This draw tube from a hand-held telescope is made of silvered brass. It is inscribed with the words 'Day or Night', indicating that it was to be used for all sorts of observations at sea.

The draw tube is one of a group of telescopes (with NAV1562, NAV1564, NAV1565) that belonged to a T.H. Hand, and was probably to be used as an alternative draw tube to the one in NAV1564, when using the telescope in poor light conditions. The maker's name is engraved on the draw tube as ‘Dollond London’, as is an emblem of an arm with a sword in its hand above the motto 'Dextra me vibrat' ('Brandished in my right hand').

Thomas Henry Herbert Hand (1870-1933) was was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was the son of Captain Henry Hand RN and Anna McCheane. In 1888 he was recorded as a lieutenant. He subsequently joined the Royal Indian Marine, qualified as a master in the merchant services in Bombay in 1902 and was promoted to Commander in 1907.