Presentation cutlass, the cutlass belonged to Captain Henry Theodore Augustus Bosanquet 1870-1959. The hilt of the cutlass consists of a solid brass half-basket guard ending in broad short quillon. The cutlass has a smooth rounded pommel with a steel tang button and a smooth brass back-piece and ferrule. There is a hole for a sword knot, which is now missing. The brown leather grip was originally bound with gilt wires, of which now only two remain.

The steel blade is broad, straight, flat-backed, with a double-edged spear point. The obverse of the blade is decorated with a scroll motif. The name 'H.BOSANQUET' is engraved on the scroll. The brown leather scabbard is stitched up one side and has a brass top locket with frog stud and a brass chape. The reverse of the top locket is engraved with the inscription 'H.T.A.BOSANQUET H.M.S.RALEIGH AUG 10 1885 from W.F.SINCLAIR BOM.C.S.'.

Captain Henry Theodore Augustus Bosanquet (1870-1959) entered the Royal Navy in 1883 and was promoted to the rank of Sub-Lieutenant in 1890 and to Lieutenant in 1892. He was Secretary of the Marine Society between 1898-1917. He was Commander (retired) in 1916. He worked as a member of the Admiralty War Staff (Trade Division) between 1914-1915 and was attached to the RNAS and RAF between 1915-1918; he was a Senior Naval Officer, Dakar between 1918-1919 and a Captain (retired) in 1918. He was Secretary, King George's Fund for Sailors 1921-1938; a member of Admiralty War Staff between 1939-1945 and a Member of the Committee of the Marine Society between 1917-1948. He was a Member of Council ARNO between 1925-1948; Honorary Co-Auditor for the Society for Nautical Research between 1911-1947 and he died on the 17th January 1959. The cutlass was received by the National Maritime Museum together with a two dirks and a cutlass along with a boxed CVO.