This achromatic telescope is typical of the sort used on board ship in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It has a mahogany barrel and brass fittings, including thee draw tubes, a sliding eyepiece cover and an objective lens cap. The smallest draw tube has the inscription 'Dollond London'. This was the common signature for instruments sold by the Dollond family company and there is no way of knowing for certain which member of the family made it. The telescope was once the property of Captain Wilkinson RN, who was a lieutenant on the 'Goliath' at the Battle of the Nile, 1798. He was also First Lieutenant on the 'Elephant', Nelson's temporary flagship at the Battle of Copenhagen, 1801.