The successful introduction of steam-powered ships into the Royal Navy during the first half of the nineteenth century was a stage of epic proportions. Almost to a man, the naval establishment - still basking in the afterglow of Trafalgar - took the view that "the wooden wall of old England", which had been good enough for Nelson, would remain good enough to protect these islands into the future despite the technological advances of the day. Steam, dirty and expensive as it was, was regarded with complete disdain and even the most strident efforts of the few forwardthinkers in the Service produced only one solitary exception to this entrenched opposition, the tug. Recognising the usefulness of being able to disregard both wind and tide, the navy built its first tug, the Comet, at Deptford in 1822. It is not without interest however that Comet was not allowed to appear in the official Navy Lists until 1831, the same year this picture was painted. Luny's depiction of this ship-of-line being towed out to sea is therefore an extremely early portrayal of the humble paddle tug and may, in fact, be the earliest representation of a tug of the Royal Navy.