The torpedoists of Den Briel

In the period between 1867 and 1922, hundreds of conscripts were stationed in the old fortified city. These were the torpedoes and they had the special task of blocking the tidal inlets, such as the Haringvliet, with torpedoes in the event of an imminent invasion. Those torpedoes were electrically operated mines and that was a new weapon in 1867. The torpedists and the people of Brielle got along very well. This was because the soldiers came to the aid of the Brielle population in many ways. The local economy also thrived because of the large amounts of food, fuel, and other necessities that local entrepreneurs could provide. The highest officers took a seat in important committees and councils. The new, strange and fascinating phenomenon of electrical energy made people curious and also a little reverent.