Uncolored engraving depicting six ships tilting in a choppy sea; their sails are mostly furled, but the depiction of those unfurled, and of the ships' flags and pennants, indicates a very strong wind to the left. The two ships in the foreground are both seen in three-quarters stern view, and the rightmost ship is a triple-decked gunship (identified by Clark as a frigate) flying a British naval jack. The bottom margin has been trimmed away, but comparison with other copies of this print reveals that the artist names and the title, a quotation from Virgil, were printed there. The top margin is similarly cropped, and the lower part of the numeral "16" is visible at top left.
