Henry Drury Harness

General Sir Henry Drury Harness (29 April 1804 – 10 February 1883) was a British soldier who held several notable civil posts during his career.

Early life Henry Drury Harness was son of John Harness, M.D., commissioner of the Transport Board; William Harness was his elder brother. Henry Drury Harness graduated from the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich in 1825, but had to wait two years for a commission. During this interim period he studied mining engineering at silver mines in Mexico. and, in 1840, he was appointed instructor in surveying at Chatham. He was subsequently promoted to second captain on 30 June 1843. In 1844, Harness returned to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich as a professor of fortification.

Report of the Irish Railways Commission In 1836-37, while still Instructor of Fortification at Woolwich, he was appointed to support the Irish Railways Commission in drawing maps of population and traffic maps. and may have influenced later developers of these techniques such as Petermann. although Robinson The master of the mint in 1850, was a political officer whose responsibilities were limited to his parliamentary duties, and when Harness was made deputy-master he virtually became the head of the establishment. The mechanical operations of coining were, at that time, a matter of contract between the deputy-master and certain melters, assayers, and moneyers, who, besides enjoying considerable emoluments, also claimed a vested interest in the appointment of their successors. Harness substituted a government department for this system. During the progress of these reforms, the master, Richard Lalor Sheil, was appointed British minister at Florence. Sir John Herschel succeeded him, with no parliamentary responsibility. On the completion of the reorganisation in 1852, Herschel said that but for the resource and energy of Harness he could not have carried out the reforms so efficiently. Before Herschel's appointment, Harness had been promised the mastership when the proposed abolition of a political head took place. He therefore considered himself superseded and resigned the position of deputy-master, although Lord Aberdeen, then prime minister, personally pressed him to remain. After declining an offer from the Government of New Zealand, he accepted the appointment of commissioner of public works in Ireland, and remained there for two years. In addition to his ordinary duties he, as a special commissioner, carried on an inquiry into the works of the arterial drainage of Ireland, and was a commissioner for the abolition of turnpike trusts.

On June 1854 he was promoted to brevet-major and on 13 January 1855 to lieutenant-colonel. He was then brought back to England to take charge of the fortification branch of the war office, under the inspector-general of fortifications, an office he held until the close of the Crimean War,

Upon his death George Robert Gleig, chaplain-general to the forces, wrote:

A portrait of Harness, painted by Mr. Archer, is hung in the mess of the Royal Engineers at Chatham.