as erected. It is not therefore at all
strange, that as soon as the present war broke out with Spain, the
general voice of the nation dictated such an expedition, or that, when
they saw it resolved on, and a squadron actually equipped for that
service, they very loudly testified their approbation of the scheme.
I believe also, my readers will readily give credit to the assertion,
when I affirm, that, during the time this squadron lay at Portsmouth,
there was a more general expectation of its performing things of the
highest consequence for the service of Great Britain, and reducing the
enemy to reason.

"It was in the midst of summer, in the year 1740, that this squadron
was formed at Portsmouth, at the same time that a great embarkation
was preparing for the West Indies, by which the siege of Carthagena
was afterwards undertaken, which turned the eyes of the whole world
upon that sea-port. At London, every person spoke of the intended
expedition to the South Seas as a design that must necessarily be
attended with highly advantageous consequences, if properly conducted;
and of this there was not made the least doubt, when it was known that
Captain Anson was named to the command, because he had shewn himself
upon all occasions equally vigilant in his duty, and moderate in the
exercise of power, more ready to correct by his own example than by
any other sort of reproof, and who, in the course of his services,
had acquired the respect of the officers, and the love of the sailors;
qualities that rarely meet in one person, and qualities which, without
the least contradiction, were ascribed to him.[2]

[Footnote 2: The sequel of these observations, by Harris, are
extracted from his supplementary reflections at the close of the
expedition, vol. 1, p. 364, _et sequ._ In these, however, we have used
much retrenchment, as the observations that may have been exceedingly
applicable in 1745, when Spain was in a great manner identified with
France, have now lost much of their force, in consequence of the
passing events, well known to all, but which do not admit of being
discussed in a note.--E.]

"Though this expedition was not attended by so great success in the
South Seas as was expected, yet the nation in general was far from
believing that its comparative failure ought to deter us from
the thoughts of such expeditions for the future, since it plainly
appeared, that, if the whole squadron had got round along with
the commodore