William Jervois

Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois, GCMG, CB ( born September 10, 1821 in Cowes, Isle of Wight; † August 17, 1897 in Bitterne, Hampshire ) was a British military engineer and governor of the Straits Settlements, South Australia and New Zealand.

Jervois joined the British Army in 1839 and was educated at the Royal Engineers. After his service in South Africa he became an expert in the field of land-based fortifications to protect against attacks from the sea. He suggested several options for a defensive ring around London.

In 1864 and 1865 he examined the fortifications in Canada. His report stated that the area of the Great Lakes and Upper Canada was indefensible and led to violent political controversy.

In 1866 he traveled with the same order, the Mediterranean (Malta, Gibraltar, Aden) and to 1873 India and Burma. His report of 1866 led to the development of fortifications in Malta.

Jervois noted a relationship between the security of Britain and the colonies. He criticized that the British defense efforts were primarily focused on the safety of England and thereby neglected the colonies, provided a onset of the transition to steamships loss of mobility and range of the Royal Navy established and proposed the creation of protected by fortifications coaling stations at strategic points before.

After the withdrawal of British troops from Australia in 1870 Jervois and Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley were ordered by a group of colonies as a consultant on defense matters. Result of a review of the colonies were the Jervois - Scratchley reports of 1877. Jervois and Scratchley also recommended the construction of fortifications. The reports served as a basis for defense planning in Australia and New Zealand for the next 30 years.

Jervois was governor-general of the British crown colonies of the Straits Settlements (Penang, Malacca and Singapore) in Singapore from May 1875 to April 1877, October 1877 to January 1883 Governor of South Australia and from January 1883 to March 1889 Governor of New Zealand.