§ MR. HANBURY TRACYsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the attention of the Admiralty has been drawn to the failure of the old pattern vent-pieces of the 40-pounder Armstrong Guns in the action off Kagosima; and whether the Admiralty intend to withdraw from the service all the old pattern vent-pieces of the 40-pounder Gun, substituting the present pattern authorized as long ago as May, 1862, and adapting the earlier Guns for the present vent-pieces?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGET, in reply, said, the attention of the Admiralty had been called to the defects in the vent-pieces, not only of the 40-pouuders but 1625 also of the 110-pounder Armstrong, and to the inconveniences arising from the old pattern fitments of these guns. He trusted that steps would shortly be taken to place them in a more satisfactory condition.