British tars towing the Danish fleet into harbour the broad-bottom-Leviathan trying to swamp Billy's old-boat, & the little Corsican tottering on the clouds of ambition / [graphic]

"Two sailors, Hawkesbury and Castlereagh, seated side by side, row a small ship's boat or dinghy, 'the Billy Pitt', towing the ships of the Danish fleet. Canning, in the stern, holds the ropes attached to the ships. He looks alert and roguish, the others are grave. They are going through rough water caused by 'Leviathan' (l.), a porpoise-like monster with three heads and a forked tail. The heads spout water at the boat, particularly at Canning. They are (r. to left.) Grenville, who spouts "Opposition Clamour"; Howick (whom Canning had replaced as Foreign Secretary), spouting "Detraction"; and St. Vincent, spouting "Envy". The boat nears the shore, indicated by a rock projecting into the sea (r.); on this is an anchor leaning against a pile of cannon-balls stacked against the wall of a small thatched inn. On the stock of the anchor sits John Bull, a stout countryman, holding a frothing tankard, and waving his hat. He shouts "Rule Britannia! - Britannia Rules the Waves!!" On the inn is a placard: 'Sheerness Harbour'; it has a sign hanging over the water: a profile bust portrait of George III: 'The Good Old Royal George'. Above it waves the Union Jack. On the horizon countries of Europe are indicated by low-lying coastlines backed by tiny buildings, all on fire, the flames and smoke covering the sky. These are, l. to r.: 'Poland', 'Russia', 'Germany', 'Prussia', 'Italy', 'Holland'. In the smoke Napoleon capers in impotent rage, sword in hand, his feathered bicorne flying upwards from his head. In his dismay he drops a paper: 'Projet pour Sub-juger [sic] la Mer' [cf. BMSat 10599, &c.]. On the extreme left., behind the Danish ships and isolated from Poland, is Copenhagen, its buildings on a larger scale, with a fortress flying a British flag. The buildings behind the fortress are on fire."--British Museum online catalogue