This oil painting on panel is apparently an illustration of the launch of the Royal yacht 'Augusta' (on the left) at Deptford Dockyard in 1771. It is a little imaginative however, since it is very unlikely that even a small vessel would have had masts in and been fully rigged before launch. The slips, buildings and other unfinished vessels on the right are all at the north end of the dockyard. The painting is signed ‘Frederick Augustus’ with the received information that this signifies George III's second son, the Duke of York (1763-1827). If so it is an accomplished piece of work, presumably from his youth, and especially if done about the time of the launch when he was only eight. However, more information is required to confirm the matter.