A whole plate size varnished salted paper print. A view from the port side of the main mast on the quarterdeck of the 80-gun Second Rate three-decker HMS Superb (1842), looking forward and to starboard towards the waist. HMS Superb was part of the Experimental Squadron sent to sea to test the Symonds designs against earlier warship designs.

An out of focus officer stands with sailors and marines behind, some lined up along the bulwark. The main mast with its pin rails and running rigging lines is to the right of the image. Two 32-pounder (8ft 6inch) shell guns are carriage-mounted to the right of the image. The bulwarks are covered in canvas, protecting the hammocks below. The ship's boats on their boat chocks in front of the main mast are completely covered in canvas.

Reverse has been annotated in pencil by Admiral Ballard in 1934: 'View from quarterdeck of Superb looking forward. 1845 (note size of mainmast)'.

It is not certain who took the photograph, as both Talbot and Henneman, acting as his assistant, were on board at the time. (See article 'Talbot and Henneman, Mount Edgcumbe and Plymouth Dockyard Images' by Michael Grey in "The PhotoHistorian", Autumn 2014). Talbot and Henneman had arrived at Mount Edgecumbe by 20 September and Calvert Jones wrote to Talbot on 1 October 'You were fortunate in having such capital subjects as the experimental squadron and I shall be most anxious to see a specimen.' [BL, LA45-133].

Letters dated September and October 1845 from Calvert Jones to WHF Talbot reveal that prints were being varnished as an experiment to preserve the print. (see BL LA45-131, LA45-133, LA45-134 for examples).

This original print was made from the original negative P22CAL.