Stopping the tide
Encyclopedia
Stopping the tide was a manoeuver in use during the age of sail. In seas with a strong tide
, such as those off the coasts of western Europe
, particularly the Channel
, the force of the tide on a ship could equal, or surpass, the power derived from sails. So for a ship moving along the Channel in light breezes, a favourable tide could double its speed; contrariwise, when the tide changed the ship could be slowed to a halt, or even be swept backwards. To cope with this, ships would anchor, "stopping the tide", to preserve their progress. The technique played an important role in the naval conflicts of the period.
In actions which lasted a long time (or, at least beyond a change of tide) and which took place in light winds or calm conditions, stopping the tide could be critical. At the battle of Barfleur
, for example, when Shovell's
squadron was caught by the flood and dropped anchor, the Sandwich, whose captain had failed to prepare for this, was swept by the tide towards, and through, the French line of battle
, who had also anchored; she was exposed to their concentrated fire and suffered extensive damage.
As dropping and weighing anchor took time and effort, the decision to do so, and when, could be critical. At the battle of Beachy Head
, when the tide changed the allied fleet was at a disadvantage; Torrington
was able to anchor against the ebb before the French, who were carried away from him, gaining his fleet a respite. Later, he was able to use the flood
to escape. At Barfleur Tourville
in the same situation was able to escape by the same means.
A fleet at anchor, and stationary with a tide running past it, was highly vulnerable to attack by fireship; all fleets of the time included fireships for this purpose. The up-tide fleet would send fireships to drift down onto the enemy, whose only option, if they could not destroy them by gunfire, or fend them off using boats, would be to cut their anchor cables and flee.
Cutting and running
could also be used to gain a time advantage when using the tide to escape, but involved the loss of an anchor; in a long engagement, where this could happen more than once, a ship could run out of anchors, leaving it helpless before the tide, or have to sacrifice its cannon to jury-rig a replacement. Dramatically, this happened to the French fleet during the pursuit after Barfleur; Tourville's squadron, unable to round Cap de la Hague with the rest of his fleet, and with anchors dragging in a strong flood, were forced to cut, leaving them to be swept along the Normandy
coast to be beached at Cherbourg and La Hogue
.
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
, such as those off the coasts of western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, particularly the Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, the force of the tide on a ship could equal, or surpass, the power derived from sails. So for a ship moving along the Channel in light breezes, a favourable tide could double its speed; contrariwise, when the tide changed the ship could be slowed to a halt, or even be swept backwards. To cope with this, ships would anchor, "stopping the tide", to preserve their progress. The technique played an important role in the naval conflicts of the period.
In actions which lasted a long time (or, at least beyond a change of tide) and which took place in light winds or calm conditions, stopping the tide could be critical. At the battle of Barfleur
Battle of Barfleur
This article deals in detail with the action on 19 May 1692. For an overview of the battle, its background and aftermath, see Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue...
, for example, when Shovell's
Cloudesley Shovell
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell , was an English naval officer. Rising through the ranks and fighting in many of the important battles of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, he became a popular British hero, whose celebrated career was brought to an end in a disastrous shipwreck in...
squadron was caught by the flood and dropped anchor, the Sandwich, whose captain had failed to prepare for this, was swept by the tide towards, and through, the French line of battle
Line of battle
In naval warfare, the line of battle is a tactic in which the ships of the fleet form a line end to end. A primitive form had been used by the Portuguese under Vasco Da Gama in 1502 near Malabar against a Muslim fleet.,Maarten Tromp used it in the Action of 18 September 1639 while its first use in...
, who had also anchored; she was exposed to their concentrated fire and suffered extensive damage.
As dropping and weighing anchor took time and effort, the decision to do so, and when, could be critical. At the battle of Beachy Head
Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
The Battle of Beachy Head was a naval engagement fought on 10 July 1690 during the Nine Years' War. The battle was the greatest French tactical naval victory over their English and Dutch opponents during the war...
, when the tide changed the allied fleet was at a disadvantage; Torrington
Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington
Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington was a British admiral and politician of the late 17th and early 18th century. Cashiered as a rear-admiral by James II of England in 1688 for refusing to vote to repeal the Test Act, which prevented Catholics from holding offices, he brought the Invitation to...
was able to anchor against the ebb before the French, who were carried away from him, gaining his fleet a respite. Later, he was able to use the flood
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
to escape. At Barfleur Tourville
Anne Hilarion de Tourville
Anne Hilarion de Costentin, comte de Tourville was a French naval commander who served under King Louis XIV. He was made Marshal of France in 1693.-Military career:...
in the same situation was able to escape by the same means.
A fleet at anchor, and stationary with a tide running past it, was highly vulnerable to attack by fireship; all fleets of the time included fireships for this purpose. The up-tide fleet would send fireships to drift down onto the enemy, whose only option, if they could not destroy them by gunfire, or fend them off using boats, would be to cut their anchor cables and flee.
Cutting and running
Cut and run
Cut and run is a pejorative phrase used in the context of a war or battle meaning cowardly retreat. Thus, stripped of emotional connotation, the phrase simply means withdraw or retire from the conflict at issue...
could also be used to gain a time advantage when using the tide to escape, but involved the loss of an anchor; in a long engagement, where this could happen more than once, a ship could run out of anchors, leaving it helpless before the tide, or have to sacrifice its cannon to jury-rig a replacement. Dramatically, this happened to the French fleet during the pursuit after Barfleur; Tourville's squadron, unable to round Cap de la Hague with the rest of his fleet, and with anchors dragging in a strong flood, were forced to cut, leaving them to be swept along the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
coast to be beached at Cherbourg and La Hogue
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue is situated in the Manche département, in the Basse-Normandie région. It is in the Quettehou canton, of the Cherbourg arrondissement. The town had a population of 2,097...
.