File:The raft in danger or the Republican crew disappointed (BM 1868,0808.6689).jpg

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The raft in danger or the Republican crew disappointed   (Wikidata search (Cirrus search) Wikidata query (SPARQL)  Create new Wikidata item based on this file)
Artist

Print made by: Isaac Cruikshank

Published by: S W Fores
Title
The raft in danger or the Republican crew disappointed
Description
English: Leaders of the Opposition (left) turn a windlass which drags towards the shore a fantastic and enormous raft laden with French troops. They push against horizontal levers which pass through the broad centre-post on which the rope is wound; on the top of this Lauderdale, in Highland dress and on a smaller scale than the others, plays the bagpipes, from which issue the words:



'Over the Water & over the Sea
And over the Raft to Charlie.'

He capers to his tune; a tricolour flag flies from his instrument. The most prominent figure is Fox, advancing full-face, and looking to the raft with a satisfied smile; he says, "Pull away Citizens". Behind him, the rope between them, is Bedford in riding-dress; under his arm is a book: 'Bedford on Agriculter' (cf. BMSat 8648). Opposite Fox is Tierney, saying, "We must take care to keep clear of the Rope". From his pocket hangs a paper: 'Borough Influence' (he was M.P. for Southwark, 'the Borough', cf. BMSat 9045). Sheridan, pushing hard in profile to the left, says: "Ah! The Rope We must avoid it if possible". Norfolk, on the extreme left, puts a hand on Tierney's lever; he says: "Hark Ther's a Storm coming. I hear Thunder." They walk on a circular track by the edge of a cliff. On the ground is a large open book: 'President of the Directory CIF. [Fox] Deputy a Bedfordshire Bull [cf. BMSat 8684]'. On it lies a 'Norfolk Cheese'. Behind (left) is a gallows inscribed 'Tierney' (almost obliterated) from which hangs a corpse. In the background is a hill on the summit of which is an encampment with massed troops flying the British flag.
The raft nears the shore but is about to be overwhelmed by vast waves blown up by blasts from the mouths of Dundas, the King, and Pitt, whose heads emerge from dark clouds. Dundas, in profile to the left, aims his blast at the windlass; in it (right to left) are the names: 'Jack Ketch'; 'Addington, Bond, Staples [Bow Street justices]'; 'Macnamara Fugion, Macmanus, Townsend, Jelous' [Bow Street officers or 'runners']. The King and Pitt aim directly at the raft; from the mouth of the former (full-face) issue the names 'St Vincent, Pasley, Duncan, Pellew, Nelson'; from that of Pitt (in profile to the right): 'Trollope, Thomson, Bridport, Onslow, Pringle'. In the centre of the raft is a massive fortress manned with troops; from it flies a huge tricolour flag inscribed 'Liberty and Equality'. The fort is surrounded by tents; outside there are soldiers in close formation with bayonets. The outer edge is flanked by turrets, each having a (tricolour) flag inscribed: 'Plunder'; 'Regecides Paricides'; 'Deism Atheism'; 'Robbery'; 'Murder & Ravishmt'; 'Torture'; 'Blood & Rapine'; 'Cruelty & lust'; 'Barbar[ity]'. The motive force is given by wheels worked by windmills, and by large oars. In the bows is a guillotine surmounted by a bonnet-rouge; another guillotine decorates the stern. Behind the raft (left) advance ships of war. In the foreground, flying over the agitated sea like stormy petrels, are three winged heads (right to left): Erskine, Stanhope, and (?) Thelwall. Lauderdale, Fox, Sheridan, Norfolk, and Stanhope wear bonnets-rouges. 28 January 1798


Hand-coloured etching
Depicted people Associated with: Sir William Addington
Date 1798
date QS:P571,+1798-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Medium paper
Dimensions
Height: 260 millimetres
Width: 689 millimetres
institution QS:P195,Q6373
Current location
Prints and Drawings
Accession number
1868,0808.6689
Notes

(Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942) About this time many prints were published of 'The French Raft' 'building at Brest'. There are three in the Print Room; eight are reproduced, Wheeler and Broadley, i. 68, 80, 88 (on which this print is evidently based), 94, 184, ['Etchd & pubd by Dighton Charg Cross, from a Drawing by Monsieur Freville, just arriv'd.'] 304, 308, 312. They differ considerably, but the size is usually given as 2,100 X 1,500 feet, to carry 60,000 men (one says 30,000). The raft was a French fable, ridiculed in a serious French publication (summarized, 'Gent. Mag.', 1798, i. 315-17). See the report of an English sailor, 'Lond. Chron.', 2 Jan. 1798. A later variation 'building at Dieppe' is a raft of nine old ships lashed together to move by steam-engines. Ibid., 3 May. See also 'Ann. Reg.', 1801, pp. 272-3. At this time the 'Army of England' had been put (26 Oct. 1797) under the command of Bonaparte; naval preparations were going on in the French Channel ports, and an embarkation was ordered for 28 Feb. The Directory expected a French army to be eagerly welcomed in England. On 23 Feb. Bonaparte wrote to the Directory that the scheme of invasion was (temporarily) impracticable. Desbrière, 'Projets de Débarquement aux Îles Britanniques', i. 283-391; 'Spencer Papers', ed. J. S. Corbett, 1914, ii. 223 ff. See BMSats 9164-7, 9172, 9176, 9180-3, 9187. For invasion satires see BMSat 8432, &c. Nelson and St. Vincent were then noted for Cape St. Vincent, Duncan for Camperdown, cf. BMSats 8992, 9034. Sir T. Pasley lost a leg at the First of June and was in command at the Nore; Pellew had commanded (1796-7) a squadron of frigates off the west of France and had a notable encounter with 'L'Indéfatigable'. Sir R. Onslow and Captain Sir Henry Trollope had distinguished themselves at Camperdown, where the former was second in command. Sir Charles Thompson was second in command at St. Vincent. Bridport commanded the fleet blockading Brest. Pringle was a Vice-Admiral of the Red. Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Parker was c.-in-c. at Portsmouth. Though the imprint is earlier, probably an imitation of BMSat 9167.

Hennin, No. 12,434 (with the additional imprint: 'Se vend chez Joh. Mart. Will à Augsburg'). Broadley, i. 105-8.
Source/Photographer https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-6689
Permission
(Reusing this file)		 © The Trustees of the British Museum, released as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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