The Wasp, 1913 · page 343 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 343: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a literary excerpt rather than a visual cartoon. The text depicts a naval press-gang encounter, likely satirizing British military recruitment practices. James Fitzwalter, a gentleman found drunk in a harbor tavern, is impressively cooperative when conscripted into naval service against the French. Rather than resist like his companions, he accepts eagerly, volunteers gold for punch, and insists the admiral should recruit educated men alongside common laborers. The satire likely targets either: (1) the absurdity of "patriotic" volunteering for military service, or (2) the class-conscious hypocrisy of gentlemen claiming duty while the poor are forcibly conscripted. Fitzwalter's excessive enthusiasm and his emphasis on his breeding and education suggest ironic commentary on upper-class pretensions to patriotism or military honor during what appears to be a Napoleonic-era conflict.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
i ETE EET EnttEtEE SESE SEER aanEenEeE a 336 THE WASP ES found him in a harborside dive, surrounded by empty bowls and drunken parasites. The parasites made feeble but noisy resistance to the press-gang ; but James, who seemed to be as sober as a judge, raised no protest with voice or hand. He ordered Henry Todd to return his knife to its sheath, si- lenced his bawling companions with an oath, then doffed his hat to the young lieutenant who com- manded the press. He vowed that nothing could possibly suit his humor like serving her majesty against the French, threw gold upon the table, and shouted for a fresh brew of punch for all hands. What had promised to be a bloody impressment became a friendly party. “T see-that you are a gentleman, sir—a man of education and property,” said the lieutenant; “so I must let you go.” ; “Not at all, sir!” replied James. “If the ad- miral needs men, then let him take men of breed- ing as well as the sweepings of the port. I am at his service. My name is James Fitzwalter. But a word in your ear, my dear sir—which same I shall expect you to repeat into the ear of the ad- Comichooks.com