The battleship in distant broadside view on the left is the 'Dreadnought' (1906) and that on the right is one of the nine 'Majestics' (1894-96). If, as it appears, 'Dreadnought' is wearing the flag of a full admiral, that would date the image to 1909 in terms of what it shows, since that was the only year she did so. Two other ships are in the image, one only represented by the very end of her stern (far left) and only that one and the 'Majestic' class seen in stern view appear to be stationary. In the centre a stationary whaler has its oars tossed as if in salute, with something burning on the water, perhaps ceremonially.