Exporting Cattle not Insurable.

£850 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

Published by Tegg on 23rd February 1813. The date has been scratched from the plate here. A rather worn and slightly damaged impression of a rare print. According to the BM catalogue “The print is based on one by Rowlandson with the same title published by Ackermann in 1809.” A cruel satire depicting a boat full of prostitutes and drink being delivered to a ship at sea. There had long been concerns about the number of women being brought on board ship resulting in widespread venereal disease and general disorder. A report in 1821 found that “The tendency of this practice is to render a ship of war, while in port, a continual scene of riot and disorder, or obscenity and blasphemy, of drunkenness, lewdness, and debauchery” ( Statement of Certain Immoral Practices Prevailing in His Majesty’s Navy ) In the earliest impressions of this print the woman in the centre of the boat with her back to the viewer is usually coloured black but in our example (and one at Yale, also with the date removed from the print) the woman is coloured white. The barrels marked “smuggled” contain Holland gin and brandy.

• Binding: Hardcover

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