A port side view, just forward of the broadside, of the captured two-funnelled destroyer HMS Taku (1898) at anchor in Hong Kong. The ship has the rigging from the bow to the top of the foremast and the mainbrace from deck to the main mast top decorated with strips of material[?] celebrating Christmas Day. The funnel tops are covered with foliage. Suspended between the two funnels is the ship's name 'TAKU' spelt out. Crew can be seen on the forward gun platform and at the stern.

HMS Taku was originally named Hai Lung and built for the Chinese Navy by the Germans, launched at Elbing in 1898. Captured by the Royal Navy during the Boxer Rebellion and renamed Taku after the Taku Forts in northeastern China.

The original negative envelope was labelled: 'Taku taken from Chinese Xmas Day 1900'.