Emergencies and World Disasters
Ten Feet of Water: How the Mighty Ganges Finally Broke
18 min•27 september 2026
Om avsnittet
Ten Feet of Water: How the Mighty Ganges Finally Broke
Ten feet of water sat in the well of the East Indiaman Ganges on 30 May 1807 - and yet the ship was still above the surface. A vessel that had crossed the Second Bar six times, survived an improbable fleet action on 14 February 1804, and carried cargo valued at £126,614 now found the sea winning: how did a ship that had outrun admirals and served four voyages finally fail?
In this episode, we follow the Ganges from her launch in 1797 through four voyages and an eight-month repair stop, tracing how wartime duties, an extraordinary battle under Commodore Nathaniel Dance, and accumulated wear transformed a merchantman into something more dangerous to itself than any enemy - and we ask whether the ship’s armed role sealed its fate.
Person: Captain Thomas Talbot Harrington
Date: 30 May 1807
Event: Found ten feet of water in the well while still afloat
Cargo loss: £126,614
Voyages: Four voyages over ten years
- Built in 1797 as a three-decker East Indiaman for the British East India Company.
- Held a letter of marque signed 23 March 1797 authorizing offensive action.
- Crossed the Second Bar at Whampoa six separate times during her service.
- Sailed in the China fleet of 21 East Indiamen that bluffed Contre-Admiral Linois on 14 February 1804.
- Between 203 and 209 people were taken off into the boats and all survived when ordered off by Harrington.
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
Ten feet of water sat in the well of the East Indiaman Ganges on 30 May 1807 - and yet the ship was still above the surface. A vessel that had crossed the Second Bar six times, survived an improbable fleet action on 14 February 1804, and carried cargo valued at £126,614 now found the sea winning: how did a ship that had outrun admirals and served four voyages finally fail?
In this episode, we follow the Ganges from her launch in 1797 through four voyages and an eight-month repair stop, tracing how wartime duties, an extraordinary battle under Commodore Nathaniel Dance, and accumulated wear transformed a merchantman into something more dangerous to itself than any enemy - and we ask whether the ship’s armed role sealed its fate.
Person: Captain Thomas Talbot Harrington
Date: 30 May 1807
Event: Found ten feet of water in the well while still afloat
Cargo loss: £126,614
Voyages: Four voyages over ten years
- Built in 1797 as a three-decker East Indiaman for the British East India Company.
- Held a letter of marque signed 23 March 1797 authorizing offensive action.
- Crossed the Second Bar at Whampoa six separate times during her service.
- Sailed in the China fleet of 21 East Indiamen that bluffed Contre-Admiral Linois on 14 February 1804.
- Between 203 and 209 people were taken off into the boats and all survived when ordered off by Harrington.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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