34G 



PAPERS RELATING TO THE 



[May 11, 1857. 



Geo. Everest, to assign to every geographical object its true local 

 or native appellation. I have always scrupulously adhered to 

 this rule, as I have in fact to all other principles laid down by that 

 eminent graduist. 



But here is a mountain, most probably the highest in the world, 

 without any local name that we can discover, or whose native appel- 

 lation, if it have any, will not very likely be ascertained before we 

 are allowed to penetrate into Nepal and to approach close to this 

 stupendous snowy mass. 



In the mean time the privilege, as well as the duty, devolves on 

 me to assign to this lofty pinnacle of our globe, a name whereby it 

 may be known among geographers and become a household word 

 among civilized nations. 



In virtue of this privilege, in testimony of my affectionate respect 

 for a revered chief, in conformity with what I believe to be the wish 

 of all the Members of the scientific department, over which I have 

 the honour to preside, and to perpetuate the memory of that illus- 

 trious master of accurate geographical research, I have determined 

 to name this noble peak of the Himalayas ' Mont Everest.' 



The final values of the co-ordinates of geographical position for 

 this mountain are as follows, viz. : — 



Mont Everest, or Himalaya Peak XV. 



Latitude N. 



27 59 16-7 



Longitude E. of 

 Greenwich. 



86 58 5-9 



Height above 

 Sea-level. 



Feet. 

 29,002 



As it will be interesting to you to see the independent results for 

 all our observations to this mountain, and to contrast them with 

 those of other celebrated peaks, I herewith append an attested 

 statement of the geographical positions and elevations of Dwalagiri, 

 Mont Everest, Kunchinginga, and Choomalari. 



You will perceive that the results are all satisfactorily accordant. 

 In the case of Mont Everest the accordance of the independent 

 heights is closer than could have been anticipated, because the 

 mountain, though lofty and massive, is not a sharp well-defined peak 

 and was observed from great distances. 



You are at liberty to make use of these results, in anticipation of 

 my forthcoming report on the positions and elevations of all the 

 principal peaks of the Himalaya range. 



In justice to my able assistant J. Hennessey, Esq., it is proper to 

 acknowledge, that I am greatly indebted to him for his cordial 

 co-operation in revising these computations. 



