§ MR. GREGORYsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether the trials of Mr. Lynall Thomas's gun have been concluded; and whether, on the conclusion, a Report of the trials would be laid before the House?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, in reply, that some weeks ago, in answer to a similar question, he had stated that the gun which had been manufactured for Mr. Lynall Thomas at the gun factory, on the distinct understanding that it should be at his own expense, had not been paid for. A letter was written to Mr. Thomas or rather to his assignees, for he had had the misfortune to become bankrupt, stating that if it were not paid for within a certain time — three months—the Secretary of State would then consider what steps ought to be taken to save the public the largest possible portion of the expenditure which had been incurred on this gun. The trials were suspended until the expiration of that period. The three months had now expired, and the gun was not paid for, and 915 the secretary of State now considered that Mr. Thomas had no right to any property in the gun. The question would he referred to the Ordnance Committee, to consider what would be the best use which could be made of the gun for the interests of the public without any reference to the supposed right of Mr. Thomas. All experiments had been suspended since the letter was written to Mr. Thomas.