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Boom (navigational barrier)

May 05, 2023

For other uses, see Boom.

A boom or a chain (also boom defence, harbour chain, river chain, chain boom, boom chain or variants) is an obstacle strung across a navigable stretch of water to control or block navigation.

A boom blocking the River Foyle during the siege of Derry

In modern times they usually have civil uses, such as to prevent access to a dangerous river channel. But, especially historically, they have been used militarily, with the goal of denying access to an enemy's ships: a modern example is the anti-submarine net.

Booms have also been used to force passing vessels to pay a toll.[1][2]

Description

A boom generally floats on the surface, while a chain can be on the surface or below the water. A chain could be made to float with rafts, logs, ships or other wood, making the chain a boom as well.

Historical uses

Especially in medieval times, the end of a chain could be attached to a chain tower or boom tower. This allowed safe raising or lowering of the chain, as they were often heavily fortified.[1] By raising or lowering a chain or boom, access could be selectively granted rather than simply rendering the stretch of water completely inaccessible. The raising and lowering could be accomplished by a windlass mechanism or a capstan.[3]

Booms or chains could be broken by a sufficiently large or heavy ship, and this occurred on many occasions, including the siege of Damietta, the raid on the Medway and the Battle of Vigo Bay.[4][5][6][7]A Frequently, however, attackers instead seized the defences and cut the chain or boom by more conventional methods. The boom at the siege of Derry, for example, was cut by sailors in a longboat.

As a key portion of defences, booms were usually heavily defended. This involved shore-based chain towers, artillery batteries, or forts. In the Age of Sail, a boom protecting a harbour could have several ships defending it with their broadsides, discouraging assaults on the boom. On some occasions, multiple booms spanned a single stretch of water.

Gallery

Examples

Historical

 
Defensive system for Ferrol, Spain, which proved to be useful against the Ferrol Expedition.

See also

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Defensive booms.

Notes

A.^ Some sources have the chain being dismantled instead of broken by a ship in the siege of Damietta and in the raid on the Medway.

References

  1. ^ a b Philip Davis (May 7, 2012). "Site types in the Gatehouse listings — Chain Tower". Gatehouse. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  2. ^ Boom Towers, Norwich
  3. ^ Bob Hind (January 27, 2013). . The News. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  4. ^ Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 6. p. 510.
  5. ^ . M.A. de Ruyter Foundation. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  6. ^ Hervey, Frederic (1779). The Naval History of Great Britain: From the Earliest Times to the Rising of the Parliament in 1779. W Adlard. pp. 77.
  7. ^ Long, WH (2010). Medals of the British Navy and How They Were Won. Great Britain: Lancer Publishers. p. 24. ISBN 9781935501275.
  8. ^ "The Mississippi River in the Civil War Historical Marker".

May 05, 2023
boom, navigational, barrier, other, uses, boom, boom, chain, also, boom, defence, harbour, chain, river, chain, chain, boom, boom, chain, variants, obstacle, strung, across, navigable, stretch, water, control, block, navigation, boom, blocking, river, foyle, d. For other uses see Boom A boom or a chain also boom defence harbour chain river chain chain boom boom chain or variants is an obstacle strung across a navigable stretch of water to control or block navigation A boom blocking the River Foyle during the siege of Derry In modern times they usually have civil uses such as to prevent access to a dangerous river channel But especially historically they have been used militarily with the goal of denying access to an enemy s ships a modern example is the anti submarine net Booms have also been used to force passing vessels to pay a toll 1 2 Contents 1 Description 2 Historical uses 3 Gallery 4 Examples 4 1 Historical 5 See also 6 Notes 7 ReferencesDescription EditA boom generally floats on the surface while a chain can be on the surface or below the water A chain could be made to float with rafts logs ships or other wood making the chain a boom as well Historical uses EditEspecially in medieval times the end of a chain could be attached to a chain tower or boom tower This allowed safe raising or lowering of the chain as they were often heavily fortified 1 By raising or lowering a chain or boom access could be selectively granted rather than simply rendering the stretch of water completely inaccessible The raising and lowering could be accomplished by a windlass mechanism or a capstan 3 Booms or chains could be broken by a sufficiently large or heavy ship and this occurred on many occasions including the siege of Damietta the raid on the Medway and the Battle of Vigo Bay 4 5 6 7 A Frequently however attackers instead seized the defences and cut the chain or boom by more conventional methods The boom at the siege of Derry for example was cut by sailors in a longboat As a key portion of defences booms were usually heavily defended This involved shore based chain towers artillery batteries or forts In the Age of Sail a boom protecting a harbour could have several ships defending it with their broadsides discouraging assaults on the boom On some occasions multiple booms spanned a single stretch of water Gallery Edit Crusaders break a chain protecting the harbour at left in the siege of Damietta Boom towers in Norwich Remains of the great chain that protected the Golden Horn A preserved section of the Hudson River Chain Remains of the Shoeburyness Boom built to protect the Thames Estuary from Soviet submarines during the Cold WarExamples EditHistorical Edit Defensive system for Ferrol Spain which proved to be useful against the Ferrol Expedition The chain at Fort Blockhouse protecting Portsmouth Harbour from 1431 to 1539 The Leonine Wall included a chain blocking the Tiber A chain spanned the Golden Horn A chain and boom blocked the River Medway during the Raid on the Medway Hudson River Chain The chain blocking the Parana River during the Battle of Vuelta de Obligado A chain was placed from Columbus Kentucky across the Mississippi River to Missouri in order to block Union ships during the American Civil War 8 Between the A Palma Castle gl in Mugardos and Saint Philip Castle gl in ria of Ferrol to defend the city and naval base See also Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Defensive booms Anti submarine net Boom defence vessel a vessel charged with laying anti submarine nets Log boom a boom for collecting logs Boom containment a boom for containing oil spillsNotes EditA Some sources have the chain being dismantled instead of broken by a ship in the siege of Damietta and in the raid on the Medway References Edit a b Philip Davis May 7 2012 Site types in the Gatehouse listings Chain Tower Gatehouse Retrieved October 17 2013 Boom Towers Norwich Bob Hind January 27 2013 Filling in the missing links on history of harbour chain The News Archived from the original on October 21 2013 Retrieved October 17 2013 Gibbon Edward The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume 6 p 510 THE DUTCH IN THE MEDWAY 1667 M A de Ruyter Foundation Archived from the original on October 21 2013 Retrieved October 21 2013 Hervey Frederic 1779 The Naval History of Great Britain From the Earliest Times to the Rising of the Parliament in 1779 W Adlard pp 77 Long WH 2010 Medals of the British Navy and How They Were Won Great Britain Lancer Publishers p 24 ISBN 9781935501275 The Mississippi River in the Civil War Historical Marker Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boom navigational barrier amp oldid 1132871346, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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