The Wasp — 1879 — page 459: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp* satirizes military leadership through two caricatures labeled "Captain" and "Private," contrasting their physiques. The title "Too Much Avordupois in the Ranks" (avordupois = weight/heaviness) suggests the cartoon criticizes overweight officers or enlisted men as unfit for military service. The detailed uniforms and cross-hatching indicate these are specific, recognizable figures—likely San Francisco political or military personalities from the magazine's publication era—though their identities aren't stated on the page itself. The satire appears to mock either military standards of physical fitness or suggests certain individuals were unsuited for their positions due to their condition, a common theme in 19th-century American political satire.