Battle royal, or, Which has it? [graphic].

"The Ministry defend 'The Citadel of Office' behind a high stone wall against different Opposition groups. The chief defence is by the tiny Perceval who fires a cannon from whose muzzle issue three heads intended for Wellesley, Ryder, and Melville. In the centre the wall is breached, and Eldon looks from the gap, weeping; behind him is the Woolsack, inscribed 'Wool'. Lord Grey, on tiptoe, reaches up to seize his gown, while he flourishes a paper: 'Report of Physicians 1804'. Erskine, quite bald and with his (former) Chancellor's gown over his arm, reaches up to tug at the Chancellor's wig. Seated on the wall at the lowest point of the breach is Yorke in back view; in his pocket is a 'List of my Friends Cambridge' [see No. 11535]. He hands down a large seal bearing an anchor to Whitbread who straddles a cask floating in water which adjoins the 'Citadel' on the right. Whitbread takes this emblem of the Admiralty, flourishing a tankard (cf. No. 10414). On the left of the breach Sir Vicary Gibbs, brandishing a rolled document inscribed 'Law of Libel', defends himself vigorously against Romilly, who drags at his gown and has a similar weapon inscribed 'New Statutes'. In Romilly's pocket is a paper: 'New Bankrupt Laws'. Farther to the left the three Grenvilles, Lord Temple, the Marquis of Buckingham, and Lord Grenville, level a battering-ram against the wall. The ram has a ram's head, as in heraldry, but with a human face, and is intended for Ponsonby, leader of the Opposition in the Commons. On one horn is spiked a paper: 'Catholic Emancipation'. Between them and Romilly, little Lord Lansdowne (Petty) sits on the ground squirting a large syringe over his shoulder at the wall. Next the ram Moira, stiff and aloof, holds up a fox with the head of Lord Holland (nephew and political heir of Fox), whose fore-paws, holding a paper of 'Resolutions', have reached the top of the wall but are caught in a trap. On the extreme left. Tierney bestrides a wooden horse whose hind-legs are broken off; it is inscribed 'Finance'. A bundle inscribed 'New Budget for 1811' is strapped to his back; he fires a pistol inscribed 'Bullion Report', but he is about to be thrown, so that the pistol points backwards over his head. Between Tierney and the wall are Burdett and Wardle. The former is flinging mud at the defenders, at Moira, and at Tierney. ..."--British Museum online catalogue.