This fine original antique World Map centering on
Australia and the Pacific - with North America & the
Island of California - covering the route taken by
Admiral George Anson & the ship the
Centurion in his global voyage between 1740
& 1744.
The map was engraved by Richard Seale
and was published in the English 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: -
Colors used: -
General color appearance: -
Paper size: - 19in x
10 1/2in (485mm x
265mm)
Plate size: - 16 1/2in x
9 1/2in (420mm x
245mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (12mm)
Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - Light horizontal crease
Verso: - None
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