Although the two ships are unrecognisable, the scene portrayed above is very reminiscent of the heyday of the so-called 'China clippers'. Their annual races to bring the new season's tea home from China caught the British public's imagination throughout the 1860's and often huge sums were wagered on the best favoured vessels as if they were thoroughbred racehorses. The most famous race of them all took place in 1866 when Ariel and Taeping raced neck and neck across the world for a hundred days and docked in London within a half-hour of each other on 6 September. These breathtaking runs have inspired many artists over the years and even though this particular scene cannot be identified with any degree of certainty, it seems highly likely that it was prompted by the general admiration which the sea clippers have generated since they first put to sea.