An old book with a drawing of a castle in the background (Recto) The 'Napoléon', French 100-gun screw ship, and the 'Jupiter', French 80, in Besika Bay, July 1853; (verso) a coastal magazine(?) on a headland, 21 May 1853 RMG PZ0880-002

(Recto) The 'Napoléon', French 100-gun screw ship, and the 'Jupiter', French 80, in Besika Bay, July 1853; (verso) a coastal magazine(?) on a headland, 21 May 1853
No. 32 of 36 (PAI0849 - PAI0884).
(Recto) Two separate sketches of the 'Napoléon' and 'Jupiter', separated by a vertical line indicating they are not seen as anchored together. Both are inscribed; the former 'Napoléon / French 100 Screw Ship / July 1853 / Besika Bay' with a note above relating to a ship seen under the 'Napoléon's' stern in the distance ' Fr... 120 guns, / on shore off Rabbit Islands'; the latter 'Jupiter, French 80 / July 1853 / Besika Bay'. The 'Napoléon' is seen in starboard broadside view, from slightly aft, with two boats alongside and the mountainous coast and another ship in the distance under her bowsprit. The 'Jupiter' is seen from off almost ahead off the starboard bow, with her booms out and boats moored to them. Both views are taken from a boat at near-waterline level, not from Mends's ship, the 'Trafalgar'. The 'Napoléon' was a powerful new twin-funnelled French auxiliary steam warship of (in fact) 90 guns nominal armament, which subsequently proved very effective.
(Verso) A sketch inscribed lower left 'May 21st / 1853', but untitled, of a square-set magazine or similar high-security building on a point of land petering out to the right, with a smaller building to its right and two circular domed sentry points. Two boats lie off the point, extending onto the next page (PAI0881).

Coastal magazine(?) on a headland, 21 May 1853