§ MR. HAYTERasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he has had under his consideration the Model for instruction in Drill, patented by Capt. E. P. Clark of the Hereford Militia, and approved by the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief and the Adjutant General, and if he approves of the same; whether he will direct any of the models to be issued for the instruction of officers and non-commissioned officers of the Army; and, whether he would be prepared to recommend the inventor for any reward?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, that he had seen the invention in question, but did not himself pretend to express an opinion as to its merits. He had, however, referred the matter to the military authorities, who had also seen the invention, and, while they thought it was very ingenious, they were not of opinion that the War Department would be justified in incurring expenses either with regard to the issue of models for the instruction of officers and non-commissioned officers, or as to any reward to the inventor. In these circumstances, he was afraid the inventor must trust to his own ingenuity to recommend his model to the Army.