Chap. I. 
George Anson, Efq ; 
SECTION XXIII. 
/In Account of toe Expedition of George Anson, Efq ; in tie Centurion, as Commo- 
dore of a Squadron of Britifli Ships , round the TF'orld. 
I. The Occafion of this Voyage , and the general Expectation rat fed thereby in the Nation. 2. j The Strength 
of the Squadron,, and the Preparations made for the Voyage. 3. Departure from Sf. Helens, Sept. 11, 
1740. 4. Arrival at Madeira, TranfaSiions there, and Occurrences in the Voyage, till their Arrival at 
the If and of St. Catharine s. q. Account of that If and, and of what happened worthy of Notice in their 
Pafage to St. Julian’s. 6 . Occurrences in their Voyage to the Str eights of le Make. 7, The Ear df ftps they 
fuftained in doubling Cape Horne, and their lofing Sight of the be ft Part of the Squadron. 8 A great 
Storm, in which they loje Sight of the Wager. 9. Proceed with great Difficulty 'to the I (land of Tuan 
Fernandez. 10. Arrive at, and refrefh themfelves in, that If and. 1 1. Are joined there , after a long Scene 
of Hard ftps, by toe Gloucefter. 12. Account of the principal I rai factions during their Stay at, and crui ling 
oft that If and. 13. ADigrefion , containing the Hiflory of the Shipwreck of his Majeffs S$p the Waff 
and the Confe queue es that attended it. 14. An Account of fuch Prizes as were taken 'in the South 
Seas after their Departure from Juan Fernandez. 15. The Town of Payta furprifed and plundered. 
16. Joined by the Gloucefter from Juan Fernandez. 17. Occurrences in their Voyage from Payta to 
Acapulco, id. Account' of what pafed during the Dime they cruifed off that Port. so. Their De- 
parture from Acapulco, in order to proceed to the Eaft Indies. 20. Are forced to deftroy the Gloucefter 
ana take her Crew on board the Centurion. 21. Profecute their Voyage to the Ladrone 1 [lands. 2, 2. The 
Ship forced f om her Anchors , and the Commodore left on Shore. 23. Arrive fafely in the Road to the 
great Joy of thofe left on the IJland. 24. Refrefh themfelves there , and prepare to continue their Voyage. 
25. Leave the Ladrone Ifands, and fleer for the Coafl of China. 2 6. Arrival at Macao, and Recep- 
tion there. 27. TranfaSiions that happened during their Stay in that Port. 28. Proceed on a Cruize 
in y earch of a Manilla Ship. 29. Engage and take her. 30. Return with the Prize to Macao. 3 r. 
Sail from thence for the River of Canton. 32. The Commodore vifits the Chinefe Viceroy , in order to obtain 
Leave to repair and reviSlual the Ship. 3 3 . An Account of what paffed during their Stay in China. 34 Pro- 
fecute their V oyagefrom Canton * the Coaf of Java. 3 y . Proceed from thence to the Cate of Good Hope. 
36. Take in Rejrejhments there , in order to their Return home. 37. Occurrences in their Pafldge from 
thence. 38. Arrive fafely at St. Helen’s, June iq. 1744. 39 . Remarks upon the Voyage. 40.^ The Con - 
clufon of the firf Chapter. 41. A complete Table of Circum-navi gators. 
T is a Thing that has been generally taken for granted, 
ever fince Spain has been poffeffed of her American 
Dominions, and made ufe of the Riches fhe derived 
from thence, to difturb the Peace, and invade the Liber- 
ties, of her Neighbours, that the beft way to reduce her 
Strength, and to prevent the bad Effects of her evil In- 
tentions, would be to attack her in the South Seas. This 
was purfued with great Diligence, and in fome meafure 
with Succefs, in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth : And in 
that of her Succeffor, when a new Quarrel broke out 
with that Crown in the Year 1624, the firft Thing thought 
of by^our Patriots, who were equally willing to humble the 
King s Enemy, and fave the Nation’s Money, was an 
Expedition to the South Seas, at the Expence of, and for 
the Benefit of the People ; which Scheme was intituled, 
The Weft India Ajfociation. 
It may be thought I look a great Way back, when I 
offer to the View of the Reader, the Reafons which were 
fuggefted in Parliament for the Support of that Scheme ; 
but whoever confiders, that it is not only the moft effed:- 
ual, but the fafeft Method to inftruft the prefent Age from 
the Sentiments of the laft, will readily enter into the Rea- 
fons, why I produce upon this Occafion the Speech of an 
eminent Patriot, in which the Nature and Scope of that 
Affectation, as well as the Motives upon which it was 
grounded, are very fully and pathetically fet forth; 
and this in fuch Terms, as, if the Reader was -not told, 
that^ this was a Speech to Sir Dudly Diggs, then in the 
Chair of a Committee of the whole Houfe, by Sir Benja- 
min Rudyard, he might miftake it for a Speech made a 
few Years fince ; fo agreeable it is, in its Language 
and Sentiments, even to our prefent Occafions, 
6 SIR, 
0 j Do profefs, that as my Affection, my Reafon, and 
4 f my judgment, go ftrongly with the Scope and Drift 
of this Propofition, fo fhall good Part of my poor For- 
tune,, when it comes to Execution. For, to my Under- 
ftanding, there was never propounded in Parliament, a 
Defign more proper for this Kingdom, nor more pregnant 
Numb, XXIV, 
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with Advantages to it, whether we confider the Nature' 
of our Situation, or the Quality of our Enemies Forces, 
As we are an Ifland, it concerns our very Being to have 
Store of Ships to defend us, and alfo our Well-being by 
their Trade to enrich us. This Affociation for the Weft 
Indies , when it fhall be regulated and eftablifhed by Ad 
of Parliament, and thereby fecured from the Violence 
and Injury of any intruding Hand, will certainly give 
many Men Encouragement and Confidence, voluntarily 
to bring in large and liberal Contributions towards fo no- 
ble, fo ‘profitable an Enterprize : So that, in fhort, we 
fhall fee many new Ships built, many brave Men em- 
ployed, and enabled for the Service of their Country ; 
none of this Money fhall be carried out of the Kingdom, 
but laid out for Shipping, which is the Defence of it, 
and bellowed upon our own Men, who muft be fed and 
maintained, though they flay at home. For this we 
fhall reap the Fruit of whatfoever Benefit Plantation, 
Traffick, or Purchace, can procure us, befides Honour 
and Security. 
‘ Now let us a little confider the Enemy we are to en- 
counter, the King of Spain. They are not his great 
Territories which make him fo powerful, and fo trouble- 
blefome to all Chrijlendom ; for it is very well known, that 
Spain itfelf is but weak in Men, and barren of natural 
Commodities ; as for his other Territories, they lie divided 
and alunder, which is a Weaknefs in itfelf. Befides, 
they are held by Force, and maintained at an extraordi- 
nary Charge ; infomuch as, although he be a great King, 
yet he is’ like that Giant who was faid to have an hundred 
Hands, but he had fifty Bellies to feed ; fo that, rate- 
ably, he had no more Hands than another Man : No, 
Sir, they are his Mines in the Weft Indies, which mi- 
nifter Fuel to feed his vaft ambitious Defire of univerfal 
Monarchy. It is the Money he hath from thence which 
makes him able to levy and pay Soldiers in all Places, 
and to keep an Army continually on boot ready to invade 
and endanger his Neighbours ; fo that we have no other 
Way, but to endeavour to cut him off at the Root, and 
feek to impeach or to fupplant him in th z Weft Indies 
' 4 R 
