Inscribed (in English and French): “The Gallant Action (off the Isle of Man) where the Brave Capt Elliot Defeated and took the Marshall Belleisle, Commanded by the Famous Thurot, and two other French Ships of War the 28th February 1760.”

Also from left to right and inscribed under the ships shown: “’Brilliant’ – Capt Loggie, 30 guns, 240 men; ‘Le Terpsichore’, Capt Defravandois, 26 guns, 300 men; ‘Pallas’, Capt Clements, 36 guns, 240 men; ‘Le Blonde’, Capt La Kayce, 32 guns, 400 men; ‘Aeole’, Capt Elliot, 32 guns, 220 men; ‘Marshall Belleisle’, Mons. Thurot, 44 guns, 545 men.”

The six frigates that contested this decisive British victory during the Seven Years’ War are shown in three distinct pairings along a diagonal that recedes into the picture space from right to left. Whilst ’Brilliant’ and ‘Terpsichore’, and ‘Pallas’ and ‘Blonde’ are heavily engaged in the mid-ground at left, the fighting at right appears to have stopped between ‘Aeolus’, shown port-quarter on, and Thurot’s ship – which has lost its mizzen mast and appears to have stuck its colours – behind it in starboard-broadside view. The whole is set against a low coastline that runs throughout the picture’s background.

The original oil by Swaine has not been traced. The BM dates its impression of this print to c.1769.

Stored in mount with PAG8846, an uncoloured impression.