Jervois-Scratchley Report

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The Jervois-Scratchley Reports of 1877 concerned the defense of the Australian colonies. They influenced the defense policy of Australia and New Zealand well into the twentieth century. Since the beginning of the first settlement in Australia, the Royal Marines , the New South Wales Corps and a number of regiments of the British Army have been used to defend the Australian colonies. With the withdrawal of British troops in 1870, the various colonies were forced to make greater efforts in their own defense.

Major General Sir William Jervois and Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley were appointed defense counsel by a group of colonies. The two Royal Engineers inspected the defenses of each individual colony and summarized the results in the Jervois-Scratchley reports of 1877. These became the basis of defense planning in Australia and New Zealand for the next 30 years.

One consequence of the reports was that the defense of all colonies was organized uniformly, with regional variations. Wealthier colonies tending to have larger populations had a higher proportion of permanently paid soldiers and militias, while the smaller colonies opted for more volunteers. Given that a large part of the reports focused on the seaports, the various fortifications that emerged from 1888 and that are located at the entrances to the larger ports in Australia and New Zealand are the most visible sign of their influence. These fortresses include:

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