The Wasp, 1913 · page 349 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 349: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains narrative prose rather than a political cartoon. It appears to be serialized fiction about a naval fleet, featuring Admiral Benbow (a historical figure from English naval history) meeting with his captains aboard the flagship *Breda*. The passage describes Captain Walton of the *Ruby* arriving first—physically unprepossessing but earning Benbow's approval—while other captains arrive leisurely and without urgency. Captain Kirkby of the *Defiance* arrives last despite his ship being only two miles away, which visibly irritates the admiral. Without seeing the illustration or knowing *The Wasp's* publication date, the satirical intent remains unclear. However, this likely uses a historical naval scenario as a vehicle for contemporary social commentary about authority, dereliction of duty, or class differences—common *Wasp* themes. The characterization of Walton (humble appearance, admired anyway) versus the negligent Kirkby suggests satire about merit versus status.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a ee 342 THE WASP nen) away. The wind was a mere hot breath, now struggling to fill a great sail and now fainting and falling utterly. The admiral signaled for his captains to come aboard the flag-ship for consultation and instruc- tions. The Ruby, a brig of twenty-four guns, was the nearest of the fleet to the Breda, and so Cap- tain Walton was the first to come aboard. He paced the quarter-deck with the admiral, the com- mander, the sailing master, and the first lieutenant. He was a small man with an ugly face, a broken nose, and dull eyes. His gait was shambling, his clothes were ill-set and none too new. In short, he was a most undistinguished looking sailor; and yet Benbow eyed him almost kindly. The other captains arrived one by one, evidently in no great haste to receive their instructions, Ben- bow welcomed them with glares and continued his talk with Walton. Kirkby, of the Defiance, was the last to arrive. It was close upon noon when he came over the Breda’s side, and yet his ship lay not more than two miles away. This was too much for the ad- Comichooks.com