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Show MONT BLANC: APEX OF EUROPE Mont liltiue undoubtedly remains "tho apex of Kurope" In spite of tho loss of a part of Us top In a gigantic snow nnd luudlIdo as reported In press dispatches enrly last winter. This great mountain led Its nearest European competitor for altitude Monto Hosn by 501 feet. Though actunl measurements nf the loss in y' " 't. " 't ' -' Summit of Mont Ulane. height by Mont Bluuc have not been rejiortcd, estimates are that It has lort only "some Bcores of feet," a loss which still permits It proudly to rear Its head far above all other pinnacles of tho earth's crust wewt of the Caucasus, Mont IJhinc. the "White Mountain," Is the westernmost of the greut peaks that form the I'oi.nlnu Alps, which Include In their length of uhout W) miles such wall-known features us Monto Itiidii, the Mntturhorn. tho ;it m. llurnnnl 1'asB. nnd Mont - lto)f. Muut IHiinc lien on tho iit between Itnly and Franco, tidii tnllos jo tho northeast, nine erupt pf tho I'oiuilhoa, is tho ooriipr of France. Italy and S. norland. The toWrlng White iiiiMiiiialn Ik easily lmh!o In. fair M'. iii-r from iionen .it of Hie I.. of Nui.h: lio i ' s to t!o hi' . , n klont Blanc has been accepted ns extending 15,782 feet nbovo sea level Just 138 feet short of threo miles. As a matter of fact Its height has varied from tlmo to time. Tho highest vis-lblo vis-lblo stono In tho mountain wob 171 feet below tho top, tho crest Itself being mado up of nn unknown thickness thick-ness of lco nnd consolidated snow. This cap becomes slightly lower In summer, duo to melting, but Is renewed re-newed In winter. I'nrtly hidden among lesser peaks nnd foothills, Mont Diane was .practically .prac-tically unknown to western Kurope until 17-11. At first locnl mountain climbers and tourists visited only thqv lower ends of the glnclers-Miuiong them the famous Mer do Glace nenr tho French vlllugo of Chnmonlt. For noro than n quarter of n century n standing rewnrd for nnyoiie who would discover n route to tho top; was uncollected. Finally on August I), 1780, tho crest wns reached by n peasnnt guide, Jncques llalmnt. Ho became more thnn locnlly famous and received the quixotic gift of n patent of nobility from the king of Sardinia. .A- |