Herbert William Sumner Gibson was an officer of the Royal Navy, who served in the Australia Station.
In June 1893 Captain Gibson visited the southern Solomon Islands and made the formal declaration of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate.
Wallaroo served as part of the Auxiliary Squadron of the Australia Station.
[3] Each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British Protectorate by Captain Gibson of HMS Curacoa, between 9 and 16 October 1892.
[2] He was appointed as the Naval Officer in Charge, Sydney in 1897, which command he held until 1900, when he was placed on the Retired List.