Captain Robert Maunsell capturing French gunboats off Java, July 1811, c.1811 (oil on canvas)

Creator: William John Huggins A view from the sea showing a boat action off the coast of Java. On 31 July 1811 the British Captain Maunsell commanding the sloop the ‘Procris’, discovered a convoy of 40 or 50 proas, or local canoes, escorted by six French gunboats in the mouth of the Indromayo river in Java. When he closed to within a gunshot in shallow water, he found that his fire made little impression on the gunboats. So instead he launched his boats and two flatboats, filled with seamen and 40 men of the 14th and 89th regiments. They were able to board and capture five of the French gunboats in quick succession; the sixth blew up. Meanwhile, however, the convoy escaped up the shallow muddy river. In the distance is the Javanese coastline and in the foreground are the British boats rowing the sailors and soldiers towards the Javanese proas and French ships. The painting is signed ‘W. Huggins’ bottom right.