The Wasp — 1914 — page 345: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents a narrative excerpt (rather than a cartoon) depicting a naval recruitment scene. A character named James Burnham (also called James Fitzwalter) volunteers to serve as a master gunner aboard the HMS *Breda*, a 70-gun warship, offering his fifty guineas as enlistment incentive. Admiral John Benbow questions James's motivations—noting the apparent contradiction between possessing financial means and volunteering for naval service. James claims financial hardship due to "recently" becoming a widower, though the admiral dismisses his explanation. The passage satirizes naval recruitment practices and possibly exposes the desperation driving enlistment during this period. Without seeing the accompanying illustration, the full satirical intent remains unclear, though the tone suggests mockery of both recruitment methods and volunteers' circumstances.