Dropping the Pilot explained

Dropping the Pilot is a political cartoon by Sir John Tenniel, first published in the British magazine Punch on 29 March 1890. It depicts Chancellor Otto von Bismarck as a maritime pilot who is stepping off a ship, perhaps a reference to Plato's ship of state, idly and unconcernedly watched by a young Wilhelm II, German Emperor. Bismarck had resigned as Chancellor at Wilhelm's demand just ten days earlier on 19 March^{[1] [2]} because of political differences.

After the cartoon's publication, Tenniel received a commission from the 5th Earl of Rosebery to create a copy to be sent to Bismarck himself. The former chancellor reportedly replied, "It is indeed a fine one".^[3]

The cartoon is well known in Germany and often used in history textbooks and school books, under the title The Pilot Leaves the Ship (German: Der Lotse geht von Bord).^[4]

Adaptations

• Dropping the pilot, referring to Kaiser Wilhelm's removal from the list of Royal Navy admirals in 1914, by David Low^[5]
• Dropping the pilot,^[6] referring to Winston Churchill, by Daniel Bishop^[7]
• Cartoon^[8] Dropping the Pilots showing Khrushchev looking down as the four "Pilots" leave the ship of state.
• Cartoon^[9] showing the pilot Abraham Lincoln being "Dropped" from the "Grand Old Party" By Captain Barry Goldwater
• Cartoon^[10] showing Margaret Thatcher being "Dropped as the Pilot"
• Steve Bell of The Guardian has adapted the cartoon:
  • Vice-president faces isolation after key ally leaves Pentagon^[11]
  • Iraqis celebrate the withdrawal of American combat troops^[12]
  • David Cameron's response to Coulson's guilt^[13]
  • Dropping the pornbot (Resignation of Damian Green)^[14]
• Martin Rowson of The Guardian has also adapted the cartoon repeatedly:
  • Steve Hilton's Exit^[15]
  • Undropping the Pilot^[16]
  • The resignation of Michael Flynn^[17]
  • Dropping The Pilate on the resignation of Liz Truss after only 45 days in office^[18]

References

1. The Times, London: Times Newspapers Ltd., 19 March 1890.
2. The New York Times, New York: The New York Times Company, 19 March 1890.
3. Engen, Rodney K. Sir John Tenniel: Alice's White Knight, Aldershot, Hants, England: Scolar Press, 1991, 140–142.
4. Web site: Dropping the Pilot (1890). Wilhelmine Germany and the First World War (1890-1918). German History in Documents and Images (GHDI). 1 March 2014. "Here, we see a weary Bismarck descending the ladder of the 'ship' Germany, which he had steered for almost 20 years as chancellor. A young Wilhelm II looks on from the deck".
5. Web site: Dropping the Pilot. politicalcartoon.co.uk. 8 July 2010. Low. David. David Low (cartoonist). 14 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200514190728/http://www.politicalcartoon.co.uk/media/gallery/artist_55-452-600.jpg. dead.
6. http://www.wepsite.de/Dropping_the_PilotChurchill4a450pix.jpg
7. Web site: Dropping the Pilot. Library of Congress. 8 July 2010. Bishop. Daniel. Daniel Bishop (cartoonist).
8. https://ssl.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00000.qEXKvoTbs/s/900/720/John-Tenniel-Cartoons-Punch-Magazine-1957-07-10-31.jpg
9. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d2/04/53/d204531bed50d13797f457f6a58d04ad.jpg
10. http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000LI_5k4pQSCw/s/900/720/Cartoons-Punch-Margaret-Thatcher-11.jpg
11. Web site: Vice-president faces isolation after key ally leaves Pentagon. 10 November 2006. 8 July 2010. The Guardian. Bell. Steve. Steve Bell (cartoonist).
12. Web site: Iraqis celebrate the withdrawal of American combat troops. 1 July 2009. 8 July 2010. The Guardian. Bell. Steve. Steve Bell (cartoonist).
13. Web site: David Cameron's response to Coulson's guilt. 25 June 2014. 6 July 2014. The Guardian. Bell. Steve. Steve Bell (cartoonist).
14. News: Bell. Steve. Steve Bell on Damian Green's resignation – cartoon. The Guardian. 22 December 2017.
15. Web site: Martin Rowson on Steve Hilton's exit . Guardian Opinion cartoon . The Guardian . 5 March 2012 . 5 March 2012 . Rowson, Martin. Martin Rowson.
16. Web site: Martin Rowson on Alex Salmond standing in the 2015 general election . Guardian Opinion cartoon . The Guardian . 7 December 2014 . 7 December 2014 . Rowson, Martin. Martin Rowson.
17. Web site: Martin Rowson on the resignation of Michael Flynn . Guardian Opinion cartoon . The Guardian . 14 February 2017 . 14 February 2017 . Rowson, Martin. Martin Rowson.
18. News: Martin Rowson on the sinking of Liz Truss – cartoon. Martin. Rowson. The Guardian . 9 November 2022. www.theguardian.com.