In 1879, the British Chilean Navy captain, Juan Tomás Rogers,[citation needed] was the first non-indigenous person to sight the majestic glacier which he named "Francisco Gormaz", after the Director of the Hydrographic Office of the Chilean Navy, sponsoring organization of the discovering expedition. Some years later, Rudolph Hauthal, attached to the Argentine Boundary Commission, saw the glacier and decided to name it "Bismarck" in honor of the Prussian Chancellor.[citation needed]

In 1881, the Boundary Treaty between Chile and Argentina was signed, which defined the boundaries of both countries in the Andes mountain range up to the 52nd parallel. The glacier is east of the Andes Mountains and empties into Lake Argentino, which also is under Argentine sovereignty. Before the treaty, the area was in dispute between both countries.[citation needed]

Finally, in 1899, after long years of research, compilation of archaeological material, and surveys of the area, Lieutenant Iglesias, who was in charge of the studies for the Argentine Hydrographic Institute, named the glacier Perito Moreno in homage to Francisco Moreno.[1]