VOYAGE ROUND The WORLD By GEORGE ANSON / 1780

Description: A Voyage Round the World, In The Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. By George Anson, Esq; Afterwards Lord Anson, Commander in Chief of A Squadron of His Majesty's Ships. Sent Upon An Expedition to the South Seas. Compiled From His Papers and Materials. By Richard Walter, M.A. Chaplain of His Majesty's Ship the Centurion, in that Expedition. The Fifteenth Edition. London: Printed for W. Strahan, J. Rivington and Sons, J. Robson, O. Robinsin, T. Lowndes, T, Cadell, N. Conart, W. Goldsmith, J. Nichols, R. Baldwin, W. Otridge, J. White, E. Johnston, and T. King. MDCCLXXX. About: London edition (1780) with mention of "Fifteenth edition" of the famous account of the voyage around the world of the English admiral George Anson from 1741 to 1744, an account which, published in 1748, was a "best-seller" in its time, with numerous re-editions and translations. Anson's expedition was not an exploration like those of Wallis or Cook would later be, but a military operation carried out during the War of the Austrian Succession against the Spanish colonies in the Pacific. Having left in September 1740 with 6 warships and 2 supply ships, Anson first led a convoy to the Antilles, then went south to round Cape Horn in the middle of the southern autumn, when the Westerlies were at their strongest. It was an exploit with ships in poor condition, overcrowded and with crews already largely weakened by scurvy. Two of the ships turned back, one sank and only 3 ships went back north, along the Chilean coast, with crews reduced by two thirds! After three months of rest on Juan Fernandez Island, Anson appeared on the Peruvian coast, captured several ships and sacked the small town of Païta. Then he went to the outskirts of Acapulco in the hope of capturing the famous Manila galleon, which he missed by a few weeks.He then decided to cross the Pacific to China and after a terrible journey, via the Marianas, he reached Macao in November 1742, with only one ship and 210 survivors. It took five months to repair the ship and recover some men, and Anson left Macao in April 1743, supposedly for England, but in fact with the idea of forcing his luck this time and capturing the Manila galleon on its return from Acapulco. Lying in ambush off the Philippines, he was lucky enough to capture it on June 20, 1743 and bring it back to China. He then returned to England in June 1744, with on board the prodigious treasure that earned him a triumphant welcome. He brought back with him only 145 of the men who had left four years earlier: 4 men had died in combat and 1,300 from disease! Details:Period binding with contemporary-calfRibbed spine with gilt-filletsWriting in old ink to front-endpaperSignature to top of tile plus year written at foot536 pagesSize: 212mm x 135mm x 45mmWeight: 770gPrinted: 1780 Condition:Fresh copy, boards rubbed with wear to extremities; some leather loss and surface leather loss, the volume remains solid. Binding sound and working well, although there is splitting to hinge-ends; text-block-firm, leaves secure though goldening. Some handwritten notes in pencil. Text complete - charts absent. Over all a good copy Please consult photographs fully as these are part of the description

Price: 150 GBP

Location: Sleaford

End Time: 2024-11-18T12:45:05.000Z

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