Page 18 - COLLAGE

connected together in locations with tidal flow. Each half was enclosed, reducing the risk

of swamping, and the sections bore multiple lashing points.

The "Palsey Pontoon" lasted until 1836 when it was replaced by the "Blanshard Pontoon"

which comprised tin cylinders 3 feet wide and 22 feet long, placed 11 foot apart, making
the pontoon very buoyant. The pontoon was tested with the Palsey Pontoon on the Medway.

An alternative proposed by Charles Pasley comprised two copper canoes, each 2 foot 8
inches wide and 22 foot long and coming in two sections which were fastened side by side

to make a double canoe raft. Copper was used in preference to fast-corroding tin. Lashed
at 10 foot centres, these were good for cavalry, infantry and light guns; lashed at 5 foot

centres, heavy cannon could cross. The canoes could also be lashed together to form rafts.
One cart pulled by two horse carried two half canoes and stores.

A comparison of pontoons used by each nations army shows that almost all were open boats
coming in one, two or even three pieces, mainly wood, some with canvas and rubber

protection. Belgium used an iron boat; the United States used cylinders split into three.

In 1862 the Union forces commanded by Major General Ambrose Burnside were stuck on

the wrong side of the Rappahannock River at the Battle of Fredericksburg for lack of the
arrival of the Pontoon train resulting in severe losses. The report of this disaster resulted in

Britain forming and training a Pontoon Troop of Engineers.

During the American Civil War various forms of pontoon bridges were tried and discarded.

Wooden pontoons and India rubber bag pontoons shaped like a torpedo proved impractical
until the development of cotton-canvas covered pontoons, which required more

maintenance but were lightweight and easier to work with and transport. From 1864 a

lightweight design known as Cumberland Pontoons, a folding boat system, were widely
used during the Atlanta Campaign to transport soldiers and artillery across rivers in

the South.

In 1872 at a military review before Queen Victoria, a pontoon bridge was thrown across

the River Thames at Windsor, Berkshire, where the river was 250 feet (76 m) wide. The
bridge, comprising 15 pontoons held by 14 anchors, was completed in 22 minutes and then

used to move five battalions of troops across the river. It was removed in 34 minutes the

next day.

At Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, the Pile-Pontoon Railroad Bridge was constructed in 1874
over the Mississippi River to carry a railroad track connecting that city with Marquette,

18