MR. H. BERKELEYsaid, he wished to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, whether, seeing that the Marines and Small-arm Men of the American Navy are armed with Breech-loading Rifles, by which each man can fire three times for once from an opponent armed with the old weapon, whether any steps have been taken to place the Naval Forces of Great Britain on an equality with those of America?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, he entirely concurred in the opinion which had, he believed, induced the hon. Gentleman to put his question—namely, that the Marines and Seamen in the British Navy ought to be armed in the most effective manner, and that any improvements made in the fire-arms of other countries ought not to be neglected in England. With regard to what had been actually done, he bad to state that no Breech-loading Rifles had been given out to our Marines and Seamen, but that trials of such rifles were at present being made on board the Excellent, the result of which had been that some modifications in the weapon were considered desirable. He had only to add that the Government would not lose sight of the matter.