A Voyage Round the World in the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. ...Compiled from Papers and other Materials of the Right Honourable George Lord Anson, and published under his Direction, By Richard Walter, M.A. Chaplain of his Majesty's Ship the Centurion, in that Expedition. Illustrated with Forty-Two Copper Plates.

42 folding engraved plates, plans, charts and maps, with the list of subscribers, an excellent copy with a little offsetting to the reverse of a few plates as usual, contemporary mottled calf,old reback, red morocco label, 4to (275 × 220 mm), London, for the author, by John and Paul Knapton, 1748

The famous account of Anson’s circumnavigation.

Of the original eight ships, which started this expedition to harass the Spaniards on the western coast of South America, seven were lost around Cape Horn and on the coast of Chili, and out of 900 men who left England more than 600 died.

Anson was sent to plunder Spanish trading territories on the Pacific coast of South America, but his expedition threatened to turn into a disaster. His small squadron was battered by storms and too few of his crew survived the journey round Cape Horn to man even the largest ship properly. Anson limped across the Pacific to Macao, where he was able to have the Centurion repaired and find more crew. Finally, in June 1743 he achieved a single but substantial victory, capturing the Nuestra Señora de Covadonga (the Manila Galleon near China), carrying 1,313,843 pieces of eight and 35,682 ounces of virgin silver, and returned to England in June 1744 a rich man.

“Anson’s voyage is remembered as a classic tale of endurance and leadership in the face of fearful disasters, but to the British public of 1744 it was the treasure of the galleon, triumphantly paraded through the streets of London, which did something to restore national self-esteem battered by an unsuccessful war” (ODNB). Anson’s voyage laid the groundwork for British voyages of exploration in the Pacific during the latter half of the eighteenth century.

The keenly-awaited book became a best-seller, running through numerous editions in its full or abridged form and being translated into several European languages. It is now agreed that the ostensible author, Richard Walter, took the initiative for publishing, gathering names of subscribers and profiting handsomely from it, but that Benjamin Robins completed the editorial task. “It is also clear that Anson himself took a very close interest in the work, which is as a result very complimentary of his actions but provides an interesting insight into his thinking. Walter’s and Robin’s contributions to the work can probably never be completely disentangled, but this should not obscure its continued popularity… ‘a masterpiece of descriptive travel that became the most popular book of maritime adventure’ Hill

Provenance: Thomas Earle Pipon (heraldic bookplate) , signature of his son George Earle above bookplate, relatives of subscriber Augustus Earle.

Hill, 1817; Sabin 1625; BdM I, 38.