Includes the Frost and Reed blind stamp lower left and Dawson's pencil signature in the lower right margin.
This print depicts the Action of 6 May 1801 - a naval engagement between the 32-gun xebec-frigate EL GAMO of the Spanish Navy under the command of Don Francisco de Torres and the much smaller 14-gun brig HMS SPEEDY under the command of Thomas, Lord Cochrane. ELl Gamo was subsequently captured. The skirmish is notable for the large disparity between the size and firepower of EL GAMO and SPEEDY Inches the former was around four times the size, had much greater firepower and a crew six times the size of SPEEDY, which had a reduced crew of 54 at the time of the engagement.
This battle inspired Patrick O'Brian in his novel Master and Commander, where, as the first major battle led by his main character Jack Aubrey, in a very similar manner, the brig HMS SOPHIE escapes from and then lures and captures the Spanish Xebeque-frigate CACAFUEGO.
