The Franco-English squadron at anchor in Besika Bay, July 1853

Inscribed: “L'Escadre Franco-Anglaise au Mouillage dans la Baie de Bézika Juillet 1853”, with the names of ships depicted and their number of guns. Composed from a vantage point ahead of the squadron, the British paddle frigate ‘Firebrand’ is placed prominently in the foreground under steam, whilst the larger warships ride at anchor, arranged in an orderly manner around an apex formed by the French flagship ‘Ville de Paris’.

From left to right the ships shown are given as: ‘Caton’ 4, ‘Modeste’ 18, ‘Sane’ 14, ‘Gomer’ 14, ‘Bayard’ 90, ‘Napoleon’ 90, ‘Magellan’ 14, ‘Charlemagne’ 90, ‘Firebrand’, ‘Henri IV’ 90, ‘Sampson’ 14, ‘Caradoc’ 4, ‘Montebello’ 120, ‘Tiger’ 14, ‘Valmy’ 120 (Admiral Jacquinot), ‘Ville de Paris’ 120 (Admiral Hamelin), ‘Bellerophon’ 78, ‘Britannia’ 120 (Admiral Dundas), ‘Arethusa’ 50, ‘Trafalgar’ 120, ‘Retribution’ 28, ‘Rodney’ 80, ‘Albion’ 80, ‘Vengeance’ 80, ‘Inflexible’ (?).

Hand-coloured. Stored with PAH8227 (a duplicate).

Object Details

ID: PAH8226
Type: Print
Display location: Not on display
Creator: E. Gambart & Co; Breton, Louis Le Lemercier
Places: Unlinked place
Vessels: Ville de Paris (1850); Britannia (1820) Trafalgar (1841) Modeste (1837) Napoleon (1850) Bayard (1847) Waterloo (1818) Arethusa (1849) Vengeance (1824) Charlemagne Firebrand (1842) Henri IV [French navy] Caradoc (1847)
Date made: Jul 1853; ca.1854
People: Anglo-French Fleet
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Sheet: 452 x 660 mm; Mount: 606 mm x 836 mm