This finely engraved beautifully hand coloured original antique World Map - showing California as an Island - illustrates the route taken by Admiral George Anson in his ship the Centurion in his global voyage of discovery between 1740 & 1744.
The map was engraved by Frenchman Jean Lattre in 1750 and was published in the French edition of Ansons book A Voyage round the World, in the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III,IV. The book was written by Richard Walter, Chaplin aboard Ansons flagship,  Centurion.

In his famous voyage (1740–44) around the world, Anson, in spite of shipwrecks and scurvy, inflicted great damage on Spanish shipping and returned to England with a rich prize. He was raised to the peerage after his popular naval victory (1747) off Cape Finisterre. Appointed then as first lord of the admiralty, he assisted William Pitt, Lord Chatham, in reorganizing naval administration.
British navigators in the 1700`s were often interested in more than increasing the glory of God & Country. In September 1740 Commodore Anson set off across the Atlantic with six poorly manned, ill-equipped vessels to capture Spanish treasure ships in the Pacific. He lost three ships rounding Cape Horn but went on to raid Spanish mining settlements on the coast of Chili. Although he and his crew suffered incredible hardships while crossing the Pacific in their one remaining ship, the Centurion, Anson managed to capture a Spanish treasure galleon near the Philippines. He sold this prize for £400,000 in Canton, China, the Centurion being the first British warship to enter Chinese waters. By the time he reached England in June 1744, more than half the original crew of nearly 2,000 men had died, chiefly of scurvy. (Ref: Tooley)

General Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy & stable
Paper color: - White
Age of map color: - Early
Colors used: -  Yellow, green, pink
General color appearance: -  Authentic
Paper size: - 16 1/2in x 11in (420mm x 280mm)
Plate size: - 16 1/2in x 11in (420mm x 280mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (12mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - Folds as issued, very light offsetting
Verso: - None

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