Judge — December 7, 1895 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two satirical cartoons from *Judge* magazine. **"The Codfish Ball"** (top): A sketch showing aristocratic figures at a formal ball, with the caption "All the codfish aristocracy were there." This is likely a satirical jab at Boston's upper class, playing on the city's historical association with the cod fishing industry. The joke suggests that Boston's elite pretend to refined aristocratic status despite their origins in commerce. **"The Submarine Cable Road"** (bottom): A photograph or detailed illustration showing the Atlantic Cable Car Company cable apparatus. This appears to reference the transatlantic telegraph cable infrastructure, possibly satirizing the technological marvel or the commercial interests involved in submarine cable operations between Europe and Liverpool. Both items mock social pretension and modern technological/industrial developments of the era.