Title from item.
"One of several satires on Richmond's unpopular plan for fortifying Portsmouth and Plymouth, see BMSat 6921, &c. Debbiege was a colonel of Engineers of some distinction who had an acrimonious correspondence with Richmond during July-Oct. 1784; this led to a court-martial for writing 'unbecoming letters'."--Curator's comments, British Museum online catalog.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.
The Duke of Richmond (left) sleeps in an arm-chair beside a table on which are playing-cards and bits of broken tobacco-pipes arranged to represent fortifications. On the right are two cannons, one on a gun-carriage ; a cat sits on its muzzle miaowing at Richmond, one paw on the table. By his side (left) are plans on rollers and a box of long tobacco-pipes. On the wall hang two pictures on rollers as if they were plans. In one (left) soldiers with wheelbarrows, &c. work on the sea-shore, off which dismantled ships lie at anchor. In the other, cannons and cannon-balls with one sentry lie along the sea-shore, off which are ships at anchor with brooms at their mast-heads to show that they are for sale. Richmond's hat, overcoat, and sword hang on the wall between the two pictures. At his feet is an open book inscribed 'Trial of Colol Debbeig'. Cf. British Museum online catalog.