The best of British longform — 12 February 2016

Any we’ve missed? Tweet us with your favourites at @Queue_Reads or email us at editors@thequeue.co.uk.

Trident: The British Question

Ian Jack, The Guardian, 11 February

Trident, Britain’s at-sea nuclear deterrent, is one of the most divisive issues in British politics. Ian Jack dissects the history – and unclear future – of Britain’s nuclear subs.

Inside The Hunt For A Million-Dollar Haul Of Ocean Gold

Chris Baraniuk, BBC Future, 11 February

Everyone loves a treasure hunt. Chris Baraniuk weaves the tale of the Connaught, a wreck with a rumoured $1million booty on board, and the American salvage crew trying to get at its riches with the help of modern technology.

The Woman Who Makes Prosthetic Pinkies For Ex-Yakuza Members

Emiko Jozuka, Motherboard, 9 February

Yubitsume is the ritual self-mutilation undertaken by members of the Japanese mafia. When former Yakuza members leave the trade, their hands expose their past – and present an unusual business opportunity.

Requiem For A River

Jon Fasman, The Economist, 11 February

The Economist’s essay on the Mekong river and the challenges it faces is utterly immersive — both in the rich web design and its glimmering prose, which meanders and surges like the waterway it chronicles.

Faiza Ahmed: how one woman’s cries for help were missed by every authority

Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian, 6 February

Don’t let the newspaper headline fool you: Hattenstone’s piece is an outstandingly reported and hauntingly told story about the systematic failures that led to a tragic death.