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<i> Narrator: No place on the</i>
<i> planet has shaped the world</i>

2
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<i> Quite like this one.</i>

3
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<i> And this bustling,</i>
<i> self-confident city...</i>

4
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<i> Has an extraordinary</i>
<i> story to tell.</i>

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Simon: London is an
archaeological gold mine.

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<i> Narrator: London's</i>
<i> secret ingredient,</i>

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<i> The mighty river thames.</i>

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<i> Where its deepest and</i>
<i> darkest mysteries</i>

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<i> Lie waiting to be found.</i>

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<i> Imagine if we could</i>
<i> empty the oceans.</i>

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<i> Letting the water drain away.</i>

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<i> To reveal the secrets</i>
<i> of the sea floor.</i>

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<i> Now we can.</i>

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<i> Using accurate data and</i>
<i> astonishing technology,</i>

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<i> To bring light once</i>
<i> again to a lost world.</i>

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<i> Why is this one of</i>
<i> the most dangerous</i>
<i> shipwrecks in the world?</i>

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<i> Can these century old</i>
<i> remains cast light on</i>

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<i> London's pirate past?</i>

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Eric: The queen and
her major advisors,

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They were all tied up
in this violent trade.

21
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<i> Narrator: And how did</i>
<i> london's favorite warship</i>

22
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<i> Explode into 1,000 pieces?</i>

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(theme music plays).

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<i> Rich with history</i>
<i> and tradition.</i>

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<i> Today, london is a global</i>
<i> center of tourism,</i>

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<i> Fashion, music and commerce.</i>

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<i> Home to more than</i>
<i> eight million people,</i>

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<i>Famous for their eccentricity.</i>

29
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<i> And attitude.</i>

30
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<i> And it all starts with</i>
<i> fast flowing water.</i>

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Simon: The river thames
is absolutely vital to
the story of london,

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Without the river thames
there would be no london.

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<i> Narrator: For thousands of</i>
<i> years people have lived along</i>

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<i> The banks of the thames.</i>

35
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<i> But how does the</i>
<i> city of london begin?</i>

36
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<i> Could some extraordinary</i>
<i> ruins hold the answer?</i>

37
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<i> As new buildings rise they</i>
<i> expose evidence of the past.</i>

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<i> On the north bank</i>
<i> of the river thames,</i>

39
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<i> In the heart of the</i>
<i> financial district,</i>

40
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<i>Workers digging new foundations</i>
<i>unearth something surprising.</i>

41
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<i> They call in the experts.</i>

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<i> The lead archaeologist</i>
<i> is gustav milne.</i>

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Gustav: Before the
new buildings went up,

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A series of archaeological
excavations took place here,

45
00:03:29,910 --> 00:03:33,145
And they revealed some
amazing discoveries.

46
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<i> Narrator: When gustav's team</i>
<i> arrives only part of the</i>

47
00:03:38,836 --> 00:03:41,503
<i> Remains are exposed.</i>

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Gustav: Archaeological
excavations are a bit like

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Crime scene investigations,

50
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We like to tape off the area to
stop people trampling over it,

51
00:03:51,048 --> 00:03:54,533
And we like to record
all sorts of information,

52
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Which at the time might
not seem relevant.

53
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<i> Narrator: The best way to</i>
<i> see this remarkable find</i>

54
00:04:03,711 --> 00:04:07,112
<i> Is to drain away the city.</i>

55
00:04:10,817 --> 00:04:14,403
<i> The london pavement cracks.</i>

56
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<i> Soft, alluvial soil</i>
<i> begins to crumble away.</i>

57
00:04:25,049 --> 00:04:28,533
<i> Based on highly accurate</i>
<i> archaeological data,</i>

58
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<i> We can peer below</i>
<i> the modern city.</i>

59
00:04:32,940 --> 00:04:38,076
<i> And witness the</i>
<i> origins of london.</i>

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<i> Huge wooden timbers,</i>

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<i> Clearly part of something</i>
<i> very big and very old.</i>

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Gustav: We can count
the tree rings,

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This is a system called
dendrochronology,

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You have to slice them up by
chainsaw, and then look at

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00:05:03,186 --> 00:05:06,672
The distance between each
of the rings and match that

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To a master chronology.

67
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<i> Narrator: These trees</i>
<i> are chopped down almost</i>
<i> 2,000 years ago,</i>

68
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<i> A time when something</i>
<i> very important happened</i>
<i> in southern England.</i>

69
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<i> The arrival of a super power.</i>

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Andrew: The romans came
to britain to asset strip,

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They plundered its
rich resources, and

72
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They were going to use
it to sustain the rest
of their empire.

73
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<i> Narrator: The romans</i>
<i> come looking for riches.</i>

74
00:05:38,672 --> 00:05:42,207
<i>But what they find is trouble.</i>

75
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Simon: Roman britain was the
wild west of the roman empire.

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<i> Narrator: The roman army</i>
<i> builds an imposing settlement</i>

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<i> On the river thames.</i>

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<i> And they call it londinium.</i>

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<i> The giant timbers are unique</i>
<i> evidence of this moment.</i>

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Gustav: There is no surviving
documentary record that tells

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Us when london was founded,

82
00:06:07,968 --> 00:06:11,536
We rely entirely on
archaeological evidence to

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Build up the real
story of londinium.

84
00:06:16,710 --> 00:06:18,777
<i> Narrator: Removing even</i>
<i> more of the modern city</i>

85
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<i> Other clues emerge.</i>

86
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<i> The timbers are part</i>
<i> of a 7 foot high wall.</i>

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<i> Behind it, the remains</i>
<i> of roman buildings.</i>

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Gustav: Those buildings were
not residential buildings,

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They didn't have mosaic
floors or hearths in.

90
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<i> Narrator: So what are</i>
<i> these structures for?</i>

91
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<i> Clues lie in bore</i>
<i> samples taken from soil</i>

92
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<i> Next to the timber wall.</i>

93
00:07:04,741 --> 00:07:06,808
Virgil: We found
things like ostracods,

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00:07:06,844 --> 00:07:08,910
Which are millimeter
sized crustaceans,

95
00:07:08,946 --> 00:07:13,381
And diatoms, which are
single celled algae remains.

96
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<i> Narrator: Many of</i>
<i> these creatures thrive</i>
<i> in tidal estuaries,</i>

97
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<i> But, the archaeological</i>
<i> site is over 300 feet</i>

98
00:07:21,675 --> 00:07:24,509
<i>From the modern estuary river.</i>

99
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<i> The explanation,</i>

100
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<i> In roman times the thames</i>
<i> was much wider and ran</i>

101
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<i> Right alongside</i>
<i> this timber wall.</i>

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Gustav: If only you could
remove all these buildings,

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Drain the river thames,

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You would get a perfect
view of what we found.

105
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<i> Narrator: The wall</i>
<i> is a roman quayside,</i>

106
00:08:03,750 --> 00:08:07,269
<i> Almost 200 feet long.</i>

107
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<i> Set alongside ten</i>
<i> stone buildings.</i>

108
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<i>Gustav's team hasn't just found</i>
<i>some ancient pieces of wood,</i>

109
00:08:23,820 --> 00:08:26,438
<i> They've discovered the</i>
<i> site of the city's first</i>

110
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<i> Major harbor facility.</i>

111
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<i> Now it's possible to recreate</i>
<i> the first port of london</i>

112
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<i> As it looked in the</i>
<i> late first century ad.</i>

113
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<i> On its north bank,</i>

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<i> The thames floods back to</i>
<i> its ancient, original width.</i>

115
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<i> And londinium rises</i>
<i> from the tidal mud.</i>

116
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<i> Cargo ships from all over</i>
<i> the known world unload</i>

117
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<i> Along the wooden quayside.</i>

118
00:09:08,649 --> 00:09:13,034
<i> Along ten large</i>
<i> stone warehouses.</i>

119
00:09:13,870 --> 00:09:17,606
<i> Where goods are</i>
<i> stored and processed.</i>

120
00:09:17,641 --> 00:09:20,342
Simon: Roman london
is an emporium,

121
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It's a place of trade,

122
00:09:21,745 --> 00:09:25,380
And therefore the port
is absolutely vital.

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<i> Narrator: The port gives</i>
<i> london power and importance.</i>

124
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<i> A place to live and defend.</i>

125
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<i> It transforms a simple,</i>

126
00:09:38,845 --> 00:09:42,747
<i> River settlement</i>
<i> into a thriving town.</i>

127
00:09:42,783 --> 00:09:44,733
Andrew: We often get obsessed
about roman temples and

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00:09:44,768 --> 00:09:46,868
Amphitheaters,
but actually,

129
00:09:46,903 --> 00:09:51,172
Building a port is the thing
that really makes britain work.

130
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<i> Narrator: But for london to</i>
<i> become the dominant roman city</i>

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<i> Of britain it needs</i>
<i> something else.</i>

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<i> Close to the dock,</i>

133
00:10:03,870 --> 00:10:07,639
<i> Archaeologists unearth more</i>
<i> game changing evidence that's</i>

134
00:10:07,674 --> 00:10:11,076
<i> Been hidden for centuries.</i>

135
00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:19,034
<i> The drained site</i>
<i> reveals what they found.</i>

136
00:10:20,704 --> 00:10:25,140
<i> Part of a 20 foot</i>
<i> rectangular wooden box.</i>

137
00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:31,379
Gustav: The timbers were felled
in about 85 ad or thereabouts.

138
00:10:33,050 --> 00:10:35,934
<i> Narrator: The new</i>
<i> structure is also roman.</i>

139
00:10:35,969 --> 00:10:39,270
<i> And around the same</i>
<i> age as the dock.</i>

140
00:10:39,306 --> 00:10:41,006
<i> But what is it?</i>

141
00:10:41,041 --> 00:10:45,410
<i> Gustav turns to</i>
<i> other archaeological</i>
<i> evidence found nearby.</i>

142
00:10:52,035 --> 00:10:57,072
<i> Narrator: Remnants of roman</i>
<i> roads right across london.</i>

143
00:10:57,974 --> 00:11:01,509
<i> One runs close to the</i>
<i> wooden box and stops dead</i>

144
00:11:01,545 --> 00:11:04,512
<i> At the river's northern bank.</i>

145
00:11:05,782 --> 00:11:09,801
<i> Another does the same</i>
<i> on the southern bank.</i>

146
00:11:09,836 --> 00:11:13,505
<i> Solid proof of a</i>
<i> river crossing.</i>

147
00:11:13,540 --> 00:11:17,075
<i> But not by boat.</i>

148
00:11:17,711 --> 00:11:20,412
Gustav: We think that
the timber structure was

149
00:11:20,447 --> 00:11:24,466
A pier base for a roman bridge.

150
00:11:27,070 --> 00:11:30,038
<i> Narrator: Now, using all</i>
<i> of the latest research,</i>

151
00:11:30,073 --> 00:11:33,775
<i> We can run the clock</i>
<i> backwards and highlight</i>

152
00:11:33,810 --> 00:11:38,113
<i> The crowning glory</i>
<i> of roman london.</i>

153
00:11:40,584 --> 00:11:43,601
<i> The first ever permanent</i>
<i> thames crossing</i>

154
00:11:43,637 --> 00:11:48,039
<i>Stretches for over 12,000 feet.</i>

155
00:11:49,843 --> 00:11:53,411
<i>The 20 foot wide</i>
<i>superstructure is supported by</i>

156
00:11:53,447 --> 00:11:55,780
<i> 20 massive timber piers,</i>

157
00:11:55,816 --> 00:12:00,301
<i> With bases like the one</i>
<i> found by gustav's team.</i>

158
00:12:03,140 --> 00:12:07,275
<i> There's nothing else</i>
<i> like it in roman britain.</i>

159
00:12:07,577 --> 00:12:11,112
<i> It's an ancient</i>
<i> engineering marvel.</i>

160
00:12:14,768 --> 00:12:19,204
<i> A marvel that rises</i>
<i> from the ashes of war.</i>

161
00:12:19,806 --> 00:12:23,675
<i> In 60 ad, queen boadicea</i>
<i> and her powerful tribe</i>

162
00:12:23,710 --> 00:12:27,245
<i> Rebel against roman rule.</i>

163
00:12:30,450 --> 00:12:34,135
<i>And burn london to the ground.</i>

164
00:12:34,704 --> 00:12:37,472
<i> After finally defeating</i>
<i> her in battle</i>

165
00:12:37,507 --> 00:12:39,774
<i>The romans rebuilt their city.</i>

166
00:12:40,110 --> 00:12:42,110
Simon: So, london becomes the
provincial capital because

167
00:12:42,145 --> 00:12:47,382
London is the place where
all the rebuilding starts
for roman britain.

168
00:12:48,135 --> 00:12:51,936
<i>Narrator: The bridge is a key</i>
<i>part of this rebuilding program,</i>

169
00:12:51,972 --> 00:12:57,142
<i> Sending a message about</i>
<i> the enduring power of rome.</i>

170
00:12:58,445 --> 00:13:02,514
Simon: This is monumentalization
on a huge scale for the romans,

171
00:13:02,549 --> 00:13:04,499
Saying we are here,

172
00:13:04,534 --> 00:13:06,501
We're controlling
this river crossing,

173
00:13:06,536 --> 00:13:09,137
This is our
provincial capital.

174
00:13:09,940 --> 00:13:13,475
<i> Narrator: Incredibly,</i>
<i> it's the city's only bridge</i>

175
00:13:13,510 --> 00:13:16,377
<i> For almost 1,000 years.</i>

176
00:13:17,714 --> 00:13:22,433
<i>It's what ties london and the</i>
<i>rest of roman britain together.</i>

177
00:13:24,738 --> 00:13:28,706
<i>Cementing london's place as</i>
<i>the centerpiece of the country</i>

178
00:13:28,742 --> 00:13:31,776
<i>And, along with the nearby port,</i>

179
00:13:31,812 --> 00:13:35,380
<i> Kick starting the city's</i>
<i> remarkable growth.</i>

180
00:13:39,035 --> 00:13:44,072
<i> 1400 years later and london</i>
<i> is still going strong.</i>

181
00:13:44,841 --> 00:13:47,575
<i> Its success now</i>
<i> fueled by violent,</i>

182
00:13:47,611 --> 00:13:50,411
<i> Swashbuckling adventurers.</i>

183
00:13:51,014 --> 00:13:54,599
<i> Can some mysterious remains</i>
<i> in the thames estuary</i>

184
00:13:54,634 --> 00:13:58,403
<i> Expose one of its</i>
<i> darkest secrets?</i>

185
00:14:08,748 --> 00:14:10,682
<i> Narrator: Just as</i>
<i> in roman times,</i>

186
00:14:10,717 --> 00:14:15,136
<i> The modern river thames is</i>
<i> london's transport artery.</i>

187
00:14:17,908 --> 00:14:20,742
<i> Today, the heavyweight</i>
<i> shipping action happens</i>

188
00:14:20,777 --> 00:14:25,547
<i> 20 miles out of town</i>
<i> in the thames estuary.</i>

189
00:14:29,836 --> 00:14:33,972
<i>Every year, giant vessels carry</i>
<i>50 million tons of cargo</i>

190
00:14:34,007 --> 00:14:38,476
<i> Through these dangerously</i>
<i> shallow, tidal waters.</i>

191
00:14:40,747 --> 00:14:44,082
Captain: And we're now
outbound for sea reach 4.

192
00:14:45,869 --> 00:14:47,602
<i> Narrator: The thames</i>
<i> is patrolled by the</i>

193
00:14:47,637 --> 00:14:50,905
<i> Port of london authority.</i>
<i> Or pla.</i>

194
00:14:50,941 --> 00:14:56,277
<i> Monitoring the ever-changing</i>
<i> river bed to keep shipping</i>
<i> channels clear.</i>

195
00:14:58,949 --> 00:15:02,867
<i> In 2003, a pla survey</i>
<i> vessel discovers</i>

196
00:15:02,903 --> 00:15:08,106
<i> A mysterious object in the</i>
<i> busy prince's channel.</i>

197
00:15:11,011 --> 00:15:13,711
John: What we're looking
at here is an area in the

198
00:15:13,747 --> 00:15:16,414
Prince's channel,
which we're going to dredge.

199
00:15:16,449 --> 00:15:17,615
We'd surveyed it,

200
00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:19,867
We'd found something that
didn't look quite right,

201
00:15:19,903 --> 00:15:23,338
And that's this relatively
small obstruction.

202
00:15:23,974 --> 00:15:28,576
<i> Narrator: Further sonar scans</i>
<i> reveal it's a shipwreck.</i>

203
00:15:29,145 --> 00:15:31,779
John: These are
manmade structures
we're looking up here,

204
00:15:31,815 --> 00:15:34,082
And they turned out to
be the ribs of a ship.

205
00:15:34,117 --> 00:15:37,035
That's when it all got very
exciting and that's when all

206
00:15:37,070 --> 00:15:41,072
The follow up investigations
started to happen.

207
00:15:42,809 --> 00:15:46,477
<i> Narrator: The pla calls in</i>
<i> archaeologist jens auer.</i>

208
00:15:49,115 --> 00:15:51,466
Jens: Everything was
mysterious in the beginning,

209
00:15:51,501 --> 00:15:52,800
Unknown wreck,
where is it from?

210
00:15:52,836 --> 00:15:55,470
What could it be?
What did it carry?

211
00:16:00,844 --> 00:16:03,111
I can remember my
first dive very well.

212
00:16:03,146 --> 00:16:06,781
Couldn't see very much and it
looked extremely confusing,

213
00:16:06,816 --> 00:16:09,767
There were timbers everywhere
and bits of metal everywhere.

214
00:16:09,803 --> 00:16:12,403
And because of the strong
currents things are

215
00:16:12,439 --> 00:16:14,472
Moving around constantly.

216
00:16:15,709 --> 00:16:17,775
<i> Narrator: Despite the</i>
<i> challenging conditions,</i>

217
00:16:17,811 --> 00:16:21,579
<i> Jens immediately knows</i>
<i> that the wreck is very old.</i>

218
00:16:21,614 --> 00:16:23,648
<i> But what is it?</i>

219
00:16:23,683 --> 00:16:26,234
<i> And why is it here?</i>

220
00:16:27,037 --> 00:16:30,605
<i> The poor visibility and fast</i>
<i> currents make it difficult</i>

221
00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,508
<i> To get the full picture.</i>

222
00:16:35,745 --> 00:16:38,780
<i> But now, using</i>
<i> dive survey data</i>

223
00:16:38,815 --> 00:16:41,482
<i> And powerful</i>
<i> computer software...</i>

224
00:16:44,070 --> 00:16:48,539
<i> We can make the thames</i>
<i> estuary drain away.</i>

225
00:16:50,577 --> 00:16:54,278
<i>And expose a remarkable sight.</i>

226
00:16:54,848 --> 00:16:59,067
<i> As the murky waters recede...</i>

227
00:16:59,803 --> 00:17:04,505
<i> Part buried in shifting</i>
<i> sands, an 80 foot skeleton.</i>

228
00:17:08,745 --> 00:17:11,879
<i> Floor timbers and</i>
<i> adjoining frames remain.</i>

229
00:17:11,915 --> 00:17:16,467
<i> To an expert its design</i>
<i> gives clues to its age.</i>

230
00:17:19,139 --> 00:17:21,756
Jens: This type of construction,
this joining of the frames

231
00:17:21,791 --> 00:17:23,608
And some other features
in the construction,

232
00:17:23,643 --> 00:17:24,909
The little details,

233
00:17:24,944 --> 00:17:28,112
They sort of pointed
to the 16th century.

234
00:17:30,884 --> 00:17:33,801
<i> Narrator: In the 16th</i>
<i> century England is ruled by</i>

235
00:17:33,837 --> 00:17:37,138
<i> Ruthless tudor monarchs.</i>

236
00:17:40,777 --> 00:17:42,877
<i> Under their command,</i>

237
00:17:42,912 --> 00:17:47,281
<i> London's wealth and global</i>
<i> ambition skyrockets.</i>

238
00:17:49,035 --> 00:17:52,036
<i> The mystery wreck is a chance</i>
<i> to learn more about this</i>

239
00:17:52,072 --> 00:17:57,241
<i> Dramatic age, so jens</i>
<i> wants to identify it.</i>

240
00:18:00,814 --> 00:18:05,433
<i> Between the ship's timbers</i>
<i> he finds some striking clues.</i>

241
00:18:06,836 --> 00:18:11,372
<i>Tin, lead ingots and iron bars.</i>

242
00:18:11,808 --> 00:18:15,143
<i> It's carrying a small</i>
<i> fortune in metal.</i>

243
00:18:15,178 --> 00:18:19,247
Jens: The cargo told us we were
looking at a merchant vessel.

244
00:18:19,949 --> 00:18:22,667
<i> Narrator: But exploring</i>
<i> the drained wreck further</i>

245
00:18:22,702 --> 00:18:27,105
<i> Reveals this is no</i>
<i> ordinary trading ship.</i>

246
00:18:28,608 --> 00:18:31,709
<i> In the nearby sand, cannons,</i>

247
00:18:31,744 --> 00:18:34,679
<i> Engraved on one of the guns,</i>

248
00:18:34,714 --> 00:18:39,367
<i> The initials tg, and the</i>
<i> symbol of a grasshopper.</i>

249
00:18:41,805 --> 00:18:43,704
Jens: Did some research
and found out that tg

250
00:18:43,740 --> 00:18:46,307
Stands for thomas gresham,
sir thomas gresham.

251
00:18:51,314 --> 00:18:55,966
<i> Narrator: Sir thomas</i>
<i> gresham is a key figure</i>
<i> in 16th century london,</i>

252
00:18:55,969 --> 00:19:01,372
<i> One of the men who first</i>
<i> turn England into a</i>
<i> global power house.</i>

253
00:19:02,175 --> 00:19:05,943
Eric: Thomas gresham
was one of the greatest
financiers of his day.

254
00:19:05,979 --> 00:19:10,448
He was an entrepreneur and a
very successful one at that.

255
00:19:11,768 --> 00:19:14,735
<i> Narrator: In 1566,</i>
<i> gresham establishes</i>

256
00:19:14,771 --> 00:19:17,872
<i> England's first purpose</i>
<i> built trading center,</i>

257
00:19:17,907 --> 00:19:21,375
<i> Called the royal exchange.</i>

258
00:19:22,912 --> 00:19:25,646
<i> It's such an important</i>
<i> moment for the country</i>

259
00:19:25,682 --> 00:19:29,367
<i> That it's opened by</i>
<i> queen elizabeth herself.</i>

260
00:19:38,645 --> 00:19:40,811
<i> Studying the wreck</i>
<i> in greater detail</i>

261
00:19:40,847 --> 00:19:44,348
<i>Reveals something astonishing.</i>

262
00:19:44,384 --> 00:19:46,400
<i> Gun ports.</i>

263
00:20:01,935 --> 00:20:04,669
<i> Narrator: The merchant</i>
<i> vessel isn't trading cannon,</i>

264
00:20:04,704 --> 00:20:07,538
<i> It's armed with them.</i>

265
00:20:09,842 --> 00:20:12,643
<i> Now using jens'</i>
<i> forensic research,</i>

266
00:20:12,679 --> 00:20:15,980
<i> We can dial back time</i>
<i> and restore this relic of</i>

267
00:20:16,015 --> 00:20:20,268
<i> Elizabethan london</i>
<i> to her former glory.</i>

268
00:20:24,674 --> 00:20:26,807
<i>Rising from her resting place,</i>

269
00:20:26,843 --> 00:20:30,478
<i> A state of the art 16th</i>
<i> century merchantman.</i>

270
00:20:37,670 --> 00:20:40,271
<i> 115 feet long.</i>

271
00:20:45,411 --> 00:20:48,479
<i> Weighing 200 tons.</i>

272
00:20:49,682 --> 00:20:53,301
<i> Carrying over a dozen cannon.</i>

273
00:20:54,003 --> 00:20:57,705
<i> An ocean going trader from a</i>
<i> time when England is making</i>

274
00:20:57,740 --> 00:21:01,375
<i> Its presence felt</i>
<i> on the world stage.</i>

275
00:21:02,845 --> 00:21:04,812
Jens: Ships were the most
advanced means of transporting

276
00:21:04,847 --> 00:21:06,614
And of communicating,

277
00:21:06,649 --> 00:21:09,267
You could compare it
to a rocket nowadays.

278
00:21:09,702 --> 00:21:15,072
<i>Narrator: But why does a</i>
<i>merchant ship need so many guns?</i>

279
00:21:17,076 --> 00:21:21,379
<i> The answer exposes the</i>
<i> brutal truth that lies behind</i>

280
00:21:21,414 --> 00:21:24,348
<i> London's rise to power.</i>

281
00:21:34,243 --> 00:21:37,111
<i> Narrator: Identifying the</i>
<i> 16th century mystery wreck</i>

282
00:21:37,146 --> 00:21:39,847
<i> Might explain why it's armed.</i>

283
00:21:42,135 --> 00:21:44,201
<i> Investigator jens auer,</i>

284
00:21:44,237 --> 00:21:47,805
<i> Asks archaeologist</i>
<i> gustav milne, for help.</i>

285
00:21:49,442 --> 00:21:53,678
Gustav: We have got a little bit
of litigation which we found.

286
00:21:54,380 --> 00:21:58,132
<i> Narrator: In 1603,</i>
<i> a similar sized vessel sinks,</i>

287
00:21:58,167 --> 00:22:01,669
<i> Just outside london in</i>
<i> the prince's channel.</i>

288
00:22:02,472 --> 00:22:05,940
Gustav: And the name of
the ship is the cherubim,

289
00:22:05,975 --> 00:22:08,376
It was what we
call a levanter.

290
00:22:08,411 --> 00:22:12,213
That is to say a merchantman
which sailed to turkey and

291
00:22:12,248 --> 00:22:14,965
Back with the levant company.

292
00:22:19,172 --> 00:22:22,206
<i> Narrator: The cherubim isn't</i>
<i> owned by thomas gresham.</i>

293
00:22:22,241 --> 00:22:25,543
<i> But there is a connection.</i>

294
00:22:26,346 --> 00:22:31,699
<i>The levant company uses cannon</i>
<i>from gresham's iron foundry.</i>

295
00:22:32,168 --> 00:22:35,636
<i> But why would it need them?</i>

296
00:22:38,508 --> 00:22:41,842
Gustav: It wasn't just a
levanter, it was a privateer.

297
00:22:41,878 --> 00:22:42,977
Jens: A privateer.

298
00:22:43,012 --> 00:22:44,278
Gustav: Or pirate, whatever
you wanna call it, yeah.

299
00:22:44,313 --> 00:22:48,248
In 1591 it joined the
azores campaign to attack,

300
00:22:48,284 --> 00:22:50,434
With its guns,
spanish galleons

301
00:22:50,470 --> 00:22:54,839
Coming back from the
caribbean with bullion in it.

302
00:22:58,177 --> 00:23:00,611
<i> Narrator: Like other</i>
<i> english vessels of her time,</i>

303
00:23:00,646 --> 00:23:05,966
<i> The cherubim is also a</i>
<i> part time pirate ship.</i>

304
00:23:09,639 --> 00:23:15,009
<i> Targeting England's enemies</i>
<i> and looting their treasure.</i>

305
00:23:17,647 --> 00:23:21,382
Eric: The world had first
been conquered by the
spanish and the portuguese,

306
00:23:21,417 --> 00:23:24,068
Which, towards the end of the
16th century came together

307
00:23:24,103 --> 00:23:25,436
In a single empire.

308
00:23:25,471 --> 00:23:29,206
So, if England wanted to play
a part in this increasingly

309
00:23:29,242 --> 00:23:32,543
Global trade she had
to play catch up.

310
00:23:36,549 --> 00:23:39,433
She had to raid the empires
that already existed.

311
00:23:39,469 --> 00:23:42,269
The queen and her major
advisors, the lord admiral,

312
00:23:42,305 --> 00:23:45,272
They were all tied up
in this violent trade.

313
00:23:45,475 --> 00:23:48,375
<i> Narrator: Some of the most</i>
<i> famous english sea captains</i>

314
00:23:48,411 --> 00:23:51,512
<i> Are also part time pirates.</i>

315
00:23:51,547 --> 00:23:56,667
<i> Or, to use the politer</i>
<i> phrase, sea dogs.</i>

316
00:23:57,270 --> 00:23:59,203
Eric: When francis drake
sailed around the world

317
00:23:59,238 --> 00:24:02,106
He made a profit for
his investors,

318
00:24:02,141 --> 00:24:05,509
Including the queen,
of 4,700%.

319
00:24:05,545 --> 00:24:08,412
You're talking about the
equivalent really of billions

320
00:24:08,448 --> 00:24:11,182
Of pounds by modern standards.

321
00:24:11,217 --> 00:24:13,334
This was big money indeed.

322
00:24:13,369 --> 00:24:16,737
And the fruits of
piracy were very good.

323
00:24:19,008 --> 00:24:21,142
<i> Narrator: By the</i>
<i> late 16th century,</i>

324
00:24:21,177 --> 00:24:24,478
<i> Between 10 and 15% of all</i>
<i> the goods brought into the</i>

325
00:24:24,514 --> 00:24:28,799
<i> Port of london are the</i>
<i> result of privateering.</i>

326
00:24:29,035 --> 00:24:31,135
<i> Making the city,</i>
<i> the crown and</i>

327
00:24:31,170 --> 00:24:35,606
<i> Merchants, like thomas</i>
<i> gresham, filthy rich.</i>

328
00:24:37,477 --> 00:24:40,244
<i> But the cherubim's</i>
<i> buccaneering adventures</i>

329
00:24:40,279 --> 00:24:44,548
<i> Come to a sudden end in 1603.</i>

330
00:24:48,471 --> 00:24:52,306
<i> Leaving london,</i>
<i> heavy with a valuable cargo,</i>

331
00:24:52,341 --> 00:24:56,010
<i> She is caught in a storm</i>
<i> in the thames estuary and</i>

332
00:24:56,045 --> 00:24:59,580
<i> Disappears from</i>
<i> view for centuries.</i>

333
00:25:06,005 --> 00:25:08,572
<i> Fast forward 60 years,</i>

334
00:25:08,608 --> 00:25:12,276
<i> London is a center of world</i>
<i> trade and opportunity,</i>

335
00:25:12,311 --> 00:25:17,848
<i> Its population swelling</i>
<i> from 200,000 to 350,000.</i>

336
00:25:18,367 --> 00:25:22,169
<i> The era of state</i>
<i> piracy is over.</i>

337
00:25:22,772 --> 00:25:28,909
<i> And now it's England's</i>
<i> turn to be the target of</i>
<i> greedy rival powers.</i>

338
00:25:30,479 --> 00:25:35,666
<i> To protect her merchants the</i>
<i> royal navy must expand, fast.</i>

339
00:25:37,470 --> 00:25:41,005
<i> Can these shattered remains</i>
<i> explain how britannia</i>

340
00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,608
<i> Came to rule the waves?</i>

341
00:25:49,315 --> 00:25:55,536
<i>In 2005, a port of london survey</i>
<i>ship is scanning the riverbed.</i>

342
00:25:56,372 --> 00:26:00,874
<i> When its sonar picks</i>
<i> up something big.</i>

343
00:26:02,111 --> 00:26:03,978
Man: Just coming up
to it now, paul.

344
00:26:04,013 --> 00:26:06,780
There's the wreck.

345
00:26:07,450 --> 00:26:10,134
<i> Narrator: The remains</i>
<i> are 40 miles from london,</i>

346
00:26:10,169 --> 00:26:12,836
<i> In the thames estuary.</i>

347
00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:26,533
<i>Archaeologist alison james, and</i>
<i>diver steve ellis investigate.</i>

348
00:26:27,503 --> 00:26:30,104
<i> Their job is to find</i>
<i> out whether the site is</i>

349
00:26:30,139 --> 00:26:32,906
<i> Historically important.</i>

350
00:26:34,377 --> 00:26:37,111
Alison: We're taking
the clues that we find,

351
00:26:37,146 --> 00:26:38,379
In this case on the seabed,

352
00:26:38,414 --> 00:26:40,080
Because we're
working underwater,

353
00:26:40,116 --> 00:26:43,100
And using it to build up
a picture of the wreck,

354
00:26:43,135 --> 00:26:46,737
So, every single clue
could be very significant.

355
00:26:48,307 --> 00:26:53,644
<i> Narrator: They use a</i>
<i> side scan sonar to</i>
<i> gather more information.</i>

356
00:26:56,482 --> 00:27:00,901
Steve: This is the data that's
coming from the tow fish.

357
00:27:05,641 --> 00:27:08,275
It's just like one massive
underwater jigsaw puzzle.

358
00:27:08,311 --> 00:27:11,745
And it's just a
challenge, I love it.

359
00:27:14,984 --> 00:27:16,634
Man: Okay,
diver into water.

360
00:27:30,416 --> 00:27:32,833
Alison: It takes a certain
type of diver to want to

361
00:27:32,868 --> 00:27:34,401
Dive in the thames.

362
00:27:34,437 --> 00:27:39,073
Visibility is fairly poor,
it's highly tidal,

363
00:27:39,108 --> 00:27:41,942
And the location of the
vessel does make it a

364
00:27:41,977 --> 00:27:44,812
Challenging environment to dive.

365
00:27:45,381 --> 00:27:49,566
<i> Narrator: First, giant</i>
<i> timbers come into view.</i>

366
00:27:50,970 --> 00:27:54,705
<i> Then something intriguing.</i>

367
00:28:03,549 --> 00:28:05,532
<i> Narrator: Along</i>
<i> with cannonballs,</i>

368
00:28:05,568 --> 00:28:09,036
<i> Personal belongings</i>
<i> litter the sea bed.</i>

369
00:28:10,139 --> 00:28:13,640
<i> A sailor's clay pipe.</i>

370
00:28:14,176 --> 00:28:17,745
<i> A navigational divider.</i>

371
00:28:20,182 --> 00:28:23,667
<i> There's evidence everywhere.</i>

372
00:28:28,441 --> 00:28:32,910
<i> The best way to make sense of</i>
<i> this underwater jigsaw puzzle</i>

373
00:28:34,380 --> 00:28:38,966
<i> Is to see all the</i>
<i> pieces clearly.</i>

374
00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,941
<i> As the estuary</i>
<i> water pours away,</i>

375
00:28:47,977 --> 00:28:50,010
<i> The carcass of an</i>
<i> old wooden ship</i>

376
00:28:50,045 --> 00:28:52,613
<i> Emerges into the</i>
<i> light once again.</i>

377
00:28:52,648 --> 00:28:57,968
<i> A 65 foot section of the hull</i>
<i> lies semi buried in silt.</i>

378
00:29:00,339 --> 00:29:04,074
<i> It was once a large vessel.</i>

379
00:29:05,311 --> 00:29:08,712
<i> But now it's in pieces.</i>

380
00:29:10,449 --> 00:29:14,668
<i> Inside the main</i>
<i> section of the hull...</i>

381
00:29:15,304 --> 00:29:20,908
<i> Shoes, books, and</i>
<i> a sundial compass,</i>

382
00:29:23,279 --> 00:29:28,899
<i> All signs that</i>
<i> passengers and crew had</i>
<i> little time to escape.</i>

383
00:29:35,107 --> 00:29:36,440
<i> Back on shore,</i>

384
00:29:36,475 --> 00:29:40,944
<i> Specialists try to id the</i>
<i> wreck by analyzing relics</i>

385
00:29:40,980 --> 00:29:43,280
<i> Pulled from the river bed.</i>

386
00:29:43,315 --> 00:29:47,034
<i> Ramrods, cannonballs.</i>

387
00:29:47,069 --> 00:29:50,771
<i> All examined in</i>
<i> forensic detail.</i>

388
00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:56,710
<i> One of the most crucial pieces</i>
<i> of evidence, leather shoes.</i>

389
00:29:57,246 --> 00:29:59,379
Angela: We have a large
number of shoes which are

390
00:29:59,415 --> 00:30:01,448
Of a very similar
construction and style.

391
00:30:01,484 --> 00:30:04,802
And they are very typical
for the 17th century.

392
00:30:06,238 --> 00:30:07,504
Alison: It's incredibly
special to be able to find a

393
00:30:07,540 --> 00:30:12,676
17th century vessel lying on
the sea bed in this country.

394
00:30:13,245 --> 00:30:16,280
<i>Narrator: And records reveal</i>
<i>that one heavily armed warship</i>

395
00:30:16,315 --> 00:30:20,033
<i> Did sink in these waters</i>
<i> in the 17th century,</i>

396
00:30:20,069 --> 00:30:24,671
<i> And, appropriately,</i>
<i> she's called the london.</i>

397
00:30:25,374 --> 00:30:27,407
Alison: The london is the only
candidate of the right size

398
00:30:27,443 --> 00:30:31,712
And scale and period
that's in the vicinity.

399
00:30:34,416 --> 00:30:36,567
<i> Narrator: In the</i>
<i> mid-17th century,</i>

400
00:30:36,602 --> 00:30:41,572
<i>England's rulers invest heavily</i>
<i>in the navy to protect trade.</i>

401
00:30:43,342 --> 00:30:46,109
Eric: If England was
going to be a great power

402
00:30:46,145 --> 00:30:48,445
It had to be a naval power.

403
00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:50,614
<i> Narrator: Calling one of</i>
<i> England's latest warships</i>

404
00:30:50,649 --> 00:30:56,537
<i> The london is a symbol of the</i>
<i> city's ever-growing influence.</i>

405
00:30:57,106 --> 00:30:59,239
Andrew: The london is
a heavyweight bruiser,

406
00:30:59,275 --> 00:31:01,708
It's gonna go forward and
it's gonna smash the enemy.

407
00:31:01,744 --> 00:31:05,445
<i> Narrator: So, how did such a</i>
<i> heavyweight champion end up</i>

408
00:31:05,481 --> 00:31:08,999
<i> At the bottom of the estuary?</i>

409
00:31:11,437 --> 00:31:16,607
<i> The drained wreck</i>
<i> reveals a clue.</i>

410
00:31:18,143 --> 00:31:21,578
<i> The ship is in pieces.</i>

411
00:31:22,314 --> 00:31:26,033
<i> One fragment and some</i>
<i> cannon lie 1300 feet</i>

412
00:31:26,068 --> 00:31:29,069
<i>From the main body of the wreck.</i>

413
00:31:29,104 --> 00:31:32,973
<i> The vessel has</i>
<i> been ripped apart.</i>

414
00:31:33,542 --> 00:31:37,511
Alison: It is really
clear that a catastrophic
event has occurred.

415
00:31:37,546 --> 00:31:41,181
<i>Narrator: So catastrophic that</i>
<i>the ship's plight is recorded</i>

416
00:31:41,216 --> 00:31:44,401
<i> In one of the most famous</i>
<i> diaries of the age,</i>

417
00:31:44,436 --> 00:31:50,641
<i> Written by the secretary to</i>
<i> the admiralty, samuel pepys.</i>

418
00:31:51,443 --> 00:31:54,077
Pepys: This morning is
brought me to the office the

419
00:31:54,113 --> 00:31:56,380
Sad news of the london,

420
00:31:56,415 --> 00:32:00,100
In which sir joe lawson's men
were all bringing her from

421
00:32:00,135 --> 00:32:02,202
Chatham to the hope,

422
00:32:02,237 --> 00:32:04,538
And thence she
suddenly blew up.

423
00:32:04,573 --> 00:32:09,309
About 24 men and a woman that
were in the roundhouse and

424
00:32:09,345 --> 00:32:14,748
Coach saved, the rest,
being above 300, drowned.

425
00:32:16,035 --> 00:32:17,534
<i> Narrator: But in</i>
<i> friendly waters,</i>

426
00:32:17,569 --> 00:32:21,972
<i> What could have caused such</i>
<i> a devastating explosion?</i>

427
00:32:33,002 --> 00:32:37,504
<i> Narrator: In the</i>
<i> mid-17th century England</i>
<i> and holland are at war.</i>

428
00:32:38,974 --> 00:32:41,908
<i> The london is preparing for a</i>
<i> battle in the english channel</i>

429
00:32:41,944 --> 00:32:45,178
<i> When it suddenly blows up.</i>

430
00:32:47,783 --> 00:32:51,535
<i> Archaeologists</i>
<i> want to know why.</i>

431
00:32:52,604 --> 00:32:55,238
<i> Clues lie inside the wreck.</i>

432
00:32:55,941 --> 00:32:58,475
<i> Buried in one small section,</i>

433
00:32:58,510 --> 00:33:00,677
<i> A gunner's kit.</i>

434
00:33:00,713 --> 00:33:03,680
<i> Breaching ropes</i>
<i> to reduce recoil,</i>

435
00:33:03,716 --> 00:33:06,600
<i>Hand spikes to move the cannon,</i>

436
00:33:07,202 --> 00:33:11,505
<i> And lint stocks to</i>
<i> help fire the guns.</i>

437
00:33:12,141 --> 00:33:15,709
<i>But the equipment is not</i>
<i>located near the gun stations,</i>

438
00:33:15,744 --> 00:33:19,312
<i> Where it would be on a</i>
<i> ship ready for battle.</i>

439
00:33:20,949 --> 00:33:24,568
Alison: We'd expect to find
a hand spike, a lint stock,

440
00:33:24,603 --> 00:33:26,737
By every cannon effectively,

441
00:33:26,772 --> 00:33:27,904
But that's not
what we're seeing,

442
00:33:27,940 --> 00:33:30,307
We're seeing everything
in one very small area.

443
00:33:30,342 --> 00:33:36,179
<i> Narrator: One possibility</i>
<i> is that the items are</i>
<i> still in storage.</i>

444
00:33:37,583 --> 00:33:39,900
Alison: We found all of
these things in a
relatively small area,

445
00:33:39,935 --> 00:33:41,735
Possibly the gunner's store,

446
00:33:41,770 --> 00:33:45,605
But it clearly shows the
ship was not ready for war.

447
00:33:46,275 --> 00:33:48,909
<i> Narrator: With the help</i>
<i> of historical records it's</i>

448
00:33:48,944 --> 00:33:52,846
<i> Possible now to dial back</i>
<i> the centuries and reveal</i>

449
00:33:52,881 --> 00:33:56,299
<i> The anatomy of a disaster.</i>

450
00:34:01,206 --> 00:34:03,206
Alison: The london was making
its way up to the hope from

451
00:34:03,242 --> 00:34:06,209
Chatham where it would have
taken on board senior officers

452
00:34:06,245 --> 00:34:10,447
Ready to set sail and
take part in the war.

453
00:34:12,084 --> 00:34:14,968
<i> Narrator: With the leaders</i>
<i> due on board shortly the crew</i>

454
00:34:15,003 --> 00:34:18,171
<i> Urgently prepare the ship.</i>

455
00:34:19,041 --> 00:34:22,676
Alison: This is a very busy
ship getting ready to go to war,

456
00:34:22,711 --> 00:34:25,445
With large amounts of
gunpowder on board and

457
00:34:25,481 --> 00:34:27,114
A huge hive of activity.

458
00:34:27,149 --> 00:34:31,668
<i> Narrator: No-one knows what,</i>
<i> but something causes a fire.</i>

459
00:34:31,703 --> 00:34:33,170
Alison: It's very
cramped conditions,

460
00:34:33,205 --> 00:34:37,974
The men are working in deck
areas with very low ceilings,

461
00:34:38,010 --> 00:34:39,976
It would have been
lit by candles,

462
00:34:40,012 --> 00:34:42,579
They may have been smoking.

463
00:34:48,003 --> 00:34:51,638
<i> Narrator: The fire quickly</i>
<i> spreads to the magazine.</i>

464
00:34:53,008 --> 00:34:56,510
<i> Packed with 12</i>
<i> tons of gunpowder.</i>

465
00:35:10,809 --> 00:35:13,009
<i> After the london disaster,</i>

466
00:35:13,045 --> 00:35:15,812
<i> The royal navy</i>
<i> standardizes tactics,</i>

467
00:35:15,848 --> 00:35:19,633
<i> Procedures and equipment</i>
<i> to try and improve safety.</i>

468
00:35:22,738 --> 00:35:25,839
Alison: Because of
accidents like the london,

469
00:35:25,874 --> 00:35:29,943
They started to introduce
tests to have more
professional officers,

470
00:35:29,978 --> 00:35:34,614
So you really start to see
the navy changing after the
loss of the london.

471
00:35:36,135 --> 00:35:38,101
<i> Narrator: The royal navy</i>
<i> evolves into one of the</i>

472
00:35:38,137 --> 00:35:42,405
<i> Greatest military forces</i>
<i> ever to go to sea.</i>

473
00:35:43,008 --> 00:35:46,776
<i> And it's this maritime</i>
<i> strength that allows britain</i>

474
00:35:46,812 --> 00:35:50,413
<i> To build a vast empire.</i>

475
00:35:54,570 --> 00:35:57,470
<i> London continues to grow.</i>

476
00:35:57,506 --> 00:35:59,706
<i> Spectacularly.</i>

477
00:35:59,741 --> 00:36:03,944
<i> By 1840, 2 million</i>
<i> people live in the city,</i>

478
00:36:03,979 --> 00:36:08,381
<i> Making it the biggest and</i>
<i> most powerful in the world.</i>

479
00:36:13,906 --> 00:36:17,007
<i> Throughout the 19th and</i>
<i> early 20th centuries,</i>

480
00:36:17,042 --> 00:36:21,511
<i> Britain's power draws her</i>
<i> into numerous conflicts.</i>

481
00:36:23,849 --> 00:36:27,167
<i> Some very close to home.</i>

482
00:36:33,709 --> 00:36:36,209
<i> One and a half miles</i>
<i> off the coast of kent</i>

483
00:36:36,245 --> 00:36:41,348
<i> Is a rusting hulk that still</i>
<i> threatens london today.</i>

484
00:36:46,772 --> 00:36:48,939
<i> Naval architect,</i>
<i> dr. Nick bradbeer,</i>

485
00:36:48,974 --> 00:36:51,841
<i> Has spent his</i>
<i> life studying ships.</i>

486
00:36:51,877 --> 00:36:57,247
<i>But he's never been face to</i>
<i>face with one as deadly as this.</i>

487
00:36:57,916 --> 00:36:59,766
Nick: Right now I'm out
in the thames estuary,

488
00:36:59,801 --> 00:37:02,836
And just over there we
can see the three masts

489
00:37:02,871 --> 00:37:04,738
Still above the waves.

490
00:37:04,773 --> 00:37:06,907
These buoys mark the edge
of the exclusion zone,

491
00:37:06,942 --> 00:37:09,776
Inside which boats are
not allowed to enter.

492
00:37:10,279 --> 00:37:13,546
<i> Narrator: The semi-submerged</i>
<i> vessel is a permanent hazard</i>

493
00:37:13,582 --> 00:37:15,181
<i> To passing ships.</i>

494
00:37:15,217 --> 00:37:17,334
Nick: The wreck is monitored
by cctv constantly,

495
00:37:17,369 --> 00:37:21,771
To avoid the risk of
somebody coming out
and colliding with it.

496
00:37:21,974 --> 00:37:24,774
<i> Narrator: What kind</i>
<i> of ship is this?</i>

497
00:37:24,810 --> 00:37:26,676
<i> Why is it here?</i>

498
00:37:26,712 --> 00:37:29,613
<i> And why is it so dangerous?</i>

499
00:37:30,782 --> 00:37:33,967
<i> Diving is difficult,</i>
<i> visibility appalling,</i>

500
00:37:34,002 --> 00:37:39,706
<i> But, using 3d scan data we</i>
<i> can reveal explosive secrets</i>

501
00:37:39,741 --> 00:37:42,609
<i> Hidden under water.</i>

502
00:37:46,181 --> 00:37:52,269
<i> The metal hull of an enormous,</i>
<i> 14,000 ton cargo ship emerges.</i>

503
00:37:54,973 --> 00:37:58,408
<i> The ss richard montgomery.</i>

504
00:38:00,979 --> 00:38:04,114
<i> Unseen for 75 years.</i>

505
00:38:04,416 --> 00:38:10,236
<i>From a time when london is in</i>
<i>the front line of a global war.</i>

506
00:38:16,945 --> 00:38:21,648
<i> In 1940, nazi germany has</i>
<i> taken over much of europe.</i>

507
00:38:22,284 --> 00:38:27,570
<i> Next, hitler's air force, the</i>
<i> luftwaffe, targets britain.</i>

508
00:38:32,144 --> 00:38:34,577
Eric: What the germans
were trying to do was

509
00:38:34,613 --> 00:38:36,079
Starve britain out,

510
00:38:36,114 --> 00:38:38,782
Because britain depended
on overseas supplies.

511
00:38:38,817 --> 00:38:41,001
So, therefore, if you
could destroy the docks

512
00:38:41,036 --> 00:38:43,937
And if you could stop shipping
coming up and down the thames,

513
00:38:43,972 --> 00:38:46,139
Then you would really affect
the british economy and

514
00:38:46,174 --> 00:38:50,210
Hopefully coerce britain
into a political
settlement with hitler.

515
00:38:51,813 --> 00:38:54,180
<i> Narrator: The thames</i>
<i> becomes a battlefield.</i>

516
00:38:54,216 --> 00:38:59,436
<i>Cargo ships entering the estuary</i>
<i>must run the risk of nazi fire.</i>

517
00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:04,908
<i> The details from the drained</i>
<i> wreck suggest that the</i>

518
00:39:04,943 --> 00:39:09,379
<i> Richard montgomery is not a</i>
<i> victim of an enemy attack.</i>

519
00:39:11,850 --> 00:39:16,102
<i> She's lying in two pieces,</i>
<i> with a clean break.</i>

520
00:39:16,138 --> 00:39:19,506
<i> The damage is not typical</i>
<i> of world war ii bombs,</i>

521
00:39:19,541 --> 00:39:22,475
<i> Torpedoes or sea mines.</i>

522
00:39:22,844 --> 00:39:25,929
<i> The drained wreck</i>
<i> site reveals a clue.</i>

523
00:39:25,964 --> 00:39:30,233
<i> She's sitting astride</i>
<i> a large sandbank.</i>

524
00:39:39,111 --> 00:39:42,946
<i> To an expert, the montgomery's</i>
<i> design is familiar,</i>

525
00:39:42,981 --> 00:39:46,633
<i> It's called a liberty ship.</i>

526
00:39:47,202 --> 00:39:53,440
<i> And dr. Nick bradbeer</i>
<i> believes this could shed</i>
<i> light on why it sank.</i>

527
00:39:58,980 --> 00:40:02,465
<i> Liberty ships are</i>
<i> american made.</i>

528
00:40:03,268 --> 00:40:06,919
<i>An emergency response to the</i>
<i>large number of merchant ships</i>

529
00:40:06,938 --> 00:40:10,373
<i> Being sunk by the enemy.</i>

530
00:40:13,044 --> 00:40:18,648
<i> Us shipyards produce</i>
<i> over 2700 liberty ships</i>
<i> during world war ii.</i>

531
00:40:21,937 --> 00:40:26,272
<i> The most ever made</i>
<i> to a single design.</i>

532
00:40:26,942 --> 00:40:30,577
<i> The quickest build takes</i>
<i> just four and a half days</i>

533
00:40:30,612 --> 00:40:33,513
<i> From start to finish.</i>

534
00:40:38,003 --> 00:40:42,372
<i>Liberty ships help break</i>
<i>hitler's stranglehold of europe.</i>

535
00:40:44,910 --> 00:40:47,744
Eric: They were vital components
of the allied merchant fleet

536
00:40:47,813 --> 00:40:50,980
That effectively provided
the foundations of victory.

537
00:40:51,016 --> 00:40:55,735
<i> Narrator: But building quick</i>
<i> and cheap leads to problems.</i>

538
00:40:56,171 --> 00:40:59,038
Nick: Liberty ships have
a couple of well-known
design flaws,

539
00:40:59,074 --> 00:41:01,708
They were made of a grade
of steel which became quite

540
00:41:01,743 --> 00:41:03,243
Brittle in low temperatures.

541
00:41:03,278 --> 00:41:06,679
<i> Narrator: The ships are not</i>
<i> riveted but welded together,</i>

542
00:41:06,715 --> 00:41:08,982
<i> Which makes them weaker.</i>

543
00:41:09,017 --> 00:41:11,801
Nick: Some of the ships
simply broke in half at sea.

544
00:41:12,237 --> 00:41:14,804
<i> Narrator: Delving into</i>
<i> historical records,</i>

545
00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:18,508
<i> Nick pieces together the</i>
<i> montgomery's last voyage.</i>

546
00:41:21,913 --> 00:41:27,367
<i> August 1944, the ship leaves</i>
<i> hog island, philadelphia.</i>

547
00:41:28,203 --> 00:41:32,105
<i> After crossing the atlantic</i>
<i> it joins a convoy in the</i>

548
00:41:32,140 --> 00:41:36,409
<i> Thames estuary</i>
<i> destined for France.</i>

549
00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:44,434
<i> While moored up, strong</i>
<i> tidal currents cause</i>
<i> her to drag her anchor.</i>

550
00:41:47,172 --> 00:41:49,973
Nick: She ran aground over
the rafter on a a sandbar,

551
00:41:50,008 --> 00:41:52,542
And that probably didn't
damage her very badly.

552
00:41:52,577 --> 00:41:54,077
But, that stuck her in place.

553
00:41:54,112 --> 00:41:59,048
<i>Narrator: As the tide goes out</i>
<i>the 7000 tons of cargo in the</i>

554
00:41:59,084 --> 00:42:03,002
<i> Ship's hold is no longer</i>
<i> supported by water.</i>

555
00:42:03,038 --> 00:42:05,104
Nick: She started to
bend and bend, and then

556
00:42:05,140 --> 00:42:08,575
Eventually bent beyond
her ability to withstand.

557
00:42:09,177 --> 00:42:13,613
<i> Narrator: Under high stress,</i>
<i> the deck plates fracture.</i>

558
00:42:17,769 --> 00:42:20,570
<i> As time passes,</i>
<i> the fracture grows.</i>

559
00:42:22,874 --> 00:42:26,476
<i> Until the ship rips apart.</i>

560
00:42:31,716 --> 00:42:34,834
<i> Just one question remains,</i>

561
00:42:34,869 --> 00:42:39,372
<i> What is it about this wreck</i>
<i> that makes it so dangerous?</i>

562
00:42:40,709 --> 00:42:45,211
<i> The answer lies in</i>
<i> her deadly cargo.</i>

563
00:42:54,639 --> 00:42:57,140
<i> Narrator: The wreck of</i>
<i> the montgomery endangers</i>

564
00:42:57,175 --> 00:42:59,943
<i> Shipping and lives.</i>

565
00:43:01,479 --> 00:43:04,647
<i> The drained vessel</i>
<i> explains why.</i>

566
00:43:04,683 --> 00:43:09,035
<i> Some of her cargo can</i>
<i> be glimpsed through</i>
<i> cracks in the hull.</i>

567
00:43:11,039 --> 00:43:12,905
<i> Bombs.</i>

568
00:43:12,941 --> 00:43:18,144
<i> Further research uncovers the</i>
<i> full inventory of explosives.</i>

569
00:43:20,148 --> 00:43:23,199
<i> Almost 300 2,000 pounders,</i>

570
00:43:24,269 --> 00:43:27,904
<i> Over ten times as</i>
<i> many 1,000 pounders</i>

571
00:43:29,207 --> 00:43:32,875
<i> And 2,500 cluster bombs.</i>

572
00:43:33,311 --> 00:43:36,479
<i> In total, 1400 tons</i>
<i> of explosives</i>

573
00:43:36,514 --> 00:43:40,066
<i> Lying at the bottom</i>
<i> of the thames.</i>

574
00:43:43,905 --> 00:43:45,838
Eric: Given the combination of
the amount of explosives still

575
00:43:45,874 --> 00:43:48,641
On the ship and the location
of the ship I would say she is

576
00:43:48,677 --> 00:43:52,145
Probably the most dangerous
ship in british waters.

577
00:43:53,548 --> 00:43:57,066
<i> Narrator: To make</i>
<i> matters worse...</i>

578
00:43:57,702 --> 00:44:04,040
<i> The wreck lies just 1.5 miles</i>
<i> from the town of sheerness.</i>

579
00:44:04,743 --> 00:44:10,046
<i> And four miles from a</i>
<i> huge natural gas terminal.</i>

580
00:44:11,416 --> 00:44:12,699
Colin: It's been suggested
it could be the biggest

581
00:44:12,767 --> 00:44:15,568
Non-nuclear explosion
in peace time.

582
00:44:15,603 --> 00:44:18,204
People have actually left the
island in fear that something

583
00:44:18,239 --> 00:44:20,807
Was going to happen.

584
00:44:22,811 --> 00:44:27,213
<i> Narrator: It wouldn't</i>
<i> be the first time a</i>
<i> liberty ship explodes.</i>

585
00:44:27,682 --> 00:44:32,635
<i> In 1944, us war operations</i>
<i> continued to expand,</i>

586
00:44:32,671 --> 00:44:36,105
<i> Liberty ships, many</i>
<i> packed with ammunition,</i>

587
00:44:36,141 --> 00:44:39,008
<i> Set off around the world.</i>

588
00:44:40,512 --> 00:44:41,778
<i> Near san francisco,</i>

589
00:44:41,813 --> 00:44:45,481
<i> The ss ea bryan and</i>
<i> the ss quinault victory</i>

590
00:44:45,517 --> 00:44:50,169
<i>Are being loaded with ammunition</i>
<i>when they both explode.</i>

591
00:44:52,307 --> 00:44:55,775
<i> 320 die.</i>

592
00:44:56,444 --> 00:45:01,013
<i> And in the philippines the</i>
<i> liberty ship ss john burke</i>

593
00:45:02,517 --> 00:45:04,801
<i>Is hit by a kamikaze aircraft,</i>

594
00:45:04,836 --> 00:45:08,337
<i> Causing the explosives</i>
<i> on board to detonate.</i>

595
00:45:08,373 --> 00:45:11,174
<i> 68 are killed.</i>

596
00:45:12,410 --> 00:45:16,112
<i> So, could the</i>
<i> montgomery also blow?</i>

597
00:45:21,436 --> 00:45:25,304
<i> More clues lie in</i>
<i> the drained wreck.</i>

598
00:45:25,707 --> 00:45:30,143
<i> Close examination reveals a</i>
<i> disintegrating deck house.</i>

599
00:45:37,235 --> 00:45:40,803
<i> And a collapsing deck plate.</i>

600
00:45:44,409 --> 00:45:47,376
<i> Failing parts of the ship</i>
<i> could eventually hit or</i>

601
00:45:47,412 --> 00:45:51,047
<i> Dislodge the bombs.</i>

602
00:45:51,716 --> 00:45:54,600
<i> Whether it's enough to</i>
<i> cause them to detonate,</i>

603
00:45:54,636 --> 00:45:59,405
<i> And what the impact of what</i>
<i> such an explosion would be,</i>

604
00:45:59,441 --> 00:46:02,942
<i> Is impossible to know.</i>

605
00:46:04,813 --> 00:46:06,579
Clive: Lots of people
have looked at this,

606
00:46:06,614 --> 00:46:09,832
But nobody can give you a
guarantee about anything.

607
00:46:11,886 --> 00:46:14,704
<i>Narrator: To avoid a disaster,</i>
<i>the british government's</i>

608
00:46:14,739 --> 00:46:19,342
<i> Policy is to cordon off</i>
<i> and monitor the wreck.</i>

609
00:46:19,878 --> 00:46:23,279
Nick: It's a difficult
situation to know what to do,

610
00:46:23,314 --> 00:46:26,499
The risk always has to
be balanced between

611
00:46:26,534 --> 00:46:29,535
Doing something and that
potentially actually

612
00:46:29,571 --> 00:46:31,471
Making the situation worse,

613
00:46:31,506 --> 00:46:33,673
Or, doing nothing,
and monitoring.

614
00:46:33,708 --> 00:46:36,275
Clive: Nothing's happened
much in the last 70 years,

615
00:46:36,311 --> 00:46:37,577
That's a fact,

616
00:46:37,612 --> 00:46:40,646
And trying to predict
the future is difficult.

617
00:46:40,682 --> 00:46:43,366
I think if it's monitored
and it's managed sensibly

618
00:46:43,401 --> 00:46:45,935
It will be fine.

619
00:46:53,444 --> 00:46:58,981
<i> Narrator: Bloodshed, piracy,</i>
<i> ruthless ambition and war.</i>

620
00:47:01,503 --> 00:47:05,238
<i> The story of</i>
<i> london has it all.</i>

621
00:47:06,674 --> 00:47:10,376
<i> And whatever fate</i>
<i> has in store,</i>

622
00:47:10,411 --> 00:47:12,411
<i> This city and its adaptable,</i>

623
00:47:12,447 --> 00:47:14,413
<i> Enterprising people,</i>

624
00:47:14,449 --> 00:47:18,534
<i> Will be at the heart of a</i>
<i> world they helped create.</i>

625
00:47:18,570 --> 00:47:20,136
Captioned by cotter
captioning services.