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A Voyage Round the World
The men-of-war in which Anson went to sea were built mostly of oak. They were painted externally yellow, with a blue stripe round the upper works. Internally, they were painted red. They carried cannon on one, two, or three decks according to their size. The biggest ships carried a hundred cannon and nearly a thousand men. The ship in which this famous voyage was made was of the middle size, then called the fourth-rate. She carried sixty cannon, and a crew of four hundred men. Her lower gun deck, a little above the level of the water, was about 140 feet long. She was of about a thousand tons burthen.
Though this seems small to us, it is not small for a wooden ship. It is not possible to build a long wooden ship. The Centurion, though short, was broad, bulky, and deep. She was fit for the sea. As she was built more to carry cannon than to sail, she was a slow sailer. She became slower as the barnacles gathered on her planks under the water. She carried three wooden masts, each fitted with two or three square sails, extended by wooden yards. Both yards and masts were frequently injured in bad weather.
The cannon were arranged in rows along her decks. On the lower gun deck, a little above the level of the water, she carried twenty-six twenty-four-pounders, thirteen on a side. These guns were muzzle-loading cannon which flung twenty-four-pound balls for a distance of about a mile. On the deck above this chief battery, she carried a lighter battery of twenty-six nine- or twelve-pounder guns, thirteen on a side. These guns were also muzzle-loading. They flung their balls for a distance of a little more than a mile.
Though this seems small to us, it is not small for a wooden ship. It is not possible to build a long wooden ship. The Centurion, though short, was broad, bulky, and deep. She was fit for the sea. As she was built more to carry cannon than to sail, she was a slow sailer. She became slower as the barnacles gathered on her planks under the water. She carried three wooden masts, each fitted with two or three square sails, extended by wooden yards. Both yards and masts were frequently injured in bad weather.
The cannon were arranged in rows along her decks. On the lower gun deck, a little above the level of the water, she carried twenty-six twenty-four-pounders, thirteen on a side. These guns were muzzle-loading cannon which flung twenty-four-pound balls for a distance of about a mile. On the deck above this chief battery, she carried a lighter battery of twenty-six nine- or twelve-pounder guns, thirteen on a side. These guns were also muzzle-loading. They flung their balls for a distance of a little more than a mile.
494 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1853
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About the author
George Anson
81 books3 followersAdmiral of the Fleet George Anson, 1st Baron Anson, PC, FRS was an English Royal Navy officer. He served as a junior officer during the War of the Spanish Succession and then saw active service against Spain at the Battle of Cape Passaro during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. He then undertook a circumnavigation of the globe during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Anson commanded the fleet that defeated the French Admiral de la Jonquière at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre during the War of the Austrian Succession.
Anson went on to be First Lord of the Admiralty during the Seven Years' War. Among his reforms were the removal of corrupt defence contractors, improved medical care, submitting a revision of the Articles of War to Parliament to tighten discipline throughout the Navy, uniforms for commissioned officers, the transfer of the Marines from Army to Navy authority, and a system for rating ships according to their number of guns.
Anson went on to be First Lord of the Admiralty during the Seven Years' War. Among his reforms were the removal of corrupt defence contractors, improved medical care, submitting a revision of the Articles of War to Parliament to tighten discipline throughout the Navy, uniforms for commissioned officers, the transfer of the Marines from Army to Navy authority, and a system for rating ships according to their number of guns.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 18, 2021
Compared to other accounts of the expedition, this one is the driest yet.After reading Glyn Williams’s “Prize of All the Oceans” I really did not seem to discover anything new. However, my edition was amazing: great introduction, maps and pictures, which actually helped me a lot. Plus, it is still fascinating to read the accounts of which were released so long ago… I advise you guys actually spend your money to buy an Oxford edition of 1974, you will never regret it!
August 1, 2016
A fantastic account of an incredible journey. This book is filled with detailed descriptions about sea travel in the 18th Century as well as an accurate accounts intended to inform future travellers to those parts.
Once I had got into the rhythm of the text and got my head around the olde language it was a joy to read and I couldn't put the book down. The only negative is that the ending is abrupt - 360 odd pages describe the journey from England, across the Atlantic to Brazil, round Cape Cod, up past Chile and Peru to Mexico, across the Pacific to Tianen and then onto Macao and the River Canton, and then to Manilla - but then a mere couple of pages are given over to the final leg around Asia and South Africa and up to England. Perhaps nothing of great import happened during this time but it would have been nice to receive the same level of details for those parts of the journey and to hear about the Commodores reception from the King.
Brilliant book all the same. 5/5
Once I had got into the rhythm of the text and got my head around the olde language it was a joy to read and I couldn't put the book down. The only negative is that the ending is abrupt - 360 odd pages describe the journey from England, across the Atlantic to Brazil, round Cape Cod, up past Chile and Peru to Mexico, across the Pacific to Tianen and then onto Macao and the River Canton, and then to Manilla - but then a mere couple of pages are given over to the final leg around Asia and South Africa and up to England. Perhaps nothing of great import happened during this time but it would have been nice to receive the same level of details for those parts of the journey and to hear about the Commodores reception from the King.
Brilliant book all the same. 5/5
October 20, 2008
Anson's own POV on the circumnavigation thing. A dry read, but it filled a few gaps in my understanding of the affair. A very few, but still. I needed to read it and I'm glad I did.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews