The 'Clyde' is shown arriving at sunrise in the Medway, off Sheerness Dockyard. She is in the left middle distance, in port-bow view, on the starboard tack, flying a white ensign but with a red one hanging over her port quarter rail as a signal. Nearer, centre left, is a cutter in starboard-bow view, moored to a buoy and with a boat under her stern. In the left foreground is a large mooring buoy. On the right of the picture, against the rising sun, is a sheer hulk used for masting or de-masting ships, shown in bow and starboard-broadside view, with people waving to the 'Clyde' in her stern. Beyond the hulk is part of Sheerness Dockyard, with buildings, a ship on the stocks and a crowd of people waving on the fortifications. In the distance to the north-east ships of the mutinous fleet lie at anchor.