Napoleonic Wars (1803-15)
Views of naval engagements and maps of battles
Cape Palos, 1805
TO THE R.T HON.BLE LORD VISCOUNT NELSON, K.B. DUKE OF BRONTE, &c. &c. &c. / This Print of the commencement of the gallant defence, made by His Majesty's Sloop ARROW of 28 Guns & 132 Men, Richard Budd Vincent Esq.r Commander...
published 21 Oct 1805Aquatint with engraving; printed on paper; there appears to be a small amount of colour printing, in pale brown, on the masts of the 'Acheron'; laid down on paper, the paper backing brought round the edges of the recto | 44.4 x 62.2 cm (image) | RCIN 735115
A view of the beginning of the action between H.M. sloop Arrow and Acheron by the French off Cape Palos on 5 February 1805. Napoleonic Wars (1803-15).
The captain of the bomb vessel HMS Acheron was Arthur (later Sir Arthur, and Rear-Admiral) Farquhar (1772-1843). The Acheron and the Arrow were, under Farquhar's command, in charge of a convoy, but were captured, after a strenuous defence, by the two larger French frigates Incorruptible and Hortense. Court martialled after the action, Farqhar was honourably acquitted.
This view shows the Acheron in the left foreground being attacked by one of the French frigates, and the Arrow in the right foreground, under fire from the other French ship.
One of a pair of prints; the companion view is at RCIN 735116.The original painting by Francis Sartorius is in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, (BHC0536).
George Andrews (active 1794-1813) (publisher) [bottom centre, below title:] Published Oct. 21. 1805, by G. Andrews, N.o 7, Charing Cross.
After Francis Sartorius (d. after 1808) (artist) [bottom left, below edge of view:] Painted by F. Sartorius.
Joseph Jeakes (1778-c. 1829) (engraver) [bottom right, below edge of view:] Engraved by J. Jeakes.
Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) (dedicatee)
Watermark: None visible on print; backing paper: E & P
Condition: no fold lines. Verso: induced brown discolouration; damage to backing paper, right, perhaps when the view was being laid down
40.0 x 62.2 cm (neatline)
44.4 x 62.2 cm (image)
47.4 x 66.9 cm (platemark)
49.2 x 68.9 cm (sheet)
Printed title:
TO THE R.T HON.BLE LORD VISCOUNT NELSON, K.B. DUKE OF BRONTE, &c. &c. &c. / This Print of the commencement of the gallant defence, made by His Majesty's Sloop ARROW of 28 Guns & 132 Men, Richard Budd Vincent Esq.r Commander; and His Maj,,s Bomb Vessel ACHERON of 8 Guns & 67 Men, Arthur Farquhar Esq.r Com,,r against the French Frigates, L'HORTENSE / and L'INCORRUPTIBLE of 44 Guns & 650 Men each, including troops of the Line; which took place on the Morning of the 4.th of Feb,,y 1805; off Cape Palos; for the preservation of a Valuable Convoy. / Is (by Permission) most humbly Dedicated, by his most obliged humble Servant, / George Andrews. [bottom centre, below view]
Annotations:
(Recto) [bottom left, black pencil, in Christian Bailey's hand]: XV 115(1) CMB May ’87 [i.e. 1987]; [bottom left, black pencil:] 1. (Verso) [bottom left, black pencil:] 170.a.(i); [centre, black pencil:] 1; [centre, black pencil, obscured by paper backing:] 1.
George III catalogue entry:
Naval Engagement View of the commencement of the gallant defence made by H.M. Sloop Arrow, R.B. Vincent Esq.r commander, and H.M. Bomb Vessel Acheron, A. Farquhar Esq.r com.r, against the French Frigates l'Hortense, and l'Incorruptible on the 4.th of Feb.y 1805, off Cape Palos: by Sartorius, engraved by Jeakes and published by Andrews, 1805.
Subject(s)
Cabo de Palos, Murcia, Spain (37°38'04"N 00°41'25"W)
Bibliographic reference(s)
H. Parker, Naval battles from the collection of prints formed and owned by Commander Sir Charles Leopold Cust, With an introduction by C.N. Robinson, London, 1911, no.170.a
J.K. Laughton, 'Farquhar, Sir Arthur (1772–1843)', rev. Roger Morriss, Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford, 2004; online edition 2007.
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
Corrected identification of the vessel in the left foreground
