Single breasted tailcoat, for the rank of Chief Engineer, worn by Friend Stow, of superfine blue wool with eight gilt brass domed buttons arranged in two groups of four. The coat has a turndown collar which is heavily reinforced and shaped with rows of running stitch. On the breast is a medal ribbon (red edged with yellow now faded to white) for the China War (1857-60).

The sleeves have two rows of distinction lace above three gilt brass domed buttons above three blue-twist embroidered buttonholes. It is possible that, due to changes in regulations throughout the early 1860s, this coat was made earlier than 1863 and altered in March 1863 that the rank of Chief Engineer was given a second stripe of gold lace on the sleeve. In late December 1863 another change to regulations was made in that each of the various branches of the navy (i.e. medical, military, paymasters and engineers) would have coloured velvet inserted between the stripes. As a chief engineer, Stow should have had a band of purple velvet between his two gold stripes. However, he appears never to have done this.

The bodice of the coat is lined with blue wool, while the tails are lined with a black wool silk blend. Under the arms and the small of the back are also lined with a quilted black silk. There is an interior breast pocket on the left. The sleeves are lined with white cotton and the cuff is lined with a black wool/silk blend.

Above the tails are two hip buttons, below these on either side are three-point pocket flaps, lined with blue wool, with blue twist embroidered buttonholes above three gilt brass buttons. The pocket bags which are made of silk and wool twill are accessed through the tails. There are gilt brass buttons at the base of each bag. At the base of the tails are gilt brass buttons, though one is now missing.