Colonel Henry Watson (1737 – 17 September 1786) was a British military engineer who worked in India. He was known for his mathematical abilities and knowledge of engineering, was involved in the design of the Calcutta dockyard, and served as a chief engineer of Bengal. An area in Calcutta known as

Watgunge Watgunge is a neighbourhood of South Kolkata in kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Although being a standard Indian neighborhood it is home to Famous swimming instructor Xavier Rodriguez and his wife Jennie Rodriguez. The smal ...

is named after him. Watson was the son of a grazier from Holbeach, Lincolnshire. He showed a talent for mathematics at Birke's school in Gosberton near Spalding. He was recommended to Thomas Whichcote of Harpeswell, MP for Lincolnshire, who had him tested by the master of Brigg school, following which he nominated Watson to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. He received training from Professor

Thomas Simpson Thomas Simpson FRS (20 August 1710 – 14 May 1761) was a British mathematician and inventor known for the eponymous Simpson's rule to approximate definite integrals. The attribution, as often in mathematics, can be debated: this rule had been ...

who became a close friend and contributed articles to '' The Ladies' Diary'', a mathematical periodical. Watson was commissioned on 27 December 1755 in the

52nd foot The 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The regiment first saw active service during the American War of Independence, and were posted to India du ...

, Abercrombie's regiment. He transferred to the 50th foot,

Studholme Hodgson Field Marshal Studholme Hodgson (1708 – 20 October 1798) was a British Army officer who served during the 18th century. After serving as an Aide-de-Camp to the Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Fontenoy during the War of the Austrian Suc ...

's regiment, on 25 September 1757. Watson passed Woolwich Academy on 17 March 1759 and was commissioned as a sub-engineer. Before Simpson died in 1760 he left his mathematical manuscripts with Watson to be revised and published. Watson was unable to do this; he was posted to Belleisle under Commodore Keppel and General Hodgson and then to Havana under Admiral Sir

George Pocock Admiral Sir George Pocock or Pococke, KB (6 March 1706 – 3 April 1792) was a British officer of the Royal Navy. Family Pocock was born in Thames Ditton in Surrey, the son of Thomas Pocock, a chaplain in the Royal Navy. His great grandfa ...

. Taking part in sieges and actions, Watson was promoted to 104th foot. On 4 February 1763 he was recommended by Lord Clive to be sent to India. He arrived in Calcutta in 1764, and was a field engineer in the East India Company from 9 May and chief engineer of Bengal. His works included improving Fort William, and works at Budge Budge and Melancholy Point. He designed and proposed dry and wet docks at Calcutta but this was not completed due to lack of funds. He had two warships, ''Nonsuch'' and ''Surprise'', built by George Louch under his direction. He became a lieutenant colonel in January 1775 and returned to England, where he translated Euler's ''Compleat Theory of the Construction and Properties of Vessels'' (1776). He was recalled to India in 1780, and took along with him the mathematician Reuben Burrow. He also worked with James Creassy. Watson's health declined. He resigned in January 1786 and left India in the spring. He reached Dover, but died there, and was buried on 22 September in a vault in St. Mary's Church there.

References

External links

A Complete Theory of the Construction and Properties of Vessels With Practical Conclusions for the Management of Ships, Made Easy to Navigators (1790 edition)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry Watson (1737-1786) 1737 births 1786 deaths British military engineers