A satire ridiculing the first Nootka Convention in which Spain conceded England's right to maintain outposts in Nootka Sound and engage in whaling outside a "ten-league line" off the Northwest coast of North America. In a small row boat on the Pacific and facing the west coast of North American, Pitt stands fishing with a rod baited with a sack labelled "3 million genl. elc." Beside him in the boat is Henry Dundas holding another sack labelled "million gen. elec" and beside him in the back of the boat, a third sack also labelled "million gen elec." Selected points along the shore from the Sea of Kamtschatka and Bristol Bay (north) to New Mexico are identified with no attempt to convey a sense of scale: Nortons Sound, Alaska, Cooks River, Ps. William Sound, Spanish Land, Nootka or King Georges Sound, New Albion, California. Off the coast of Alaska are shown the islands Arako and Foxes Is. Whales surface above the water inside the buoys with flags reading "10 leagues." In the upper left is a galley "Convention." Pitt says "I fear Harry the fishing will never answer." Dundas replies, "Never mind tha Billy the gudgeons we have caught in England will pay for all."
Alternative Title:
Cheap way to catch whales
Description:
Title etched above image., Six lines of verse in three columns below image: The hostile nations view with glad surprise, the frugal plans of minsters so wise, but they the censure of the world despise, sure from their faithfull commons of suplies [sic], convinced that man must fame immortal gain, Who first dare fish with millions in the Spanish Main., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
Publisher:
Pub. Jany. 4, 1791, by H. Humphries, N. 18 Old Bond St.
Subject (Geographic):
Spain, Great Britain., Great Britain, Spain., and North Pacific Ocean.
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Dundas, Henry, 1742-1811, and Great Britain.
Subject (Topic):
Foreign relations, Politics and government, Whaling, Fishing, Galleys (Ships), Maps, Ships, and Whales
