Anna (ship)

History
Name:	Anna
Builder:	John Gorill and John Parke (Liverpool)
Fate:	Broken-up 28 August 1741
Notes:	See George Anson's voyage around the world for details of final voyage Reference for career details
General characteristics
Class and type:	Storeship
Tons burthen:	400
Complement:	16
Armament:	8 guns

See George Anson's voyage around the world for details of final voyage

Anna was a merchant vessel originally employed as a collier taking coal from Yorkshire to London. For her final voyage, she was contracted by the Admiralty to carry additional stores for the squadron of Commodore George Anson on his voyage around the world in 1740–44. She was often referred to as 'Anna Pink', as a 'Pink' is a type of ship with a narrow stern. She lost company with the squadron on 24 April 1741, but rejoined it at the Juan Fernández Islands on 16 August 1741 (Julian calendar) after sheltering for two months in a natural harbour on the South Chilean coast. A subsequent survey found her timbers were too badly damaged for a re-fit, therefore her stores and crew were distributed about the squadron and she was scuttled on 18 August 1742 in Cumberland Bay, Juan Fernández.

By early April 1741, Anson's squadron was rounding the horn and in very bad weather was struggling to make enough westerly to clear Tierra del Fuego. Anna and another ship, Pearl, briefly became separated from the squadron. In this event, orders were to rendezvous at the island of Socorro (now Guamblin Island). By 13 April, she had regained visual contact with the squadron, and that night lookouts on Anna spotted land to the north, which was the western extremity of Isla Noir, off Tierra del Fuego. She fired her gun and set of rocket lights to warn the rest of the squadron, which turned around and beat-off the coast before making more westerly to clear land. This saved the squadron from being wrecked on a lee-shore.

On 24 April, the squadron became dispersed in a severe storm and the Anna found herself alone. Her Master, Mr Gerrard, therefore followed orders and tried to make for Socorro Island. As she approached the latitude of the rendezvous in mid-May, another westerly gale forced Anna towards the coast, threatening to wreck her. The crew dropped anchors in an attempt to avert disaster but they refused to hold. Just as being wrecked appeared unavoidable, a small opening appeared, so the anchors were cut away and the ship steered through two towering cliffs into a fine natural harbour.

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