Jacobi mine facts for kids

The Jacobi mine was an early naval mine. It was designed in 1853 by Moritz von Jacobi, an engineer from Germany who worked in Russia. This mine was used by Russia during the Crimean War in the Baltic Sea.

What is the Jacobi Mine?

The Jacobi naval mine was created by Moritz von Jacobi in 1853. It was a special underwater bomb. An anchor held the mine to the bottom of the sea. A long cable connected it to a power source on the shore. This power source was a galvanic cell, which is like an early battery.

The mine's explosive power was equal to 14 kilograms (31 lb) of black powder. This was a lot of explosive for its time.

How the Mine Was Used in War

In the summer of 1853, a special group in the Russian army approved the Jacobi mine for production. Soon after, in October 1853, the Crimean War officially began. This war was between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Later, France and Great Britain also joined the war against Russia in March 1854.

In 1854, the Russians placed 60 Jacobi mines near Forts Pavel and Alexander in Kronstadt. They did this to stop the British and French navies from attacking. The British fleet arrived in April 1854, and the French fleet came in June 1854.

Jacobi Mines vs. Nobel Mines

The Jacobi mines slowly replaced other mines called Nobel mines. Admiral Fyodor Litke insisted on using the Jacobi mines more.

The Nobel mines were bought from Immanuel Nobel, a Swedish inventor living in Russia. These mines were very expensive, costing 100 Russian rubles each. They also had many problems. Some Nobel mines exploded while being placed. Others did not explode when they were supposed to. Some even broke free from their cables and floated away. The British were able to remove at least 70 of these faulty Nobel mines.

In 1855, Russia placed 301 more Jacobi mines around Kronstadt and Lisy Nos. Because of these mines, British ships did not dare to get close to the area.