Inscribed below, within ornamental round brackets: "his Majestys Ship the Bellona of 74 Guns Captn Onslow Commander. Bringing into the Downs the Princess Coralina [sic] a Dutch Ship of War”; and to the right of this: “Done by Benjn Toddy a Man without hands”.

'Bellona' is depicted centrally in starboard-bow view, flying a red ensign, pennants at her tops and a streamer at her maintop. A little astern of her is another three-masted ship, also starboard-bow on, flying Dutch colours and a streamer from her maintop. In the background to the right a white cliff coastline with two lighthouses has been simply drawn. Other vessels, including a third three-master, populate the horizon. 'Bellona''s crew are furling her topgallant sails, and a boat at her stern is ready to cast off, giving the overall impression that she is preparing to make port.

On 30 December 1780 'Bellona' and 'Marlborough' (also 74 guns) captured the Dutch fourth-rate warship 'Prinses Carolina', 54 guns, in the Channel. The 'Bellona' was commanded by Captain Richard Onslow. After her capture she became the fifth rate ‘Princess Caroline’ (1780), 44 guns, which paid off into ordinary in Dec 1782.

Recent research has established that Toddy was a Greenwich pensioner 1783-95 who painted without the use of his hands, bar his left thumb. See artist description for full biographical details.