David Bianculli

That is how terrifying Cape Horn was to seamen, that the Spanish decided that for their trade, they would take their cargo ship, sail to Panama, and then haul the goods across the jungle, suffering malaria. Yeah. and yellow fever and then load the goods on the other side of Panama onto ships into the Pacific. So that was just a testament to how terrifying these seas really were.

That is how terrifying Cape Horn was to seamen, that the Spanish decided that for their trade, they would take their cargo ship, sail to Panama, and then haul the goods across the jungle, suffering malaria. Yeah. and yellow fever and then load the goods on the other side of Panama onto ships into the Pacific. So that was just a testament to how terrifying these seas really were.

That is how terrifying Cape Horn was to seamen, that the Spanish decided that for their trade, they would take their cargo ship, sail to Panama, and then haul the goods across the jungle, suffering malaria. Yeah. and yellow fever and then load the goods on the other side of Panama onto ships into the Pacific. So that was just a testament to how terrifying these seas really were.

Let's talk a little bit about these ships. You call them buoyant wooden castles. The flagship of this mission was the Centurion. Can you describe it for us?

Let's talk a little bit about these ships. You call them buoyant wooden castles. The flagship of this mission was the Centurion. Can you describe it for us?

Let's talk a little bit about these ships. You call them buoyant wooden castles. The flagship of this mission was the Centurion. Can you describe it for us?

Yeah, so these ships really were these kind of engineering marvels. They were more than 120 feet long. They had three masts. They were propelled by sails. They could fly as many as 12 to 18 sails, depending on the size of the warship at a time. But again, they were also very susceptible to the elements of sea and storm because they were made of wood.

Yeah, so these ships really were these kind of engineering marvels. They were more than 120 feet long. They had three masts. They were propelled by sails. They could fly as many as 12 to 18 sails, depending on the size of the warship at a time. But again, they were also very susceptible to the elements of sea and storm because they were made of wood.

Yeah, so these ships really were these kind of engineering marvels. They were more than 120 feet long. They had three masts. They were propelled by sails. They could fly as many as 12 to 18 sails, depending on the size of the warship at a time. But again, they were also very susceptible to the elements of sea and storm because they were made of wood.

One of the facts that astonished me when researching this book was that about 4,000 trees could be used to build one of these warships. And I even found accounts of people complaining about a kind of deforestation at the time.

One of the facts that astonished me when researching this book was that about 4,000 trees could be used to build one of these warships. And I even found accounts of people complaining about a kind of deforestation at the time.

One of the facts that astonished me when researching this book was that about 4,000 trees could be used to build one of these warships. And I even found accounts of people complaining about a kind of deforestation at the time.

Now, the wager, the ship that you focus on, was not built as a man of war. It was actually a merchant ship that was purchased by the Navy and refurbished for battle. You say it was tubby and unwieldy.

Now, the wager, the ship that you focus on, was not built as a man of war. It was actually a merchant ship that was purchased by the Navy and refurbished for battle. You say it was tubby and unwieldy.

Now, the wager, the ship that you focus on, was not built as a man of war. It was actually a merchant ship that was purchased by the Navy and refurbished for battle. You say it was tubby and unwieldy.

Yeah, it was a little bit like the ugly duckling of the squadron because it had not been born for battle. It had been one of these merchant ships that had been remade into a warship to serve in the war. It was the lowest rated ship. In that period, they rated warships by the number of cannons and the wager at 28. So it was a six rate, which was the lowest rate.

Yeah, it was a little bit like the ugly duckling of the squadron because it had not been born for battle. It had been one of these merchant ships that had been remade into a warship to serve in the war. It was the lowest rated ship. In that period, they rated warships by the number of cannons and the wager at 28. So it was a six rate, which was the lowest rate.

Yeah, it was a little bit like the ugly duckling of the squadron because it had not been born for battle. It had been one of these merchant ships that had been remade into a warship to serve in the war. It was the lowest rated ship. In that period, they rated warships by the number of cannons and the wager at 28. So it was a six rate, which was the lowest rate.

And it had been named after the head of the admiralty at the time, a man named Sir Charles Wager. And the name, in many ways, seemed fitting because they were all, in effect, gambling with their lives.

And it had been named after the head of the admiralty at the time, a man named Sir Charles Wager. And the name, in many ways, seemed fitting because they were all, in effect, gambling with their lives.