Anson's squadron exposes British mobilization failures

Anson's force had a sensible mix of ships for a long-range campaign against Spanish possessions, but its military manpower was badly mismatched to the mission. A global raiding expedition needed fit, highly trained assault troops able to operate far from reinforcement. Many assigned Chelsea invalids deserted, required stretchers, or died, while replacement Marines arrived without experience firing a weapon. This mismatch supports the view that Robert Walpole's government entered an unwanted war for domestic political survival without committing the resources necessary to wage it competently.