Judge — April 3, 1915 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts Neptune (the Roman god of the sea, identifiable by his trident and flowing beard in the upper panel) abandoning his domain. The lower panel shows a submarine at a dock, with various naval vessels and equipment visible. The satire appears to comment on how modern naval technology—specifically the submarine—has rendered traditional maritime dominance obsolete. Neptune, who historically symbolized naval power and seafaring supremacy, is depicted as abdicating his throne to this new mechanical warfare. The cartoon suggests that mechanized, underwater vessels have fundamentally changed naval warfare and dominance, making the old god of the seas irrelevant to modern military reality.