▁General ▁Sir ▁William ▁Jer vo is ▁and ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁Peter ▁Sc r atch ley ▁were ▁commission ed ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁colon ies ▁to ▁advise ▁on ▁defence ▁matters . ▁The ▁two ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁ins pected ▁each ▁col ony ' s ▁def ences , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁Jer vo is - Sc r atch ley ▁reports ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 7 . ▁These ▁were ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁defence ▁planning ▁in ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁Imp act ▁ ▁A ▁consequence ▁of ▁their ▁reports ▁was ▁that ▁colonial ▁def ences ▁were ▁re organ ised ▁on ▁one ▁model ▁with ▁slight ▁variations ▁for ▁each ▁col ony . ▁We alth ier ▁colon ies ▁t ended ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁higher ▁proportion ▁of ▁paid ▁permanent ▁soldiers ▁and ▁milit ia ▁whilst ▁the ▁smaller ▁colon ies ▁opt ed ▁for ▁more ▁volunte ers . ▁Given ▁that ▁a ▁large ▁portion ▁of ▁their ▁reports ▁concentr ated ▁on ▁sea ▁ports ▁the ▁most ▁visible ▁signs ▁of ▁their ▁influence ▁are ▁the ▁many ▁fort ifications ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁and ▁later ▁that ▁may ▁be ▁found ▁at ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁larger ▁ports ▁of ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁These ▁include : ▁▁ ▁The ▁fort ▁on ▁B are ▁Island , ▁Bot any ▁Bay , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ; ▁ ▁Fort ▁Sc r atch ley , ▁New castle , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ; ▁ ▁Fort ▁Ly tt on , ▁Br is b ane , ▁Queensland ; ▁ ▁Fort ▁G lan ville , ▁South ▁Australia ; ▁