This is an achromatic hand-held telescope that was used to make general observations on the deck of a ship. It has a tapered mahogany barrel with brass fittings, including a single draw tube, an objective lens cap and a pivoted eyepiece cover. The maker's name is just visible on the inside of the lens cap.

The telescope is thought to have belonged to Captain Maitland of HMS 'Bellerophon', whose name is inscribed on the brass collar of the barrel. This is the ship to which Napoleon surrendered off Rochefort in 1815 and which carried him from Ile d'Aix to Plymouth on route to his exile on the island of St Helena. Although this provenance is not absolutely certain, the telescope is certainly the type that would have been on board naval ships like the 'Bellerophon'. The tapered tube suggests it might have been made slightly earlier than 1800. Handed over for safe keeping by Captain Hugh Watson CB, MVO, RN of HMS BELLERPHON in 1916.