The raft in danger or the Republican crew disappointed

Isaac Cruikshank

The raft in danger or the Republican crew disappointed

London, S W Fores, Jan 28^th, 1798

Etching

Original hand colouring

690 x 260 mm

£1200

A rare long Cruikshank satire on the fear of the French invasion.

Leaders of the Opposition (left) turn a windlass which drags towards the shore a fantastic and enormous raft laden with French troops. They push against horizontal levers which pass through the broad centre-post on which the rope is wound; on the top of this Lauderdale, in Highland dress and on a smaller scale than the others, plays the bagpipes, from which issue the words:

‘Over the Water & over the Sea
And over the Raft to Charlie.’

He capers to his tune; a tricolour flag flies from his instrument. The most prominent figure is Fox, advancing full-face, and looking to the raft with a satisfied smile; he says, “Pull away Citizens”. Behind him, the rope between them, is Bedford in riding-dress; under his arm is a book: ‘Bedford on Agriculter’. Opposite Fox is Tierney, saying, “We must take care to keep clear of the Rope”. From his pocket hangs a paper: ‘Borough Influence’ (he was M.P. for Southwark, ‘the Borough’, . Sheridan, pushing hard in profile to the left, says: “Ah! The Rope We must avoid it if possible”. Norfolk, on the extreme left, puts a hand on Tierney’s lever; he says: “Hark Ther’s a Storm coming. I hear Thunder.” They walk on a circular track by the edge of a cliff. On the ground is a large open book: ‘President of the Directory CIF. [Fox] Deputy a Bedfordshire Bull ‘. On it lies a ‘Norfolk Cheese’. Behind (left) is a gallows inscribed ‘Tierney’ (almost obliterated) from which hangs a corpse. In the background is a hill on the summit of which is an encampment with massed troops flying the British flag.
The raft nears the shore but is about to be overwhelmed by vast waves blown up by blasts from the mouths of Dundas, the King, and Pitt, whose heads emerge from dark clouds. Dundas, in profile to the left, aims his blast at the windlass; in it (right to left) are the names: ‘Jack Ketch’; ‘Addington, Bond, Staples [Bow Street justices]’; ‘Macnamara Fugion, Macmanus, Townsend, Jelous’ [Bow Street officers or ‘runners’]. The King and Pitt aim directly at the raft; from the mouth of the former (full-face) issue the names ‘St Vincent, Pasley, Duncan, Pellew, Nelson’; from that of Pitt (in profile to the right): ‘Trollope, Thomson, Bridport, Onslow, Pringle’. In the centre of the raft is a massive fortress manned with troops; from it flies a huge tricolour flag inscribed ‘Liberty and Equality’. The fort is surrounded by tents; outside there are soldiers in close formation with bayonets. The outer edge is flanked by turrets, each having a (tricolour) flag inscribed: ‘Plunder’; ‘Regecides Paricides’; ‘Deism Atheism’; ‘Robbery’; ‘Murder & Ravishmt’; ‘Torture’; ‘Blood & Rapine’; ‘Cruelty & lust’; ‘Barbar[ity]’. The motive force is given by wheels worked by windmills, and by large oars. In the bows is a guillotine surmounted by a bonnet-rouge; another guillotine decorates the stern. Behind the raft (left) advance ships of war. In the foreground, flying over the agitated sea like stormy petrels, are three winged heads (right to left): Erskine, Stanhope, and (?) Thelwall. Lauderdale, Fox, Sheridan, Norfolk, and Stanhope wear bonnets-rouges