William Jervois

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Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois, GCMG, CB (10 September 1821 – 17 August 1897) was a military engineer and Governor of the Straits Settlements, South Australia and New Zealand.

Jervois joined the army in 1839, and was educated and commissioned as a Royal Engineer. After service in South Africa, he became an expert on land-based fortifications of cities against naval attack, and proposed several options for a ring of defences around London. In 1864 and 1865, he reviewed fortifications in Canada, submitting what became a politically controversial report that stated that the Great Lakes and Upper Canada were not defensible.

Later in his career, he became governor of several colonies; the Straits Settlements, South Australia, and then New Zealand.

Following the withdrawal of British garrison troops from Australia in 1870, Jervois and Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Scratchley were commissioned by a group of colonies to advise on defence matters. They inspected each colony's defences and produced the Jervois-Scratchley reports of 1877. Not surprisingly these also emphasised fortifications against naval attack. These reports went on to form the basis of defence planning in Australia and New Zealand for the next 30 years.

The prominent streets Jervois Quay in Wellington, and Jervois Road in Auckland, are named after him. Jervois Quay used to be on Welllington's waterfront before the earthquake of 1855.

Government Offices
Preceded by: Andrew Clarke	Governor of the Straits Settlements 1875 – 1877	Succeeded by: Sir William Robinson
Preceded by: Sir Anthony Musgrave	Governor of South Australia 1877 – 1883	Succeeded by: Sir William Robinson
Preceded by: The Lord Stanmore	Governor of New Zealand 1883 – 1889	Succeeded by: The Earl of Onslow

[edit] External links

• detailed biography
• Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online