EDITORIAL

At the moment everything points to the probability of members receiving this number of the Journal in good time. For this we have to thank Mr. Lawford for the energy and persistence he has shown in tackling possible authors and Dr. Biswas for the promptness with which he has dealt with manuscripts. We hope this satisfactory state of affairs will continue.

So many excellent mountaineering journals are now published in other countries that the time has come to consider what our future editorial policy should be. We should continue to publish accounts of expeditions mounted from India, Pakistan and Nepal, particularly those small unelaborate attempts which are not likely to be adequately reported elsewhere and which may well form the pattern of much climbing in the Himalayas in future. We should aim to publish translations of accounts of expeditions which appear in journals not readily available to our members. There is, too, a wider field in which the Journal has published very little in recent years—accounts of the fauna and flora of the Himalayas and popular scientific information about the mountains themselves. For example, Dr. Wadia's paper on the 'Trend-line of the Himalayas' appeared in Volume VIII of the Journal. His paper on the 'Himalaya Mountains, their Age, Origin and Sub- Crustal Relations' was recently read before the National Institute of Sciences of India and in the ordinary way would only have received a passing reference in the Notes. We appeal to members to do all Ihey can to ensure that papers of general interest about aspects of Himalayan life and the Himalayas themselves are made available to the Editor so that the Journal may fulfil the object for which it was originally started.

Reference was made in the last Journal to the fact that restrictions imposed by different Governments make it increasingly difficult, particularly for foreigners, to climb in the Himalayas. We hope that members will do all they can to persuade those in authority that there are good reasons for relaxing these restrictions. Mountaineering has an appeal which extends far beyond those who actually climb. Accounts of expeditions in the Himalayas are news the world over and influence the image many people have of the countries in which they rise. Expeditions are in fact an effective way of persuading foreigners to visit these countries and see the hills for themselves.

There is, however, another side to the medal. Some of the restrictions seem to those who climb unduly irksome and unrealistic. They are nevertheless imposed by constituted authority and as such should be scrupulously observed. Disregard of them in the past few years has led to further tightening up of rules, and has made it harder for those who climb in future. We are confident that all who are interested in promoting mountaineering in the Himalayas will co-operate in seeking to have these restrictions removed or modified, whilst at the same time observing those which are still in force.

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