This small Galilean telescope has a leather barrel and a single vellum draw tube. The other fittings are of brass and wood. Stop lines marked on the draw tube indicate the appropriate working lengths of the telescope according to the distance of the object being viewed. The original leather-covered case also survives. The case is lined with re-used paper from a book in English.

The original owner of the telescope was Commander Thomas Wells, who owned many other items now held by the National Maritime Museum, including NAV1602 and NAV1689. Wells was promoted to Lieutenant in 1795 and to Commander in 1808 while commanding the sloop HMS 'Cruiser'. In 1811 he commanded the sloop HMS 'Phipps' and in 1812 captured the French privateer 'Le Cerf'. Later that year he assisted in the recapture of HMS 'Apelles'. He died in 1825.