§ MR. GRENVILLE BERKELEYsaid, in the absence of his hon. Friend the Clerk of the Ordnance (Mr. Mousell), he had to move the appointment of a Select Committee to consider the cheapest, most expeditious, and most efficient mode of providing small arms for Her Majesty's service.
§ LORD DUDLEY STUARTsaid, that this was not a local question merely affecting Birmingham, for it would also affect London, where there were eighteen houses engaged in the manufacture of small arms, and employing from 1,000 to 2,000 operatives. The London manufacturers complained that they had had no opportunity afforded them by the Government of showing what they could do, and that their establishments had not been inspected by the Ordnance officers, nor had any measures been taken to ascertain whether they were able to supply arms or not. Those who objected to the establishment of a Royal manufactory of arms did so on the ground that the Government, could not supply arms either at so cheap a rate or of so good a quality, by any Royal 171 manufactory, as they could be by the Unfettered industry of the country. He approved of the appointment of a Committee, but he hoped it would be a fair Committee, and he would venture to say that no Committee would be satisfactory to the manufacturers or to that House which did not include the name of his noble friend the Member for Totness (Lord Seymour).
MR. HUMEsaid, this question had been argued the other night as if the Government had never attempted any experiment of the kind; but in 1808 a Government manufactory of small arms was established, upon which, up to 1811, no less than 66,000l. had been expended, and that manufactory was abandoned in consequence of the recommendation of a Commission declaring the impolicy of maintaining it.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ The House adjourned at eight minutes before Six o'clock.