
The Prize of All the Oceans by Glyndwr Williams
Anson's voyage of 1740-44 holds a unique and terrible place in British naval history. The misadventures of this first attempt by Royal Navy ships to sail round the world make a dramatic story of hardship, disaster, mutiny and heroism. Only one of Anson's squadron, the flagship Centurion, completed its mission. The other vessels were wrecked, scuttled or forced back in shattered condition. Out of 1850 officers and men who sailed from Spithead in September 1740, almost 1400 died, most from disease or starvation. With crews ravaged by scurvy, Anson's ships were battered by relentless storms as they attempted to round Cape Horn. Two of the six men-of-war in the squadron turned back, their captains to face later accusations of desertion. A third, the Wager, was wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Chile in circumstances in which all discipline vanished. This work recounts this classic story from sea history, detailing the dramatic hardships, diasters, mutiny and heroism that occurred.
Glyn Williams has been Professor of History at Queen Mary and Westfield College since 1974. His main teaching interests are the history of exploration, the history of Europe overseas, and British imperial history. He has travelled and lectured in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies. He is Emeritus Professor of the University of London. He lives in Kent.
SKU | Unavailable |
ISBN 13 | 9780006531784 |
ISBN 10 | 0006531784 |
Title | The Prize of All the Oceans |
Author | Glyndwr Williams |
Condition | Unavailable |
Binding Type | Paperback |
Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers |
Year published | 2000-09-18 |
Number of pages | 384 |
Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
Note | Unavailable |