Westminster, and elsewhere. He afterwards went to America, where he met his tragic death in his attempt In svvitu the rapids and whirlpool below Niagara Falls on July 24. 1883.