Anson’s squadron was based in Portsmouth and comprised of six warships, two supply ships and 1,900 men upon their departure in September 1740. Nevertheless, they encountered challenging circumstances while navigating the Atlantic. 

An outbreak of scurvy forced them to dock in Santa Catharina, Brazil, resulting in the loss of more than half of the crew (1,400 men), including senior officers recruited in Greenwich.  Furthermore, this stopover in Brazil exposed Anson’s squadron to the enemy. The local authority, Portuguese José Sylva de Paz, found an opportunity to inform Joseph Pizarro about his fleet, envisioning their shared interests in smuggled bullion. According to Richard Walter, author of Anson’s expedition narratives, he explains the negotiation of Brazilian gold for Peruvian silver, describing an estimated illegal amount involved that indicates the British whole estimate for the circulation of Spanish silver.

Pizzarro's Armada awaited in the River Plate, also grappling with scurvy. Yet, the dispatch influenced their decision to head towards the Pacific. Anson’s archives expose the Spanish supportive network in the Americas.

Both commanders would find difficult to cross the Strait of Magellan, as cartographical references were limited at that time. It is known that due to the tide, Pizarro delegated that stretch of his expedition to another commander, continuing his voyage terrestrially. 

Anson arrived in the Pacific after four ships were damaged or destroyed against the rocks. Still, he partook in the political unrest in the surroundings of Nueva Granada with the remaining vessels. Smaller captures, such as the Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu, served as part of his fleet for a while. However, after the Siege of Cartagena in 1741, the British were forced to retreat. This is when Anson decided to capture a Spanish galleon loaded with silver bound for the Philippines and that it would be wiser for him to return via the Pacific. 

Knowing that the Nuestra Señora de Covadonga had left Acapulco on 15 April 1743 bound for Cavite, Anson advanced the Centurion to the Marianas. A stopover on the resourceful and deserted Tinian Island permitted further explorations of the Chinese seas. That stretch of his expedition included victualling in Macao and Batavia, where Dutch forces joined his crew. 

Hence, Anson returned to the Philippines with the intention of engaging the Covadonga, an encounter that transpired on 20 June 1743. Most Spaniards had assumed that Anson had already returned to England.

The battle lasted for an hour and a half; the Spanish surrendered after experiences approximately 58 casualties (out of 550) and 84 wounded. Despite the precautions taken against potential adversaries – the galleons had been progressively militarised, and that year’s cargo was shared with another vessel - the Covadonga proved to be too heavy. Consequently, Anson’s agility and the advanced British naval technology favoured the Centurion. In the conflict, two sailors (out of 240) perished, and 16 sustained injuries. 

Anson brought the Covadonga to Canton, where the interrogations took place, legitimising his ownership of approximately one million pieces of eight – the Spanish dollar. Moreover, he was already well-acquainted with the commerce there, particularly with the Mandarins. A remarkable detail is that Anson managed to avoid paying the mandatory taxes imposed on foreigners after he convinced the emperor that that rule should not apply to war prizes. This was another achievement to conclude his expedition. 

While the Covadonga was sold in China, the Centurion was refurbished for a glorious return. Upon returning to Britain, Anson did not share the prize with the King, but distributed it partially among some crew members.