The greatest name in British mountaineering writes on this new assault on EVEREST.
WILL THEY DO IT THIS TIME?
by
Eric Shipton
Leader of three Everest expeditions.
BELIEVE that this time the chances are excellent. With good fortune and reasonable weather the British Everest Expexition, now working their way through the great Ice-Fall guarding the "entrance to the Western Cwm, should reach the summit of the world's highest peak, which during the last 31 years has defeated no fewer than eight determined attempts by British and Swiss moun- taineers.
They are now climbing at a height of about 20,000 feet. What clues it feel like at extreme altitudes?
If a man is taken straight up from sea level to 20,000 feet he
will lose consciousness and die in a very short time,
But by going up slowly, as one must when climbing a Hima- layan peak (on the journey across Tibet we used to travel for a month at 14,000 feet, cross-
ing passes of 18,000 feet),
the body makes yarious at-
justments which enable
it
to function fairly efficiently in reasonable conditions of oxygen-lack.
This process of “acelima- lisation" goes
on up to
IS OXYGEN 'UNSPORTING'?
There are those who say that this new oxygen apparatus is attacking the mountain's defences by unfair means,"
about, 22,000 feet, so that the summit, we it is possible to live at that spent more height for many weeks and remain fairly fit.
that
THE CHINA'' MAIL, SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1953.
* DO
Q
HENRY VIII, LADY HAMILTON, THE THIRD MAN-what links these film, characters?
A KORDA is the name
ROUND midnight on
-Today Sir Alexander Friday: last week,. 400 Korda the first Knight guests at the most of filmslives in lonely com- important film party since fort in n penthouse Bulte at the war drank the health of Claridges ("perhaps too their host, a tall, erect, much comfort"), travels by silver-haired man, with the Rolls to his office at 146, air of the beadmaster of a Piccadilly, and cats, sleeps, good public school.
and talks 'flima.
Sir Alexander Korda was celebrating the 21st birth- spend in his suite-talking, Most evenings Korda will day of his company, London He has a television set, but Films, with the party and seldom uses it. But his com- the premiere of his latest pany-because of the advice picture, "Gilbert and Sul- of the then livan"-a
production picture which executive Bill O'Bryen-did does not carry his name, yet buy the TV play "Dial M for unmistakably bears the Murder" for £1,000 and imprint of this style.
In the 21 years of Lon-
Films-
don
the company which took Big Ben as its ⚫ symbol-
the best of
Korda has
been 3980-
elated with
prestige and. pomp, magic and madness.
The worst of Korda he dubs himself "terrible and
tire some."
O e casionally
as
eventually sold it to Holly- wood for £60,- 000. It is bellevéd that during tho whole course of the negotia- tions "Alex" never saw the play once.
KORDA
with him through a list of On
I went
his films since 1932 Korda fastidious would hover over a title and captain.
Korda's only real relaxation is his yacht Elsewhere, which he loves to people with good converga- tionalists like the Oliviers, Graham- Greene, Carol Reed, and Mar- got Fonteyn. Elsewhere the
the
Korda
оп
is the the bridge
had already Camp VI on a ledge barely four analysis of the motives behind than two weeks feel wide, 27,400 feet up, for 42, the effort. above 22,000 feet and the pro- hours. Despite the tremendous For obviously it artifical alds cess of physical deterioration effort of will required to leave to
ncuntaineering are carried it, despite our physical weak- beyond a certain point the pur- was already for advanced.
news and the intense cold, it was suit becomes a farce. Personally, a great relief to get outside,
the question of the use of oxygen to climb Everest, I have These problems of allude no very strong sentiments. 3 Bay, "That one, not even 1. demonstrating that he has the elimber was provided with taint is could, of course, be overcome if feel that the sooner the moun- remember." the perfect oxygen apparatus mountaineers will turn their at
climbed the sooner tho
mustered the
art an apparatus sufficiently light tention
Twenty-one years of Lon- navigation in addition to his to the many more in-don Films has made the other abilities. not to Impede climbing and of teresting problems him with all the oxygen he re waiting to be tackled in
of explore Hungarian - born, capacity to furnish ion and mountaineering
59-year- 'Alexander old
Korda quires for long enough to allow Himalaya. him torach the summit and
(knighted in 1942) a sar- donic philosopher and Fin return. But that is a very big ","
ardent flag waver Britain.
Abovo that level physi- enl deterioration sets in. of the
But whatever the hardship This consists of a rapid least it
upward struggle, at luss of muscle tissue so upon which to concentrate the was a clear-cut task one becomes thinner whole attention, a direct chal- and weaker with every day tenge to be met. Far harder to spent above that critical bear was the sheer misery of altitude. It is rather like lie in those high camps, wait some wasting dinense, sap ing, waiting for a ping the strength and vital subside or for dawn to break, ity of the body
at always with the nagging certainty rest.
, that with each hour strength was wasting away and with it the chance of muccess evaporat-
even
་
storm to
sufficient
EASIER END
:
Blijl the
for
Some failures
of
SHOW business knows his flair for attracting top
All the expeditions to attempt Everest have been
The philosopher Korda talent and influencing with
provided PUT the chief reason for our says smiling: "I started in money. oxygen apparatus. But repeated failures to never has the apparatus given
climb Budapest knowing nothing. The struggle for survival any substantial benefit-it has
Everest Was not the lack of I learned everything. And
It oxygen.
was the Actual
now I know nothing again.
GREAT EFFORT Ind. FOR example,
when
ין
All his film life Korda hus dealt in enormous sums of
in seemed more insidious, cold, and either been too beary or elirubing dificulties that we met That is the film business money--and survived. On..
to melt
snow
bleak inside those squalid tile has not given anything like 1933 Smythe and 1 first tents. The business of lighting enough oxygen for the climber's went up the ridge above the stove
for needs. For this reason nearly the North Cal after only urinking water, of forcing down all the actual attempts to climb six nights at Camp IV food and conquering the nausea the mountain have been made (28,000 feet) we climbed at little help in diverting the minti
that it usually induced was of without it. an average rate of 1,000 from hypochondriac brooding,
feet an hour, a satisfactory The sercam of the wind, the MUCH BETTER
performance even at a much lower altitude.
we
hiss of driven snow, the
con..
nade of finpping canvas, the colt and the cramped space made it dimeult to relax.
with on the final 2,000 feet of
the mountain. These were due to the fact that the strata here
dip steeply to the north result ing in a continuous series of
overhanging rocks, like The eaves of a roof.
The patriot
the strength of "Henry VIII" the Prudential loaned him £1,000,000 and let him
THE patriot Korda whe build Denham studios.
made "Lady Hamilton"
Life
says: "Just to make a film Korda was the orudite work- This ground proved impossible here is not enough. It must D'Aragon of Denham to negotiate, except in per also bring prestige to Bring with his two brothers-the Alm fect conditions of weather and tain wherever it is shown demonstrative Zoltau, a THIS year's expedition are snow, a rare accurrence
Jirector with a delicious use of ON "The Private equipped with oxygen up- Everest.
of English "you think I kno paratus, which, though not per- it may seem strange to speak. fect, is at least 100 percent by
By approaching the summit London Films was Britain's well you know damn at?"); Henry VIII" which launched damn nothing about pictures. I of squalor in surroundings better,
newly discovered than any used before, sautern roule the present ex-world-wide prestige success and the amiable Vincent, the the only word to describe the their chances of success.
pedition will encounter rela-
.. "Gilbert and Sullivan" outstanding ort director who filth and confusion that develops
wanders around with his There are those who say that few thousand feet, and will not On the third occasion, been occupied for any length of oxygen would be to
when those tiny tents have to use an artificial supply of be faced, when at the extremily pattern. after two nights spent at time in such conditions.
overcome of their endurance, by those one of the mountain's principal grim overhanging slabs..
Only, two days later went up the ridge again and wo found that
We were
the
going more slowly and with magnificent, but "squalid" Is This fact adds enormously tovely basy climbing on the last is moulded to follow in that Nuisance.
a great deal more effort,
Camp V (25,700 feet) and 12 ut Camp IV,
dog
re-
In 1933 Smythe and we only were confined to the tent at to decide; it requires careful all previous British, attempts.
I is, of course, a difeult matter their decisive ntvantage over earning £10,000 a year, for married
Korda's rule at Denham "Henry VIII” cost £50,000
sulted in DOW sters: Ralph defences by unfair means. This Here, in my opinion, will lie to make, and today is still Richardson, Merle Oberon (who hor boss), Robert Donat, Charles Laughton.
reached Camp V for
our
second sojourn there after}
a very hard struggle. So
the process went on.
One grows used to the
fact physical
that the slightest exertion, pulling on boots in the
morning or fixing the guy ropes calls for great
of the tent,
effort of will and Icaves
gasping for breath..
onc
SLOW MOTION
THAT is nothing. One
adapt oneself to that curlous slow motion world (although there was nothing slow motion about the wild violence of the blizzard or the crazy flapping of the tent canvas.) But the steady obb of vitality, the creep- ing gangrene of weakness cat-
intelato every fibro of one's
body, that is rather a terrifying experience,
łuhava described the feeling afzanoving above 20,000 feet as like a sick man climbing in a dream?! From time to ime I remember being, smitten by an overwhelming spasm of inertia, as though all the blood had drained from my body, I felt mičk:anā faint, utterly, unable to cuhmon the resolution to take the next step?
These aparms would pass, but they became more fréquent and i store intense na litno... went on. | Before we reached this altitude ANDLAZE and were moving up to Camp VI for our assault upon
SEE
SIR CHURCHILL GREAT COMMONMAN HE PRESS LIKE | SOTÓ ENCOURAGE|| DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION
OF
UNEXPORTABLE
TEXTILES YES PLEASE?
HON.
Tue HORSE
WITH LEZ HAS BEEN PULLED BY COMMUNIST
SHOP STEWARD
INFORTUNATE",
PKİSÖRER.
SHOTTES ALPHUKNINGS
HAKAT
Korda.
MINISTER DE
| ABOLISHING. SOCIALSNE TURNWE BYEK FAST OFFICE AND TRAINAGE
SYSTEM
·PRIVATE
LOW TELLS OUR JAPANESE VISITOR
forid Copyrighé by arrangement with the Afanchester Quarding.
It also resulted in fine
alms ("The Drum," "Elephant Boy"} but inevitably some fallures "The Divorce of Lady X"). By 1038 the studio was sold to Mr Rank.
and
Now Denham is dead and Korda says: "I am sad bitter at its loss. It was a great studio making great pletures:"
Adviser, now
FTER the war Korda tried A
again. Ho succeeded do raising fresh money, but had flops like "Anna Karenina"`anti "Bonnie Prince Charlie. Then came Carol Reed's "Third Man"? and a line of sleady success. Now cash comes from a £3 000,000. Government loan which only Korda could have helped to raise
In 1840, after, “An Ideal Hus- band," Alexander Korda Euvo up directing films himself and removed his name from, his. company's product. "Tam nim adviser now, I just offer advies to my producers. Thoy don't have to tako itaji
1
a.
Most of them do. They may chalf. Because of Korda's tan- taalle memory or exact eya tot. dolall. He may bawl them out..
but they respect him. He has shown he can do
do it all himself.
Korda Will never retire. There
is always another films to be
minde.
David Lewin
Pago 11
This is
the Grim
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