In September 1844, a group of five of the newest brigs, called the Experimental Squadron, were brought together to conduct sailing trails to test their new ship designs against the older ships, such as the 'Cruiser' (1828), the 'Pantaloon' (1831), and the 'Waterwitch' (1837), which were then considered the Navy's best performing designs. Under the Captain Armar Lowry Corry, 14 runs were made under varying conditions, and a detail report produced. The results were inconclusive. However, the newer designs were generally considered improvements.
The ships in the lithograph are identified as part of the Experimental Squadron by the text at the top. The 'Flying Fish' and the 'Daring' are to the left and right of the 'Espiegle' respectively. Men wearing blue-colored jumpsuits climb the masts of the 'Espiegle' and 'Daring.'
