THE HEIGHT OF MOUNT EVEREST

Abstract

Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, was discovered by geodetic survey. Before the observations and computations of the Survey of India it was unknown, lying hidden amongst the hundreds of high snow peaks of the great Himalayas. It is well worth recalling the story of its discovery in 1852, and the publication of that enigmatic figure of 29 002 ft. for its height. It was known that this figure was in error, but for nearly a century, scientific and practical difficulties prevented a better determination. The modern era began for Everest in the 1950's, when the Survey of India carried triangulation through Nepal and close to the mountain. Gravity and astronomical positions were used, the theoretical basis was improved, and the new figure of 29 028 ft. appeared to solve the problem of the accurate height of the peak (Gulatee, 1954). But in 1975 a new survey was brought in from the north, approaching much closer to the peak. Comprehensive field observations were taken and the theoretical approach was further improved. The height of the “Qomolangma Feng” as determined by the Chinese combined mountaineering and surveying expedition of 1975 was 8848·13±0·35 m (29 029·3±1·1 ft.) (Dansheng, 1979; Chen, 1980).