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THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1959.
SCANDALS IN THE WORLD
*
The Squabbling Kings Of Mont Blanc
By REX LAWRENCE
The village doctor was crossing the square in Chamonix, Switzerland, when he came face to face with Jacques Balmat, widely acclaimed as the world's most famous moun- taineering guide.
Nearly a year had passed since together the doctor and the guide had soaled the frozen summit of Mont Blanc-the first men ever to do so. And it was the first time in months that they had seen each other.
Yet the doctor, striding for the mountaineering world in { . ward angrily, suddenly
felled
two came to light.
In
his companion-in-lame with one swift blow of his umbrella,
his only the doctor's public action in the most bitter mountaineering
11
wha
history.
squabble
Controversy
In that summer of 1787.
Chamonix was in the arts of
Since 1754 men had been try-
peak,
WeTe
SPORTING SAM
the centre of attraction. And
he became Bourrit's willing ac- complice in the deceit the! lasted nearly one and a quarter
centuries.
Anxious to qualify for de
cause
OF SPORT LETTERS TO
by Reg. Wootton
London Express Service.
But by now the work of He launched a fmd for Bat- Balmat, Bourrit and de Sous- Imat in Germany, and with the sure had faken roof. The fal returns the guide bought doctor was now being widely (himself a comfortable chalet and held an a pathello gure of settled down to play the part of fun. No one donated to his local hero at Chamonix. fund,
Lonely Death
Dr
Paceand's
But the researchers did⋅ un- cover Poraething-the doctor's
which Jown notebook
he had carried up to the snow-covered cup of Mont Biane, In it was recorded in diary form the story of the ascent and other scientific data relating to weather condi tions, altitude and temperature. Balmat's afikiavit, together will receipla he had signed after receiving his reword from the doctor, were also among the pupers.
Dr Pacoard's, record WILE confirmed by the telescope watcher's document. Together they clearly showed that it would have been Impossibir for Balmat to have reached the summit and then to have returned for his companion In the time.
Later. new mountaineering knowledge of Mont Blane proved Procard's version of the ascent beyond doubt;
to porter almal and dia. Saussure's promised prize-to which he was not entitied be- credit to the doctor.
As far as is known, the book The conquest of Mont Blanc The rivals who gave birth to
the route had actually
was never written.
At the
months 1780 by Dr Procurd and the scandalous legend of Baimat's been discovered by Dr Paccard
In his notebook, the doctor passed, the Atter
lonely endorsed Bourrit's legend of Balmat single-banded conquest of Mont-Balmat
Balmat's conquest death, at the age of 70, on May claimed that he had only just porter Jaeqüen
in front of Dot unnaturally
a Manc
In Bourrit's pam-grew. Now, in the public mind, 21, 1827, Balaiai let his imagina-reached the top caused
two prominent Lavish lies.
however,
had was depicted
Both, great stir all over the wot14, ¦ people of the time, both of phlet, the porter
he was the grim, determined ¡tion can wild.
Spurned by his Balmat. Indeed, even today, the feat whom and long cherished the as a superinuman hero who not and courageous Swiss guide who boasis, the legend of his explekts stood on the summil
of scaling the virgin only had discovered the new had ranks high among man's greatest dream
B staged
magnificent grew until any similarity be- Thus, with these new docu- route to the summit, but after struggle up those last few yards tween his story and fact became ments and new knowledge, the recomplishments.
reaching it alone had descended of the treacherous snowy slopes pure coincidence.
biggest mountaineering legend more than 300 feel to haul the of Mont Blanc's summut He
The legend was enlarged still of all time was exposed. Today, collapsed Dr Paccard up too.
was conqueror of the impossible further by the elder Alexandae Dr Paccard's name ranks high "The story
completely the first man to stand alone at Dumas, who went to Chamonixin mountaineering history. fabricated, DA
later the summit of Europe. proved
Paccard's When Dr
Broke Down documents own
dls- were
confirmed covered and were
Publicly, Balmat dkl not by by other
contemporary re- word or deed deny this ap left by an abserver palling Action, Strutting and corde who had followed the thrilling boasting, he even went so far as elimb through $ telescope to become a bore with it. 'from Chamonix.
But privately, when an angry i Dr Paccard confronted him, he broke down and readily signed on affidavit denying the fruth
The prak
ing to conquer the now-pped an aorld controversy.
But the angry mountain Issue: Who of the two climbers had defed every attempt. whose feat rave birth to Then, on August 8, 1700, with mountaineering as a sport had
actually reached the summit of Mont Blanc rst?
the minimum of fuss and only Belmat for company. De Michel- Gabriel Paccard ret out for the butunit by new. ut trodden
Encouraged by envimis moun- | route. taineers who resented having
been beaten to the top of Europe No Sportsman
by a doctor, the guide Balmat claimed the lion's share of the
CLAVES.
The first was Mare-Theodore Bourtit, Preccator of Geneva Cathedral who, as a pamphleteer. journalist and outher of many mountaineering books, had goin- ed a wide reputation, His burning nmbition was the crown of Mont Blanc. and he had made three attempts, all of which had failed.
.
The second WOR Horace- Benedict de Saussure, Professor of Philosophy
Natural and Science at the Academy of Genevs, who in 1780 had offered
WIE
Protest
It was trans-
Balmal's name, thanks
The doctor was no sportsman honours. But the wrangle per- in the modern sense. He was sisted, pursuing the conquering devoid of personal ambition. Iis the guides of Chamonix a prize But Bourrit's pamphlet gained mountaineers beyond theirmative for sealing the uncon-
for the discovery of a practicable wide circulation, The Mont Blanc squabble wasquered peak was local patriotis route to the summit. Its intenslated into French, German and
a desire to prove to the worldtion was to repeat the ascent to English. Anolly settled more than 120 that "our Mont Blanc"
W3S make on-the-spot rcientific to the pamphlet, echoed round after, when painstaking Europe's highest mountain. years Historians discovered the doctor's | He was no sportsman-but he own documents.
I was the greatest mountaineer of
his day.
Posthumous Honour!
from he
observations,
Lavish Lics
the world.
protest fell un
Feebly Dr Poccard protested, Ors to Bourri and later to e Saussure, who published a book expedition to de Primarily,
Saussure's about his own When he returned
Jour after Dr These included an affidavit conquest four days later, the motive was scientific. But Jie Mont Blane a signed by Balmat admitting that doctor did not trouble to publish was alw anxious to win fame Poccard's--and, in it, completely the pioneer's as the first scientist to reach disregarded his companion and employer had the news of his muccess in the
achievement the highest peak in Europe. in fact masterminded the ex- Geneva Press. He felt that the
Dr Paccard's pedition-and had been the first scientific data he had gathered
Bourrit, burning with fealous? deat cara. man to set foot on the highest on the roof of Europe was in-
triumph, gave Finally, he decided to publish conclusive and he intended to of Dr Paccard's peak in Europe." Posthumously
doctor, repeat his achievement before birth to the legend of Balmat in his own version. In a prospectus pamphlet published soon about his forthcoming book, he Michel-Gabriel Paccard, was ac-placing his discoveries at the dis-
after the ascent of Mont Blanc. gave full credit to Balmal for posal of the world. corded the honour that had s
until then an obscure his part In their exploit. and Balmul, justly been denied him in his
But It
this omission | Chamonix villager who made invited subscriptions to enable Was for the And then. Iffetime.
which gave his rivals the head his living soiling pieces of rock-him to devote his entire time to scandal behind
that had split start that brought world fame crystal to touriste, found himself the work.
first time, the the controverу
the
FOUR D JONES
MADDOCKS
FOR THE GLORY OF OUR SOMIT SNOWER, COMRADE WILL BE THÈ FIRST TO SET FOOT ON THE MOON
ZAS A FULL-BLOODED" TYPE ALL-AMERICAN BOY WILL BE THE FIRST
10 SET FOOT ON
MOON SOIL
HOWEVER, THE LACK OF GRAVITY CAUSES COMPLICATIONS
of his and Bourrie's story ecard's reach, the avaricious crystal- hunter, realising that his con- (casion would disqualify him from de Saussure's prize, de- clared that the document had been signed under duress. Undismayed by the afdavi. to the attack Bourrit returned
He again con- with more lies.
vinced de Saussure that Balmat's account of the conquest was the only true one, and enlisted the professor's further help in boost- ing further the legendary hero he had created.
Soon there came another Tils one pamphlet. Bourrii
of his previous restated most fubrications-but it added that had not been "pour Bulmat paid by the doctor for his guide work.
Later, out of Dr
SHEAFFERS
"SNORKEL"
PENS
Skrip
WRITING FLUJO
to interview Balmat in 1832. Baimal, by his selfsh action, Dumas' story, used on the Inter- | desroyed his own memory. view and BourrIt's version
Loniton Express Service). which he seems to have taken without question,, by the world
was accepted history of the event.
as an authentic
Now that Dr Paccard had died, Balmat had no fear of contradiction, Now he claim- ed that, alone ai the top I Mont Blanc, he had triumphantly shouted; "I have arrived alone. I am the king of Mont Blanc. 1
the statue on this huge pedestal." Strangely poetle words for a rock-crystal selier.
HFU
while
Baimat died mysteriously- but still a heroin 1634 searching for cold somewhere in The Mou!
But Blanc Range. the legend survived, and so did the controversy.
It was not until the turn of the i 18th century that historians be- can seriously to question Bal- frat's elaborate claims. Much of their enquiry sprang from a con- temporary
by an record left observer who had followed the i climb through a telescope from
The record Chamonix, pletely
contradicted Baimat's
story
com
An intensive search followed for the book that Dr Precard had suld he would write. 11 was now more than a century since the prospectus promising his version had been published. Whether he actualy wrote this book has still not been dis- covered.
Sports Diary
TO-DAY
Badminton
Men's "B" Doubles: Chung Cheong
v CCC: CYMCA v Grantham; India
Club v St Theresa.
Executive
Athletics
Committee Meeting of i | KXAAA, Education Dept. 6 p.m.
GENERAL
THE EDITOR
Mini-Soccor Controversy
Sir.-Reporin on the ASF & OC meeting on Tuesday night seem to indicate that the mini- soccer controversy has now been put into proper perspective.
Basically the situation is this either mini-soccer is soccer, or It is not soccer. There are no other alternatives. The con- sequences are: (1) if it IS soccer, thon occur players can play it. and that's thai; (2)If it is NOT soccer (and this seems to be the
opinion of FIFA) then FIFA has no more right to make laws
Ar
concerning it than to make Jaws about athletles or boxing cricket or any other game,
It is indeed refreshing to see
CONNOISEZses dis- the sound played by the ASF & OC in this matter; what a contrast with the foolish actions of some European members, of the FA Council, nd with the Jaane articles written by MacTavish in an attempt to justify those act- lons (and lo kiss and make up with the FA731
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