. English: (Recto) The Mediterranean fleet under Rear-Admiral Dundas off south-east Spain, Roldan's Gap in sight to the north-west, 7 June 1852; (Verso) sail exercise in Malta harbour No. 21 of 36 (PAI0849 - PAI0884). (Recto) Inscribed top left, 'June 7th 52 / Roldan's / Gap NW by W / SE of Spain' and along the bottom identifying the ships 'Phaeton', 'Spiteful', 'Britannia Adml Dundas', 'Albion', 'Bellerophon','Vengeance', 'Trafalgar' (of which Mends was first lieutenant). The Breca Roldán (in Aragonese), Brecha de Rolando (in Spanish) or Brèche de Roland (in French) is a natural gap, 40m acr
. English: (Recto) The Mediterranean fleet under Rear-Admiral Dundas off south-east Spain, Roldan's Gap in sight to the north-west, 7 June 1852; (Verso) sail exercise in Malta harbour No. 21 of 36 (PAI0849 - PAI0884). (Recto) Inscribed top left, 'June 7th 52 / Roldan's / Gap NW by W / SE of Spain' and along the bottom identifying the ships 'Phaeton', 'Spiteful', 'Britannia Adml Dundas', 'Albion', 'Bellerophon','Vengeance', 'Trafalgar' (of which Mends was first lieutenant). The Breca Roldán (in Aragonese), Brecha de Rolando (in Spanish) or Brèche de Roland (in French) is a natural gap, 40m across and 100m high, at an altitude of 2804m in the steep cliffs of the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees, on the border of France and Spain. It is around 150 miles, or more, from the Spanish coast north of Barcelona (which is the bearing Mends gives) and, from the sea, probably not quite at the scale he records it here - though the fact that he suggests it is visible at such a distance is remarkable enough. (Verso) Inscribed top left, 'Exercising in / Malta Harbour / Making all plain sail / 'Oh! What a row - what confusion!!!'. The location appears to be in Dockyard Creek, looking up to the church in Senglea above Fort St Michael (though possibly the other way towards St Angelo), with the bells of the campanile adding the 'row' to onboard 'confusion'. The ships are not named but the sketch, in pencil with the start of some watercolour, clearly shows the 'Trafalgar' in the centre (of which Mends was first lieutenant) flanked by two other unidentified two-deckers of the Mediterranean fleet. The rigging of all three is crowded with men as they exercise making 'all plain sail' in calm conditions. Mends's caption suggests a proper sense of exasperation for a first lieutenant with high standards that are apparently not yet being met. Though undated, the drawing's position in the book suggests it is mid-1853, probably before the sailing trials shown in PAI0870 and PAI0871. Sail exer
Size: 2718px × 1839px
Photo credit: © The Picture Art Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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