The Washington times., 1921-02-06

added expense of the feet Of scouting aero.
planes which It is proposed to use, the
coming expedition will probably cost
million dollars or more.
The money cost is very likely to fade
into insignifcance by comparison with the
toll of human life that will be taken It
seems hardly possible that men can go
very far up the precipitous, ice-covered
side Of Mount Everest-where the slightest
misstep means death and where they will
be exposed many times day to the most
terrific blizzards-without the sacrifice of
many lives.
In his unsuccessful attempts to reach
the top of two neighboring peaks--k-2 and
the Bride Peak-the Duke of the Abruzzi,
the, great Italian explorer, encountered
surprising hardships and dangers. And
neither of these peaks presents anything
to compare with the difficulties that will
be encountered on Mount Everest.
Mountain climbers, however, are con-
vinced that no price is too high to pay
for such thrilling adventure as the as
cent of Mount Everest Is bound to prove
Scientists feel sure the expedition will be
worth all 1t costs, either In money or life,
II II enables them to determine the exact
height of the mountain and also to explain
the curious billiards which continually
rage there.
And these are only two of the scientific
mysteries which may be cleared up II men
dnally succeed in gaining a foothold or
the summit of Mount Everest, the nearly
six-uile-higb Top of the World"
The record for altitude In mountain
climbing is held by the Duke OF the AlE
ruZzi He established Il when be suc.N
ceeded in getting 24565 feet of the way
toward the summit of Bride Peak, not far
from Mount Everest.
The Duke and his companions were In
fairly good physical condition when they
reached this point in spite Of the fact that
their progress had been painfully slow and
laborious, and that during the last part OF
the climb several Of the party had suffered
severely from mountain sickness" But
the thick mist which settled down on them
and gave no promise of lifting warned them
that to attempt to go higher would have
been madness"
Although 'the height of Mount Everest
cannot be. definitely settled until its sum-
NIT is reached, there seems to be little
doubt that It is the highest mountain In the
world. Il Is closely approached In height
by scores of other peaks in this region OF
towering mountain giants.
The Himalayas include seventy-five peaks
above $4,000 feet 10 height fortyeIght
above $4,000 feet, siS'pon above 10000 feet.
fve above $1,000 feet aud three above $4,000
feet. Most of these peaks. like Everest, arc
SO yet upclimbed, and they are replete
with difficulties enough TO satisf the mcs,
venturesome of mountain clp' ~.
The elaborate preparstSJus Tor the
ascent of Mount Everest = hicb are now
under way will take st least o year. The
reconnaissance OF %ae mountain by aero
planes and the making II detailed maps
Of all tho possible routps TO It's summit
will alone consume months Of time, even
provided weather conditions are favorable.
II will hardly be before the Summer Of
1922 when the little party Of scientists and
the pick OF the worlds mountain climbers
will make their start across the miles OF
glaciers that surround the base Of Mount
Everest.
viii their plans succeed? VIII they be
able to fight their way up heights more
perilous than man has ever before at.
tcmpted7 Or win tho attempt end In
failure and with some OF the climbers
meeting a miserable death Ear beyond the
reach OF human help?