Silver patent boatswain's call used by Commander C. Crichton Maitland (1877-1958).

The call is of unusual design, with a plain spherical buoy mounted above a wide curved keel, which has a ring for attaching to a lanyard. The gun widens towards the mouthpiece. One side of the keel is inscribed: 'G. MAITLAND R.N.' and the other has 'PATENT' inscribed above the hallmark, and 'E & E. EMANUEL, PORTSEA, THE HARD'. The patent refers to E. Emanuel's patent of 11 April 1896.

Commander Maitland retired from the Navy after World War I, and his son donated this call to the Museum, together with four of his other calls, and his two silver prize oars.

The boatswain's call has a long history both as a symbol of office and as a practical instrument for conveying orders at sea. Its distinctive shape has remained practically unchanged from medieval times to the present day. The call's shrill whistle can be varied in pitch to convey a variety of information, and can be heard above the sound of wind and sea. Such instruments were private possessions rather than official equipment and silver calls like this one made suitable gifts and presentation pieces.