Thank you, Robert. The Lucky Sailor evidently recalls Anson's second great prize. George Anson was a fearless and also a fortunate man. In May 1747, Anson, by now a vice-admiral, was cruising with a fleet off Cape Finisterre when he encountered a force of French men-of-war with a convoy of outward-bound merchantmen. Thirteen ships were taken and £300,000 in money was found aboard the prizes. The ballad reflects the euphoria of success but fails to mention the price in lives. Over a thousand seamen died on the voyage and the same number again, French and English, in the battle. (Boxing the Compass, Roy Palmer)

Finally, it was Anson who introduced replenishment at sea. This was momentous; sustainment of naval forces at sea is the true measure of maritime power. For the first time in history, the Royal Navy could maintain continuous blockade and presence. Combined with his adoption of Lind’s Treatise on Scurvy and the introduction of fresh vegetables to the supply chain, Anson’s fleets could loiter off an opponent’s coastline for six months with barely 20 personnel sick out of a strength of 14,000. (Trafalgar: The Legacy of George Anson; RUSI)

Captain Philip de Saumarez (1710–1747) was a British naval officer, notable for his role as captain of HMS Nottingham in capturing the French ship Mars and as the first lieutenant of George Anson, 1st Baron Anson, in his voyage around the world. While captain of HMS Nottingham, Saumarez would be locked in combat with a French 64-gun ship, Mars. After two hours of combat, the Nottingham was able to capture the vessel and bring it to Plymouth. (Wikipedia)

Peter Bellamy and Chris Birch sang 'Warlike Seamen' in 1969 on Bellamy’s third solo LP, The Fox Jumps Over the Parson’s Gate. A.L. Lloyd commented in the original album’s liner notes: The song began its life in the seventeenth century and concerned the little merchant ship Marigold, 70 tons, owned by a Mr Ellis of Bristol, which fought a brisk and successful skirmish with “Turkish” pirates off the coast of Algiers. At the end of the eighteenth century the song was re-jigged to suit the times, and now it dealt with an encounter with the French, fought by a ship variously called the Nottingham and the London. (Mainly Norfolk)

Peter Bellamy sings Warlike Seamen;
Come all you warlike seamen that to the seas belong;
I’ll tell you of a fight, my boys, on board the Nottingham.
It was of an Irish captain, his name was Somerville,
With courage bold he did control, he played his part so well.

Sir Edward Hawke (1710-1781) was, after Anson, the chief admiral of the late phase of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). He briefly assumed command of the Western Squadron when Vice Admiral Warren came down with scurvy. And, during what was supposed to be a minor tour of duty, the French tried to break a convoy out of Brest. Hawke caught up with them and won a brilliant victory at the second battle of Cape Finisterre in October 1747.

Hawke's exploits seem to have inspired several songs and poems; in addition to this and the broadside mentioned by Ben, C. H. Firth, _Publications of the Navy Records Society_ , 1907 (available on Google Books), p. 197, has an item called "Admiral Hawke," and on p. 217 prints "Hawke's Engagement," with "Lord Anson and Hawke" found on page 225. The Roud index lists a number of broadsides of "Admiral Hawke" and so forth. But this appears to be the only traditional song about Hawke, and even it barely survives. - RBW (Folklorist)

Lord Anson's Garland, Composed of six delightful New Songs. 1. Lord Anson and Hawke. 2. The Highlander's march to America. 3. Willy's the lad for me. 4. Let me in this ... Night. 5. A New Song Tune the ... of the Dee 6. Pretty Nancy of London. Licensed and entered according to Order. Date: 1775? The Wellcome Collection

Scurvy runs through the thread, but does not appear in the songs!