On board the Royal Navy battleship Royal Sovereign (1891) while preparing to tow the battleship Caesar (1896) in a Mediterranean anchorage. The photographer is looking aft from the port side of Y barbette showing a large number of the crew on the quarterdeck hauling on a line while others are preparing other gear. The battleship Caesar (1896) is close astern preparing to take the towline aboard and she is flying a five flag signal from her starboard yards. A field gun carriage minus the gun is in the foreground. Vertical format.