This achromatic telescope has a single draw tube made of brass. The barrel is also brass and is painted black. There are two scales running along the barrel and a slider running between them. The slider is attached to a lens that can move up and down the tube. This allows the telescope to be used for measuring the distance to objects, such as other ships.

The maker's name is inscribed on the barrel as ‘JECKER / à Paris’. Both the original wooden box and a waterproofed canvas carrying case survive.

This telescope was originally owned by John Lort Stokes (1812-85), who served as Assistant Surveyor on the ‘Beagle’, the ship that took Charles Darwin on his voyages around the world between 1831 and 1836. Stokes subsequently took command of the ‘Beagle’ and conducted surveys of the Australian coast.

Many items formerly belonging to Stokes are now in the National Maritime Museum, including a set of three other telescopes (NAV1669, NAV1670, NAV1671) and his sword (WPN1024).