Ganges

The Ganga (Hindustani: [ˈɡəŋɡaː]) , also Ganges (/ˈɡændʒiːz/ GAN-jeez) is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through the nations of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It is the third largest river by discharge.

The Ganga is the most sacred river to Hindus. It is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs. It is worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism. It has also been important historically, with many former provincial or imperial capitals (such as Pataliputra,Kannauj,Kara, Kashi, Patna, Hajipur, Munger, Bhagalpur, Murshidabad, Baharampur, Kampilya, and Calcutta) located on its banks.

The Ganga was ranked as the fifth most polluted river of the world in 2007. Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganga river dolphin. The Ganga Action Plan, an environmental initiative to clean up the river, has been a major failure thus far, due to corruption, lack of technical expertise, poor environmental planning, and lack of support from religious authorities.

Ganges (1861)

Ganges was the first of a number of Nourse Line ships named for the river in northern India regarded as holy by the Hindus. She was followed by a number of other ships of the same name.

The first Nourse Line ship was the 839 ton sailing ship, Ganges built by William Pile of Sunderland and launched on 9 July 1861. The 192 feet (59 m) long, 33.2 feet (10.1 m) wide and 20.6 feet (6.3 m) deep Ganges was considered a large vessel for her time and had a figurehead beneath the bowsprit represented Mother Ganges a symbol of fertility. She was the first of many Nourse Line vessels to be named after rivers. Immediately after being built, the Ganges sailed to India to commence trading between Calcutta and Australia where James Nourse hired her out to Tinne & Company which were involved in the transport of sugar, coffee, rum and molasses and slaves.

As the Nourse Line went into the business of transporting Indian indentured labourers to the West Indies, the Ganges made four voyages to Trinidad, the first on 9 April 1872 transported 408 labourers of whom 6 died on the voyage. The second trip on 11 May 1874 transported 383 labourers (5 deaths), the third on 10 February 1876 carried 379 passengers (3 deaths) and the fourth on 5 February 1878 carried 477 passengers (14 deaths). She also made a trip to St Lucia and on the return journey in 1867 brought 451 repatriated labourers back to India.

Ganges (1792 ship)

Ganges was a 700-ton (bm) merchantman launched in India in 1792. She made two trips under contract to the East India Company (EIC), and one in 1797 transporting convicts from England to New South Wales.

Ganges, under the command of Thomas Patrickson, left Bengal on 1 February 1796, reaching St Helena on 7 April, and arriving at Long Reach on 10 June.

On 17 September 1796 Thomas Patrickson received a letter of marque for Ganges.

Patrickson sailed Ganges from Portsmouth, England, in early 1797, and she arrived at Port Jackson on 2 June 1797. She transported 203 male convicts, 13 of whom died on the voyage. This was despite Sir James Fitzpatrick, the Home Department's surgeon-general having ordered the installation of ventilators and water purifiers, and the stocking of fumigants and medicines. Patrickson had asked for 300 convicts, but the request was refused. The guards were a detachment from the New South Wales Corps.

Ganges left Port Jackson in December 1797 bound for China.