EDITORIAL

All too frequently the Journal's Editorial begins with an apology for its late appearance and a promise to do better next time. On this occasion the real reason is too painful to confess and we shelter again behind the usual plea of pressure of work. Those who remember the halcyon years between two World Wars with their long week-ends and ample hot weather vacations and now find themselves in the age of Five-year Plans and rapid industrialization may be forgiven if they think the excuse a good one. With it we make our apologies and crave our members' indulgence.

An earlier Editorial expressed the fear that unless mountaineering was taken up seriously in India that particular number of the Journal might well be the last. This fear no longer exists. In the last few years there has been very marked enthusiasm for mountaineering in India and Pakistan and many successful expeditions, both national and international, have climbed in different parts of the Himalayas. Governments and various organizations have supported many of them and mountaineering is now well established in both countries. The Press devotes a good deal of attention to these expeditions, their progress and successes are front page news, and leaders are expected to provide exciting and colourful reports. We hope that members of these expeditions will also find time to send us articles and photographs which are of interest from the climber's point of view so that we may be in a position to contribute to one of the Club's main purposes— ‘to extend knowledge of the Himalaya and adjoining mountain ranges, their science, art, literature and sport'.

The Club owes a deep debt of gratitude to Mr. Trevor Braham who edited the previous two volumes. His departure from India last year was the kind of blow which hits the Club very hard and to which we have grown accustomed. He returned later to Pakistan and has given the present editor every possible help in preparing this volume.

Two other members deserve our special thanks—Mr. Charles Crawford, who for many years has played a very active part in every sphere of the Club's activities, and Mr. R. Lawford, who rendered much indispensable help in getting this volume ready.

Others, too, have helped and to them we offer our very sincere thanks.

Finally, the reader should know that Dr. K. Biswas, who took overthe editorship of this volume at a very critical moment, delegated the writing of this editorial, and the writer is accordingly in a position to make a reference to the part that he has played in its preparation. It is not easy to describe the relief which the Committee felt when Dr. K. Biswas agreed to become the editor or its gratitude when he was able to report that the volume was ready to go to press. We are most grateful to him for all that he has done in its preparation and we hope that he will continue for many years to be in a position to render this special service to the Club.

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