FAILURE ON EVEREST

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19042, 16 June 1936, Page 6

FAILURE ON EVEREST

CLIMBERS DEPARTING

BRITISH EMPIRE REGRET

EFFORTS COMMENDED

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Prcsa Assn.) (Reed, .lime IG, 1.40 p.m.) LONDON. June lfi.

"The expedition must now depart. D«"••.']i snow everywhere is rendering further oJfort useless, although Messrs. F. S. Rmythe, and P. Wyn Harris have discovered a route which, I. am convinced, will lie of great value Oil a future occasion," says the leader of the Rvorest expedition, Mr. Hugh Ruttledge, in a copyright message received to-dav from Camp No. 1. "Hnhappily the efforts have been made in a season in which Mt. Everest has not given us a single chance. The seven climbers who ascended the icefall on (he west side of the North Col, us reported on .Tune 10, were prevented from examining the upper slope by clouds. Already then there was evidence that the monsoon would be so severe and the snow so deep that Rvefcst would be unclimbable this rear.

"Messrs. Smythe and Wyn Harris yesterday took advantage of a temporary lull, and took a light camp to the point previously attained, .just. mu of reach of the avalanches pouring off the North Col. The rush of air from one nearly blew down their tent during the night. CLEAR VIEW OP CREST

"This morning they obtained a clear view of the slopes to the crest, and although the snow was too dangerous to make an ascent, they were satisfied that, given certain conditions, a safer and more direct route could be made on this side.

"Lieut. W. R. Smyth-Windham and I, with porters, went up halfway to the icet'all and formed a similar opinion.'' sir Corey Cox, the chairman of the Everest committee, commenting on the telegram, says the regret of the committee will be shared by Britons throughout the world, as the conquest of Kverest had become a national enterprise on which all hearts were set. "The expedition was splendid in composition and equipment and justiIled every hope as far as human agencies were concerned, but the early monsoon and heavy snowfall, preventing the reoccupation of the North Col, which originally was occupied with unusual ease, a week ahead of schedule, produced impossible conditions which no previous expedition had ever suffered," says Sir Percy. The committee is telegraphing to Mr. Ruitlodge sympathising in the lamentable ill-fortune and recognising that no leadership or mountaineering skill could have averted the result, and congratulating the members on emerging from their critical experiences without a casualty.