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François Léonce Verny, (December 2, 1837-May 2, 1908) was a French engineer who directed the construction of the Japanese arsenal of Yokosuka, as well as many related modern infrastructure projects from 1865 to 1876, thus helping jump-start Japan's modernization.
Early life
Léonce Verny was born in Pont d'Aubenas, Ardèche, central France. He studied at Lyon and then went on to the prestigious École Polytechnique. He entered the Institute for Applied Maritime Science at Cherbourg in 1858, where he became a Naval Engineer. He worked for the French state in the arsenals of Brest and Toulon.
Léonce Verny was sent to Ning-Po in China in 1862 to supervise the construction of four gunboats for the Chinese Navy, as well as a shipyard.
Career in Japan Japan had started a modernization effort in 1853, and the Tokugawa Bakufu decided to build a modern arsenal in collaboration with the French. Verny was sent to Japan in October 1864, and stayed for 12 years, returning home to France on March 13, 1876.
Yokosuka arsenal Verny started work on the Yokosuka arsenal in 1865 as the chief administrator and constructor. The location was chosen because it was a well protected inlet, in proximity to Yokohama and Tokyo.
During 1865 Verny went back to France to purchase all necessary machinery and recruit French naval experts (45 families in all) to help organise the construction of the arsenal. During the months he was in France, Verny also helped in the negotiations to send a military mission to Japan, that was to help modernize the army of the Bakufu from 1867, and would take the side of the Bakufu during the Boshin War under the leadership of Jules Brunet.
In Yokosuka, 65 Japanese technicians and 2500 workers were selected. The construction of the arsenal was the central point of a global modern infrastructure, that was to prove an important first step for the modernization of Japan's industry. Modern buildings, the Hashirimizu waterway, foundries, brick factories, technical schools to train Japanese technicians were established.
Construction of the Yokosuka arsenal c.1870.
Besides the construction of the Yokosuka arsenal, Verny also worked on the establishment of lighthouses throughout the Tokyo area (some of them are still visible, such as the Jogashima and the Kannonzaki lighthouses), and the building of the shipyard at Nagasaki, with the largest hauling facility in Asia.
His mission ended in 1876, when the Japanese were able to take full control of the operations.
Yokosuka was to become one of the main arsenals of the Imperial Japanese Navy into the 20th century, in which were built battleships such as Yamashiro, and aircraft carriers such as Hiryu and Shokaku. Major Naval aircraft were also designed at the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal.
Later life Upon his return to France, Verny continued to work for the French state for six months, when he finally left active service.
He was the director of one of the largest mining companies in France (Compagnie des houllières de Firminy) until 1895.
He passed away on May 2, 1908, in his home in Pont d'Aubenas.
Legacy Léonce Verny is remembered in Japan as a symbol of modernization and of friendship with France. A park has been built in his name ("Verny park") on the seafront next to the naval base of Yokosuka. A bust of Verny, as well as a museum, have also been built on the emplacement.
The dry docks built by Verny are still in place and intact, and are currently used by the US Navy.
See also
References "Soie et Lumières, L'Age d'or des échanges franco-japonais", Christian Polak, Hachette-Fujingaho | 
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