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This is a mid-18th century nautical map illustrating the strategic cruising positions of British naval ships under the command of Commodore George Anson during his circumnavigation of the globe (1740–1744). Specifically, it focuses on the British fleet's blockade of the Port of Acapulco (marked as "A") and the nearby Port Marquis ("B") on the Pacific coast of Mexico, during an operation to intercept the Manila galleon.
The map illustrates the coastline of Acapulco with minimal detail, emphasizing the relative positions of British ships as they maintained their cruising stations at a calculated distance offshore. Key features include:
- Port Acapulco and Port Marquis: Identified as focal points for the blockade.
- Cruising Positions: The British ships are marked by their names (e.g., Centurion, Gloucester, Tryall Prize), with annotations indicating their bearings and distances from shore, such as "E.S.E. 4.5 Leagues" and "N.E. by N."
- Cutters' Operations: An annotation ("C") describes smaller vessels belonging to the Centurion and Gloucester that patrolled closer to shore during the day and moved in under cover of darkness to monitor the movements of the Spanish Manila galleon.
This map relates to George Anson's voyage, a significant British naval expedition during the War of Jenkins' Ear (1739–1748). Anson's mission was to disrupt Spanish commerce in the Pacific and capture the rich Manila galleon, which carried valuable goods between the Philippines and New Spain. The 1742 blockade of Acapulco was a pivotal moment in this campaign, as the British sought to intercept the galleon near its port of origin. Although the galleon avoided capture during this specific operation, Anson's eventual capture of the Nuestra Señora de Covadonga in 1743 was a major prize, yielding immense wealth.
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