A carte de visite photograph of a view over the rooftops at Auckland, New Zealand, towards the anchorage from near St. Paul's Church (the oldest church in Auckland, built in 1841). The Commodore's house is in the foreground. The warship on the left is H.M.S Esk (1854), a First Class Corvette, with the two-funnelled H.M.S Eclipse (1860) off its port side.

On the front of the card the caption reads: 'The Commodores home in foreground – Auckland New Zealand'.

The reverse is annotated: 'A view of the harbour, mostly of the men of war anchorage, from the hill, by St. Paul’s church. Having gone up the hill from Wyn Yard pier as in view no.1, you turn round & this view is seen = / The man of war on the left is the Esk & the other one with two funnels the Eclipse. A collier is discharging her cargo into the coal hulk from whence we feed our horses. / Another M.S. on the left is the “Bombay”, that got dismasted in our gale when we were nearly wrecked off Wanganui; She is getting in a fresh set of spars = The hulk on the right is the one that was moored off Kawau with the 200 Maori prisoners, who all escaped no doubt with the perfect convenience of Sir Geo Grey!!'

Sir George Grey was twice governor of New Zealand. Sir George pursued both peaceful resolutions with local Māori, whilst simultaneously engaging in brutal repression of Māori independence movements and confiscation of Māori land. In his second term (1861-1868) he presided over the 'Invasion of the Waikato', part of the wider 'New Zealand Wars'. HMS Esk and HMS Eclipse formed part of the colonial squadron that had arrived in New Zealand in 1863.