Dear Bellifortis,
I am afraid that I cannot help that much, but I know that the Royal Engineers published around 1853 two volumes on Naval Mining. The second volume carried the plates (illustrations) for the first, and covered details of moored mines for harbour defence, both for controlled and those where the mine carried an inertia operated electrical switch, which could be controlled from the switch(Electro-contact Mine) . Mining, as it was primarily defensive at that period, was conducted by the Royal Engineers. Unfortunately, booksellers have often discarded the first volume of text, and split the line drawings for sale as wall decoration! I haven't a copy myself, but I have seen copies. The British Library has a copy of "Rules for Military Mining, according to the practice of the Royal Engineer Establishment at Chatham"which I don't think is the same thing. An Outrigger Mine is what you would normally call a "Spar Mine", with an explosive charge attached to the end of a long pole and manoeuvred into contact with enemy vessel.
Regarding the history of Naval Mining, quite the best book I have ever read on the subject was published around the 1950's, in a limited set,(Secret at the time) covering the whole subject from the beginning until 1950. Foreign, including German and other countries approaches, were discussed, and the three (?) volumes covered sweeping, laying and , I think, net defences. Every detail of all types of mine was discussed, drawings shown, and the problems and the reasoning for decisions were given for each mark of mine. Thus, there would be a chapter detailing methods of depth-keeping, the history of same, and then described every version in the British Navy, as well as other country's systems. Photographs and sectional drawings of everything! Just a taster-"External colouration of moored mines"-The chapter found that visibility from the air wasn't affected that much by colour, except in the Mediterranean, wher the water was so clear. Regarding internal decoration, white was found best, as it helped to make adjustments more readily observable. Nothing I have ever seen on any other ordnance subject ever matched this, and it was almost a complete design manual! There was a set at the Winchester County Library a few years again, but amazingly, with the present cultural vandalism rampant in the UK, this has been closed, and nobody has the faintest idea what has happened to the the Naval Technical manual collection (I think that it came from HMS Vernon, the Naval School of Mining)! It may have been pulped! I have three agencies trying to find out what has happened. The Technical History would probably sell very well if it was scanned!
There is another copy of the Naval Mining History Manual (Set 6) at the Admiralty Library at Portsmouth , whose contents have been moved to at least three different sites since the '60's, were nearly lost, and now are cared for by one librarian. A far cry from when they once occupied a whole floor (26?) in the Empress Building in London, an Admiralty Establishment!
Sorry I haven't been of more assistance,
Regards,
Martin.
! !
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