The name Mount Everest was proposed by Andrew Scott Waugh in 1856 to honor his predecessor, Sir George Everest, after human computers determined that the peak formerly labeled Peak XV was the highest point in the world. This identification marked a significant milestone in the Great Trigonometrical Survey, which Waugh led for over a decade during his tenure in India.
Early Military Career
Born in Edinburgh in 1810 to General Gilbert Waugh, Andrew Scott Waugh pursued a military engineering career. He enrolled at the Addiscombe Military Seminary in 1827 and received his commission with the Bengal Engineers on 13 December of that year. Following advanced training at Chatham under Sir Charles Pasley, he arrived in India in May 1829. His early service included establishing a foundry at Kashipur and serving as an adjutant of the Bengal sappers and miners starting in April 1831.
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In 1832, Waugh joined the Great Trigonometrical Survey under the leadership of George Everest. He conducted surveys across central India before establishing the headquarters in Dehra Dun. Following Everest's retirement in 1843, Waugh was appointed as the Surveyor General of India. He implemented a gridiron system of traverses to map northern India, overseeing surveys that stretched across nearly 1,690 miles from Sonakoda to Dehradun.
Calculating Heights and Scientific Contributions
Before the existence of electronic computing, Waugh utilized human computers to process complex trigonometric data. In 1852, Radhanath Sikdar reported that Peak XV was the highest mountain in the region. Waugh delayed the announcement until 1856 to verify the calculations. He intentionally adjusted the height to 29,002 feet to avoid the perception of a rounded estimate, earning the distinction of being the first person to place two feet on top of the peak. He also collaborated with Archdeacon John Henry Pratt to investigate anomalies in triangulation caused by the gravitational attraction of the Himalayan mountains, a study which contributed to the development of the theory of isostasy.
Later Years and Legacy
Waugh achieved the rank of Major General in 1861, the same year he published his 'Instructions for Topographical Surveying'. He was succeeded as Surveyor General by Henry Thuillier. His professional contributions were recognized by the Royal Geographical Society, which awarded him the Patron’s Medal in 1857, and his appointment as a Fellow of the Royal Society. He passed away in 1878 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.
Fast facts
- Born: 1810, Edinburgh
- Died: 1878, London
- Military Rank: Major General
- Key Role: Surveyor General of India
- Awards: Patron’s Medal (1857)
- Professional Affiliation: Fellow of the Royal Society
- Education: Addiscombe Military Seminary
- Burial Site: Brompton Cemetery
Questions readers ask
Did Andrew Scott Waugh discover Mount Everest?
He identified the peak as the highest in the world using calculations provided by his team, including Radhanath Sikdar, and officially named it Mount Everest.
Why was the height declared as 29,002 feet?
Waugh added two feet to the calculated 29,000 feet to ensure the public understood it was a precise measurement rather than a rounded estimate.
Achievements
- Fellow of the Royal Society
- Patron’s Medal
- Recorded as engineer, geographer and surveyor
