A CLAIM TO HAVE SWAM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12470, 22 February 1909, Page 4

A CLAIM TO HAVE SWAM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.

American newspapers have lately .devoted some attention to the claim of Samuel Manoney, a well-known swimmer, that in September last he swam across the Channel from Saugatte, to the South Foreland.; ,.'. Mr Mahoney now gives his own account •of the crossing in an article in the "Sketch." ■ He went to Saugatte at the end of Julyjhe says, aud devoted six weeks : to- training and studying the; moods of- the Channel. He entered the water at 9 a.m. on September 11. He had-oiled himself with olive oil, and had applied a thick coating of grease to his body to keep out the cold; but the water was warmer than that to which he had been . accustomed. He was followed by a French tug and by a small boat, from which he was fed at intervals on sugar, grape-juice and ..oh' ve . oil. He swam out against, tiie. flood tide , in a smooth sea ; using the~side stroke. •Generally . his course wa,s north-west^ erly until the tide turned, when he turned south-west and prepared for a long struggle to the Varne Buoy. His course had been planned to carry him away from the current off Cape Grizel, and to leave him in a good position for crossing the .Goodwin Sands on the next tide." He had had onlv two ••hours of sunshine, . and at midday rain fell. He reached Varne Buoy at 5.30 p.m., aud made at once towards -the Goodwin Sands. "Just here," he says, "I found that the . overhand stroke -'■ was telling on my endurance, so I changed to the breast stroke. I confess at this point in the s^vim I felt about 'all in.' A thunder shower had come up, it was pouruig in torrents, and. had it not beep, for the encouragement of thpse acepmpanying me, I think I would have (juit. As it was, I took a little grape-]uice aud olive oil, and a big drink of water, and then started for shore straight acrpss the tide." He had Jo go with the tide, however, and it was not until the tide; .turned that he felt himsetf making good progress; At three o'clock in the morning the cliffs were looming up, and Mahoney kept steadily at work, though he was losing the eifective use of his. legs. At 4.30 a'm. he was" 'within a quarter of a ftiile of the shore, and a final spurt "carried him into shallow water. He was in the water twenty- hours, and covered forty-one miles. Mahoney claims that he made the swim unaided and states ' that he is confident that he will be able to improve upon his performance next summer. — * rsf.