Everest Assault

For the third time in three years, and with high prospects of success, a party of British army officers and explorers will attempt this summer to scale Mt. Everest, king of the Himalayas and the world's highest peak (est. 29,002 ft.). Brigadier General C. G. Bruce, who led the almost successful expedition of 1922, will again be in command. With him will be Major E. F. Norton, D.S.O., George Leigh Mallory, T. Howard Somervell, Captain C. J. Morris and Captain Geoffrey Bruce, of the 1922 party, all of whom reached heights of 27,000 ft. or over. It was Captain Bruce who, with one other man, and using oxygen tanks to reinforce their panting lungs, attained 27,250 feet, within 2,000 feet of the summit, before they were compelled to turn back. The new expedition will contain 13 members, six of whom are novices. Major R. W. C. Kingston will be medical officer and naturalist, Captain J. B. L. Noel, official photographer and cinematographer.

The climbers will be equipped this year with a special oxygen apparatus, modified in the light of the previous experience. It was found on the second expedition that while there is a practicable route to the top, favorable weather is the all-important factor. Three separate attempts were made from the base camp, but all were seriously impeded by bad weather and in one an avalanche killed seven of the native porters.

With the consent of the Indian Government and of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, the expedition will probably leave Darjeeling late in March, follow the same route as in 1922, establish a base camp in April, start the final attack in May. Complete arrangements have been made for the simultaneous distribution of news despatches, pictures and articles on the trip through the London Times, and, in North America. The New York Times. Native runners will carry the communiques to the nearest telegraph head, whence they will be relayed to Simla and the outside world.