His Majesty's Ship the Mermaid on the 10th of Octr 1795, at Requin.... Grenada, run aground in Chase of the French Corvette Brutus.. to prevent the landing Ammunition

One of three impressions depicting the Mermaid (1784) (British Navy) and the Brutus (1793) (French), the latter depicted on the left, on the 10th October 1795 on the Coast of Grenada. Captain Henry Warre commanded the Mermaid, and the Brutus was later renamed the Warre after the event depicted. The Mermaid was trying to prevent the Brutus from offloading its cargo of ammunition to the enemy and although she managed to capture the ship, her crew and 120 troops escaped onto the land.

This picture shows the crew of the distressed Brutus sliding down a rope from the stern of the ship to the rocky, mountainous coast. The Mermaid, in stern view on the right of the picture, also appears to be in difficulties, very close to the rocks and those sails not furled are flapping in the on-shore wind. Cannon smoke hangs between the ships. A small settlement, tucked into the mountain and surrounded by vegetation, including palm trees, can be seen in the background.

Object Details

ID: PAH7889
Type: Print
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Pocock, Nicholas; Pollard, Robert Faden, William
Places: Unlinked place
Vessels: Brutus (1793); Mermaid (1784)
Date made: 12 Feb 1798
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Sheet: 415 x 625 mm; Mount: 607 mm x 835 mm