This body of water is the most uncertain and the roughest of seas.

Many people who are fine sailors and have made many voyages to Europe
say they would rather cross the Atlantic than the English Channel.

The reason for this is that the vast body of water which forms the North
Sea, in forcing its way between the narrow straits of Dover, is driven
into short cross-waves and currents, which make the sea always choppy
and rough.

Many swimmers have made the attempt to swim this Channel before, among
them Boyton, and Captain Webb who lost his life in an attempt to swim
the Niagara Rapids.

No one has so far achieved success.

McNally succeeded in reaching within three miles of the French coast,
but he was then so exhausted that he had to be pulled into the boat and
give up the attempt.

He had announced that he would swim the Channel, and had been some days
in Dover, swimming over a part of the course, and getting himself in
training for the final effort.

He started from the Dover pier, followed by a row-boat in which were two
sailors, a newspaper man, and his trainer.

When he started out he had no intention of taking the swim. He merely
went out for exercise. The weather was so foggy that his companions
urged him to turn back and exercise later in the day.