A line of merchant ships with a coastline in the distance. They were engaged in transatlantic trade and it is probably the coast of New England that is depicted in the distance. The ship in the foreground to the right bears the name 'Castor' on the stern. Four ships of that name were built and it is likely that this painting depicts the "Castor" built in 1782 by Spedding and Company, Whitehaven.