Britain and the Mine, 1900–1915 : Culture, Strategy and International Law

This book examines Britain's complex relationship with the mine in the years 1900-1915. The development of mine warfare represented a unique mix of challenges and opportunities for Britain in the years before the First World War. The mine represented the antithesis of British maritime culture in material form, and attempts were made to limit its use under international law. At the same time, mine warfare offered the Royal Navy a solution to its most difficult strategic problem. Richard Dunley explores the contested position occupied by the mine in the attitudes of British policy makers, and in doing so sheds new light on the overlapping worlds of culture, strategy and international law.-- Provided by publisher Front Matter ....Pages i-xi Introduction (Richard Dunley)....Pages 1-7 Mining in a Cultural Context (Richard Dunley)....Pages 9-21 British Attitudes to Mining Before 1904 (Richard Dunley)....Pages 23-44 Mine Warfare in the Russo-Japanese War: The Royal Navy Perspective (Richard Dunley)....Pages 45-71 The Russo-Japanese War: Outrage and Reaction (Richard Dunley)....Pages 73-95 Mining and International Law: Britain and the Hague Conference (Richard Dunley)....Pages 97-130 The Strategic Shift: The Origins of British Mine Warfare (Richard Dunley)....Pages 131-163 Development and Institutionalisation: Offensive Mining 1906–1909 (Richard Dunley)....Pages 165-192 Strategic Flux and Technical Failure (Richard Dunley)....Pages 193-224 The Test of Conflict (Richard Dunley)....Pages 225-266 War, Law and Diplomacy (Richard Dunley)....Pages 267-295 Conclusion (Richard Dunley)....Pages 297-303 Back Matter ....Pages 305-317 Acknowledgements 6 Contents 8 Abbreviations 10 Chapter 1 Introduction 11 Chapter 2 Mining in a Cultural Context 18 Chapter 3 British Attitudes to Mining Before 1904 31 I 35 II 41 Chapter 4 Mine Warfare in the Russo-Japanese War: The Royal Navy Perspective 53 I 56 II 60 III 65 IV 69 Chapter 5 The Russo-Japanese War: Outrage and Reaction 80 I 85 II 90 Chapter 6 Mining and International Law: Britain and the Hague Conference 103 I 109 II 113 III 116 IV 126 Chapter 7 The Strategic Shift: The Origins of British Mine Warfare 137 I 139 II 141 III 146 IV 157 V 160 Chapter 8 Development and Institutionalisation: Offensive Mining 1906–1909 170 I 171 II 174 III 179 IV 183 V 187 Chapter 9 Strategic Flux and Technical Failure 198 I 203 III 217 Chapter 10 The Test of Conflict 230 I 233 II 237 III 243 IV 257 Chapter 11 War, Law and Diplomacy 272 I 278 II 281 III 288 Chapter 12 Conclusion 301 Archival Sources 308 Index 311 Annotation This book examines Britain's complex relationship with the mine in the years 1900-1915. The development of mine warfare represented a unique mix of challenges and opportunities for Britain in the years before the First World War. The mine represented the antithesis of British maritime culture in material form, and attempts were made to limit its use under international law. At the same time, mine warfare offered the Royal Navy a solution to its most difficult strategic problem. Richard Dunley explores the contested position occupied by the mine in the attitudes of British policy makers, and in doing so sheds new light on the overlapping worlds of culture, strategy and international law