Emergencies and World Disasters
The Bottle Note That Proved a Luxury Liner Vanished Without Trace
23 min•24 juli 2026
Om avsnittet
The Bottle Note That Proved a Luxury Liner Vanished Without Trace
A single message in a glass bottle survived five years at sea while two hundred people did not, washing ashore on a Scottish island in the summer of 1861 with the words "Ship going down. Confusion on board. Icebergs around us on every side." How could a Blue Riband, record‑holding Collins Line steamship disappear with no wreckage, no debris, and only one dying account to prove what happened?
In this episode, we tell the story contained in that bottle and trace the Pacific's history from her launch to the morning she left Liverpool and never returned, asking what the note reveals and why a celebrated liner with an experienced captain could vanish without trace.
Person: Captain Asa Eldridge
Date: January 23, 1856
Location: Liverpool (departure)
Event: Loss of the SS Pacific with 186 people aboard
Ship: SS Pacific, 281 feet long
- The bottle's note washed ashore on a Scottish island in the summer of 1861 after floating for five years.
- The note's text included the lines "Ship going down. Confusion on board. Icebergs around us on every side."
- The SS Pacific departed Liverpool on January 23, 1856, with 186 people aboard.
- The Pacific was 281 feet long and set Blue Riband records with westbound averages of 12.5 knots and eastbound runs at 13 knots.
- Her engines had 95‑inch cylinders with a nine‑foot stroke and burned 75-85 short tons of coal per day.
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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].
A single message in a glass bottle survived five years at sea while two hundred people did not, washing ashore on a Scottish island in the summer of 1861 with the words "Ship going down. Confusion on board. Icebergs around us on every side." How could a Blue Riband, record‑holding Collins Line steamship disappear with no wreckage, no debris, and only one dying account to prove what happened?
In this episode, we tell the story contained in that bottle and trace the Pacific's history from her launch to the morning she left Liverpool and never returned, asking what the note reveals and why a celebrated liner with an experienced captain could vanish without trace.
Person: Captain Asa Eldridge
Date: January 23, 1856
Location: Liverpool (departure)
Event: Loss of the SS Pacific with 186 people aboard
Ship: SS Pacific, 281 feet long
- The bottle's note washed ashore on a Scottish island in the summer of 1861 after floating for five years.
- The note's text included the lines "Ship going down. Confusion on board. Icebergs around us on every side."
- The SS Pacific departed Liverpool on January 23, 1856, with 186 people aboard.
- The Pacific was 281 feet long and set Blue Riband records with westbound averages of 12.5 knots and eastbound runs at 13 knots.
- Her engines had 95‑inch cylinders with a nine‑foot stroke and burned 75-85 short tons of coal per day.
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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