James Jardine

James Jardine FRSE FSAScot (1776–20 June 1858) was a Scottish civil engineer, mathematician and geologist. He was the first person to determine mean sea level.

He was born in Applegarth, Dumfriesshire, on 30 November 1776, the son of a farmer. He was educated at Dumfries Academy and Edinburgh University. He studied mathematics under Prof John Playfair. He was a friend of Thomas Telford and they collaborated on several projects

He built tunnels and bridges, including for the Innocent Railway, and built reservoirs including Glencorse, Threipmuir, Harlaw for Edinburgh, and Cobbinshaw for the Union Canal.

Following studies at the Firth of Tay, he was the first person in the world to calculate Mean Sea Level.

From 1796 to 1808 he lectured in Mathematics at Edinburgh University.

From 1811 he began a series of harbour designs, beginning with Saltcoats. This was followed by Perth (1831), major extensions to Leith Docks (1835), and Eyemouth (1837).

In 1812 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were John Playfair, John Leslie, Thomas Allan.

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