The Deadliest Naval Voyage in History: How Scurvy Killed 1,300 British Sailors
In 1740, Commodore George Anson departed England with 1,854 men aboard six warships. Four years later, only 500 survivors returned. This wasn't a tale of naval battles—it was a medical catastrophe that would forever change maritime history.
Anson's squadron faced Cape Horn's worst winter storms, tropical diseases, and the horror of scurvy that claimed 1,300 lives. Yet from this disaster came triumph: the capture of a Spanish treasure galleon worth £500,000 and medical reforms that would save countless future sailors.
Chapters:
0:00 The Fleet Departs Portsmouth
1:30 Rounding Cape Horn in Winter
3:00 The Scurvy Epidemic Begins
4:45 Bodies in the Pacific
6:15 The Treasure Galleon Capture
8:00 Return of the Survivors
9:15 Legacy and Naval Reform
This catastrophic circumnavigation revealed the deadly reality of 18th-century naval medicine and launched the career of one of Britain's most celebrated admirals. Discover how disaster at sea led to revolutionary changes in naval healthcare and prevention of scurvy.
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