A French Hail Storm, - or - Neptune losing sight of the Brest Fleet (caricature)

This is a hand-coloured satirical print depicting Admiral Howe, in uniform, holding a trident and being pulled by dolphins in a golden, shell-shaped chariot, recalling imagery of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. A cloud of French cherubs in Phrygian caps (red caps symbolic of freedom in Revolutionary France) blow a deluge of gold coins at Howe, impairing his vision but filling his pockets. With the French fleet returning unscathed to Brest harbour in the distance, it is implied that Howe was blinded by French bribes. He exclaims, ‘Zounds, these damm’d hail stones hinder one from doing ones duty! - I cannot see out of my Eyes for them! – ah! It was just such another cursed peppering as this, that I fell inn with on the coast of America in the last War: - what a deuce of a thing it is, that whenever I’m just going to play the devil, I am either hinderd by these confounded French storms, or else, loose my way in a Fog.’ A milestone in the bottom left reads ‘to Torbay’ with a finger pointing left in the direction of Howe’s travel, suggesting that he is escaping to safety.

Made commander of the Channel Fleet in February 1793, Howe’s strategies were pulled into scrutiny. He favoured an open blockade, deploying smaller ships to patrol the Channel within view of French ships while larger vessels remained in port ready for armament. This approach ensured greater safety for British ships and sailors, but critics perceived it as a failure because French ships were able to pass through. The public criticism threatened Howe’s career and he was even accused of being untrustworthy and treasonous, as demonstrated here. However, his fleet’s victory a year later at the Battle of the Glorious First of June recovered his reputation.