1-150-756 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'Neptune's Warning', 1875. Neptune sits on a small raft, with Britannia held safely on his knee. Recently, two of the new iron-clad men of war ships, the Vanguard and Iron Duke had collided off the coast of Ireland. Although there had been no loss of life, the Vanguard had been lost, at the cost of half a million pounds. At the end of November 1875, another incident involved Iron Duke. She was being tested in the Channel when she suddenly began to take on much water. Eventually, she was brought into harbour without aid, but such repeated incidents caused much public concern. From Punch, or the London Charivari, October 30, 1875.