SWIMMING CHANNEL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16537, 22 September 1921, Page 3

SWIMMING CHANNEL.

AIRS HA MILTON'S ATTEMPT. LONDON, September 2. The great public interest in Mrs Arthur Hamilton’s recent attempt to swim the. English Channel, and her i disinclination to publish the chart and ; log book, which she refused, to produce i when asked to do so, is now m ten si- j tied by hqr dramatic announcement that she wishes 1:o withdraw her previous statement, and admits that she does not possess a chart-. The skipper of the accompanying tug has already denied knowledge of it.. Coincident with this sensation/ the “ Evening Standard ” publishes an astonishing statement, signed by Arthur .Porter, a prominent* resident of Alargate, in reference to Airs Hamilton's swim on September 1 of last year, when she is alleged to have reached within nine miles of th© French coast. Porter nays that Airs Hamilton, instead of swimming, spent the night in liis motor boat in Dover Harbour, and adds: ‘*J cannot be. silent any longer. AFrs Hamilton hired my boat to accompany her on her swim, starting from St Afarga.ret’s Bay.” Porter liirnself skippered the craft,: and had a crew ot three. " Airs Hamilton started to swim/E says Porter, hut soon said. ‘Of 1 course l shan’t be able to but . I’ll get as tar as 1 can.’ ’• Three-quarters of a mile out she complained of feeling tired and unwell. T '/suggested re-cmharking, and Airs Hamilton complied. 1 suggested landing. but Airs Hamilton said. ‘ I cannot go ashore. 1 must stay out all night.’ “ AY(‘ put in to Dover, moored to a buoy, and slept aboard. AY© returned to St Margaret’s' at dawn and landed at Deal. “ Airs Hamilton, meanwhile, wrote a. report, and later showed me newspaper accounts describing the abandonment of tho swim near the French coast.” ‘ Airs -Willing and another Channel swimmer interrogated Porter, who suggested to Airs Hamilton that sho ought to correct the published mis*. statemonts. * Airs Hamilton did not comply, but merely replied asking him to refuse ip- see Airs AVilling. as it was no business of hers.”