ATTEMPTS ON EVEREST.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18423, 2 July 1925, Page 11

ATTEMPTS ON EVEREST.

.' -4 _ RECORD OF EXPEDITIONS. The record of the attempts which men have made to conquer the world's highest mountain was interrupted by the war, but it has no ' more ' interesting chapters than those ■ formed by the expeditions of Bury, Bruce, and-Norton, for a summary of which a correspondent has asked. ■•.....' In 1921, the consent of the Tib6tan Government having been obtained, the Royal Geographical Society and .the Alpine Club organised an expedition under Colonel Howard Bury to Examine the approaches to Everest, with a view to finding a, possible-route to the summit. It was found that gigantic precipices defended all out the north-eastern side of the mountain.

Iu 1022 the first attempt to' conquer; the mountain was made by a new expedition, led by General Bruce. Mallory, Dr. Somervell, Norton, and Morshead on May 20th reached '2.~,000ft, 2000 ft higher than the greatest altitude reached by the reconnoitring party the year before, and 400 ft higher than tho Duke of Abruzzi'a record , on Godwen-Austcn in 1907. Morshead being left behind, tho other thtfee reached. 26,800 ft without artificial aid. Captain Geoffrey Bruce and Finch, with the help of oxygen, reached 27,300 ft, only 1700 ft from the summit. But the moonsoon broke early on .tune 3rd. Seven bearers were swept away into a crevasse, and tho attempt was abandoned. Tho second attempt was made in 1924. General Bruco was attacked by malaria on tho Tibetan tableland and had to return to Darjceling, Colonel Norton assuming command The climbers were at; first delayed by blizzards and extraordinarily low temperatures. 56 degreeof frost being recorded on the night ot May 22nd-23rd.

On June 4th Colonel Norton and Dr. Somervell started for the summit without the aid of oxygen, but they were forced to turn back exhausted at a height of about 28,000 ft. Four days later, Mallory and Irvine, with oxygen, made tho final attempt, which ended tragically. They were last seen climbing steadily for the summit at an altitude of over 28,200 ft, as determined by the theodolite, somo hours behind their scheduled time. Search was made for them on Juno. 10th, but notrace of them was found. The question . whether . they reached the summit has been much discussed, but with the exception of-OdelJ, who was the last to see them, the members of the expedition inclined to. the view that the climbers failed to reach the top.