Genre:

Letter, Spoof; Song, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Subjects:

Military Technology, Steamships, Technology, War, Commerce, Government

Institutions mentioned:

Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich

    The initial letter forms part of an illustration showing Neptune sitting in a shell-shaped boat powered by a steam engine, which is itself a saucer-shaped object driven by bellows worked by Neptune. The text is written from the perspective of an old seaman of limited literary ability, and in it he criticises the choice of Miniature for the name of a 'noo Man o'War wot they're Goin too Larnch'. Later he expresses astonishment that the vessel will have five iron masts and insists that such 'floating coleskuttles' will 'poot a end To all C fitein and y?—cause no henemy, unless so b that h'es hintoxicated, will think o'cumin anigh 'em and then wot's too bkum of the Hadmiralty'. He develops his views in a song entitled 'THE BRAVE OLD OKE', which upholds the material 'wot Has sarved britannyer long' despite the fact that 'Parleyment says ion his More strong'. Goes on to contrast the accuracy of the 'round canon Bawl' to the shells that 'has the sway', and to criticise the money spent 'shelling Out ot the Admiralty'.