original art: drawing. A study of the engagement off Toulon on 31 August 1810 during which 'Repulse' (1803), a 74-gun third-rate two-decker, rescued Commander Gardiner Henry Guion's 'Philomel' (1806), an 18-gun brig-sloop of the Cruizer class, from a French squadron. Pocock's inscription below the drawing gives the details; first, as title above (in ink), and then (probably earlier) in pencil, as is the drawing: 'The Philomel Sloop of War saved from Capture by the / Repulse 74 guns - Shortening Sail and Engaging the Enemy consisting of Four Heavy French / Frigates & Eight Sail of Ships of the Line, 2 of which were within Gun Shot [&] the rest [?] / coming up. Off Toulon'. 'Philomel' is in the centre, 'Repulse' to her right and 'Sloops[?] / Frigates' noted to the far left. Another later hand has noted the date '[Aug. 31 1810/ 9.5.220]' lower right. In May 2012 (list 416, no. 42) Abbott & Holder, London, advertised Pocock's finished grey wash drawing of the action (6 x 10 ins), signed and dated 1811 which bears the inscription on the back 'Naval Chronicle, vol. 26 p. 469' showing it was done for aquatint engraving in that periodical, though publication date remains to be checked.

There is a photograph of another sketch of the action in the Ship Plans collection (HIS0094), the original apparently being by Guion of the 'Philomel', with a dedication to Captain John Halliday of the 'Repulse'. The basic composition is the same, but it is not clear which came first - though Pocock may have seen Guion's as an eyewitness recollection. PAD5796 is an aquatint vignette by Havell also after a drawing by Guion relating to the action. [PvdM 4/12]