- Museum number
- 1868,0808.11997
- Title
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Object: The taking of Chusan.
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Series: Political Sketches
- Description
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No. 667. At sea, a man-of-war's boat, lettered with 'Conservative', with eight men on board, seven seated (recognisable, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, Sir James Graham, Lord Lyndhust), and one standing in the bows (Duke of Wellington), approaching a fort at right, over the wall of which a man in Chinese costume (Lord Melbourne) hangs a board inscribed with "SPARE.US for the sake of OUR WOMEN'; a pagoda and fleeing figures behind him at right; a sailing boat in background at left. 31 December 1840
Lithograph
- Production date
- 1840
- Dimensions
-
Height: 279 millimetres
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Width: 378 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- For preliminary drawing see 1882,1209.490
Text from 'An Illustrative Key to the Political Sketches of H.B.', London 1844:
The humour of this sketch is retrospective, and points to the events which have already been graphically recorded in Nos. DXC, DXCI, &c., namely the resignation of the Whig Ministers upon the division on the Jamaica Bill, and their reinstatement by means, (as it was alledged) of the ladies about the Court. These and other circumstances having created a very general belief that Lord Melbourne's best tenure of office was the influence exercised over the Queen by the ladies about her person, some of whom were the wives or sisters of Cabinet Ministers, the following incident which was related in the official account of the capture of Chusan, and published in the 'Times', on the 8th December, 1840, seemed so irresistibly apposite to the occasion of a bold assault made upon Ministers by the Duke of Wellington and his party, that H.B. could not possibly pass it by.
"On landing, the troops found the city and suburbs abandoned by the inhabitants, with the exception of one man, who was holding up a board, with this inscription upon it - 'Save us for the sake of our wives and children.' "
The Duke of Wellington in the sketch is heading the attack in his gun-boat "Conservative," manned by Lord Lyndhurst, Sir James Graham, and Lord Stanley, and steered by Sir Robert Peel. The objects of the attack, the official people, are seen flying in the utmost consternation, all except Lord Melbourne, who, like the solitary Chinese at Chusan, remains to supplicate for mercy, by means of a board, inscribed with "Spare us for the sake of our women."
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Associated Event: Taking of Chusan 1840
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.11997