H.M.S. Powerful Moored at Portsmouth

Take a good look at one of the era's largest warships - the hefty H.M.S. Powerful, back from the Boer War

The H.M.S Powerful is moored peacefully in Portsmouth Harbour after a successful campaign in the Boer War, when the men on board fought in the siege of Ladysmith. This clever film from Cecil Hepworth's company allows us to take in the fearsome dimensions of the cruiser from the water. The camera is mounted on a moving boat to create a smooth panoramic view. Hepworth described films of this sort as patriotic, showing the armour-plated might of the modern warship in contrast to the older vessels.