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| Archive Reference / Library Class No. | D5459/2/55 |
| Former Reference | D5459/3/23 |
| Title | The Continental Dock-yard |
| Date | 1807 |
| Description | On the right is 'THE GALLIC STOREHOUSE FOR ENGLISH SHIPPING', in which have been impounded the ships 'THE DANE', 'THE SWEDE', and 'THE DON DIEGO'. In front of them, French ship-builders, wearing bonnets rouges, are working on a number of ships including 'THE NAPOLEON'. At the front, Napoleon, brandishing a sword, instructs the foreman: "Begar you must vork like de Diable ve must annihilate dis John Bull." The foreman replies: "Please you my grand Empereur, tes no use vatever, as fast as ve do build him he vas clap dem in his storehouse over the way."
On the left, the other side of a stretch of water, is 'JOHN BULL'S STOREHOUSE', which contains the ships 'ARMADA', PORTO BELLO', 'CAMPERDOWN', 'ST VINCENT', 'NILE' AND 'TRAFALGAR'. In front of the storehouse John Bull stands talking with a group of sailors. He says, in reference to Napoleon: "I say lads, if he goes on this way, we shall be overstocked." A sailor replies: "What a deal of pains some people take for nothing."
Available on CD 163. |
| Level | Item |
| Repository | Derbyshire Record Office |
| Artist | Woodward, George Murgatroyd (?1765-1809) |
| Archive Creator | George Murgatroyd Woodward (1765-1809), artist and writer |
| Further Information | 229
Woodward del
London Pubd Novr 27th 1807 by Thos Tegg 111 Cheapside
Price One Shillg Color'd
The impounded ships in John Bull's storehouse all refer to British naval victories, for example Duncan's defeat of the Dutch fleet off Camperdown on 11 Oct 1797, the Battle of Cape St Vincent, the Battle of Nile 6 Oct 1798, and Trafalgar on 25 Oct 1805.
The Danish ship in the French dock-yard refers to the capture of the Danish fleet. After Tilsit Canning was convinced that France, Russia and Denmark were soon to form a league, and that Napoleon would seize the Danish Navy. When The Danish refused to hand over fleet and form an alliance with Britain Copenhagen was bombarded and the Navy captured. |
| Physical Description | Hand-coloured print. Size 338 x 240 mm. |
| Copies | A digital copy can also be viewed on the public computers at the record office. |
| Related Material | For more on Napoleon see D5459/2/40 etc. |
| Publication Note | BM Sat 10772 |
| Term | Sailors |
| Image | 
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