Ansons Voyage Round the World | Page 3

to conduct the expedition which
has made his name so famous.
In the account of that voyage, which his Chaplain, Mr. Walter, wrote
under his supervision, everything is told so straightforwardly, and
seems so reasonable and simple, that one is apt to underestimate the
difficulties which he had to face, and the courage and skill which alone
enabled him to overcome them. Seldom has an undertaking been more
remorselessly dogged by an adverse fate than that of Anson. Seldom
have plain common sense, professional knowledge, and unflinching
resolution achieved a more memorable triumph.
On his return from the great voyage he was promoted rear-admiral, and
in 1746 he was given command of the Channel fleet. In 1747 he
engaged and utterly overwhelmed an inferior French fleet, captured
several vessels, and took treasure amounting to 300,000 pounds. For
this achievement he was made a peer. In 1751 he became First Lord of
the Admiralty, and to his untiring efforts in the preparation of
squadrons and the training of seamen is due some part, at any rate, of
the glory won by English sailors during the famous days of Pitt's great
ministry. He died in 1762.
No finer testimony to his skill in choosing and in training his
subordinates can be found than in the list of men who served under him
in the Centurion and afterwards rose to fame. "In the whole history of
our Navy," it has been said, "there is not another instance of so many

juniors from one ship rising to distinction, men like Saunders,
Suamarez, Peircy Brett, Keppel, Hyde Parker, John Campbell."
He was a man who had a thorough knowledge of his profession. No
details were beneath him. His preparations were always thorough and
admirably adapted to the purpose in view. Always cool, wary,
resourceful, and brave, he was ready to do the right thing, whether he
had to capture a town, delude his enemies, cheer his disheartened crew,
or frustrate the wiliness of a Chinese viceroy.
Though without anything of the heroic genius of a Nelson, he is still
one of the finest of those great sailors who have done so much for
England; one of whom she will ever be proud, and one whose life and
deeds will always afford an example for posterity to follow.
...
ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.
CHAPTER 1.
PURPOSE OF THE VOYAGE.--COMPOSITION OF THE
SQUADRON--MADEIRA.
THE SQUADRON SAILS.
When, in the latter end of the summer of the year 1739, it was foreseen
that a war with Spain was inevitable, it was the opinion of several
considerable persons, then trusted with the administration of affairs,
that the most prudent step the nation could take, on the breaking out of
the war, was attacking that Crown in her distant settlements. It was
from the first determined that George Anson, Esquire, then captain of
the "Centurion", should be employed as commander-in-chief of an
expedition of this kind. The squadron, under Mr. Anson, was intended
to pass round Cape Horn into the South Seas, and there to range along
the coast, cruising upon the enemy in those parts, and attempting their
settlements. On the 28th of June, 1740, the Duke of Newcastle,
Principal Secretary of State, delivered to him His Majesty's instructions.

On the receipt of these, Mr. Anson immediately repaired to Spithead,
with a resolution to sail with the first fair wind, flattering himself that
all his delays were now at an end. For though he knew by the musters
that his squadron wanted 300 seamen of their complement, yet as Sir
Charles Wager* informed him that an order from the Board of
Admiralty was despatched to Sir John Norris to spare him the numbers
which he wanted, he doubted not of his complying therewith. But on
his arrival at Portsmouth he found himself greatly mistaken and
disappointed in this persuasion, for Admiral Balchen, who succeeded to
the command at Spithead after Sir John Norris had sailed to the
westward, instead of 300 able sailors, which Mr. Anson wanted of his
complement, ordered on board the squadron 170 men only, of which 32
were from the hospital and sick quarters, 37 from the Salisbury, with
officers of Colonel Lowther's regiment, and 98 marines; and these were
all that were ever granted to make up the forementioned deficiency.
(*Note. Sir Charles Wager was at that time First Lord of the Admiralty
in Walpole's Ministry.)
But the Commodore's mortification did not end here. It was at first
intended that Colonel Bland's regiment, and three independent
companies of 100 men each, should embark as land forces on board the
squadron. But this disposition was now changed, and all the land forces
that were to be allowed were 500 invalids, to be collected from the
out-pensioners of Chelsea College.* As these out-pensioners consist of
soldiers, who,