The closing comparison follows George Anson's squadron into the Pacific in an attempt to interrupt Spain's imperial trade. The voyage suffered ship losses, mutiny, and the demands of a circumnavigation, which also established Anson's reputation as a navigator. Capturing a Manila galleon nevertheless produced immense wealth and helped make his fortune and naval career. That outcome explains the prize-money imagination behind British interest in Spanish shipping: a single rich capture could transform an officer's prospects despite the expedition's wider suffering.
Notable Point · 53:20-54:55
Anson and the lure of the Manila galleon
A final comparison with Anson's Manila galleon capture shows why British officers saw Spanish imperial trade as a potential source of immense prize wealth.