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The British stamp issued 1975 depict the burial at sea of the well know Scottish painter Sir David Wilkie.
He died on the morning of the 01 June 1854, on board the P&O steamer ORIENTAL, shortly after the vessel sailed from Gibraltar for the U.K. He was buried that evening in position 36 20N 06 42W.
The burial ceremony took place by torch light on the night of the same day.
The stamp is designed after a painting made by Josep Mallord William Turner 1775-1851, showing the burial at sea. Turner was a friend of Wilkie.

The stamp is not mentioned in Stanley Gibbons; Collect ships on Stamps.

The ORIENTAL was built as a wooden paddle-steamer by Thomas Wilson and Co., Liverpool for the Transatlantic Steam Ship Liverpool.
06 March 1840 launched under the name UNITED STATES.
Tonnage 1.673 gross, 888 net., dim. 202.0 x 33.5 x 28.5ft.
Powered by a two cylinder side-lever steam engine, manufactured by Fawcett, Preston and Co., Liverpool, 450hp., speed 11 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 98 passengers.
Cargo capacity for 350 tons.
Before completed, taken over by the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) most probably chartered, the ORIENTAL was registered in the name of the P&O on 27 April 1843
Renamed in ORIENTAL. Building cost £60.000.

First used for service between the U.K and Alexandria, after she was lengthened in service between Suez and Calcutta, and from 1859 from Suez to Bombay.
Feb. 1848 lengthened. Tonnage increased to 1.752 gross, 1.103 net. Length 215.0ft.
1860 In use as a store ship in Bombay.
October 1861 sold to Jairaz Faizul and Co., Bombay, following removal of her machinery.
Subsequently broken up at Hong Kong.

Great Britain 1975 4½p sg? Scott ?

Log Book, Vol 12 page 81. P&O A Fleet History by the World Ship Society.