The Floating Batteries of Gibraltar: 1782 British Naval Power and French Engineering Innovation. Handcolored copperplate engraving from Bertuch's celebrated "Bilderbuch für Kinder," Weimar, 1805.
This striking plate depicts the floating batteries of the British Navy, including a massive barge with 210 cannons across two tiers and a single-tier barge, engineered by the French innovator d'Arcon for the bombardment of Gibraltar. These unique vessels highlight a key moment in military history, showcasing the ingenuity and ambition of 18th-century naval warfare. Bertuch's renowned children's encyclopedia stands as a masterpiece of its time, featuring 1,200 intricately engraved plates across 12 volumes that cover natural history, science, mythology, and more, making this engraving an exceptional piece of art and history.
The floating batteries were designed by the French engineer d'Arçon and used by the French and Spanish forces during the Great Siege of Gibraltar in 1782. They were deployed against the British-held town and fortifications, making them a French innovation used in collaboration with Spain, not a British creation.
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