The Wasp — September 13, 1879 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of The Wasp Cartoon This engraving depicts a naval disaster at sea, showing multiple sailing vessels in distress amid turbulent waves. The central steamship is labeled "PERKINS," while other vessels appear damaged or sinking in the background. One ship displays what appears to be "REPUBLICAN" on its flag. This is likely political satire using maritime imagery as metaphor—a common technique in 19th-century American comics. The "Republican" ship and the chaos suggest commentary on Republican Party misfortunes or internal conflict. The "Perkins" vessel's prominence may reference a specific political figure or scandal, though without additional context it's unclear exactly which Perkins or incident is targeted. The drowning vessels represent political doom or electoral disaster, a metaphor popular in period satire.