HC Deb 19 June 1884 vol 289 cc796-7
MR. M'COAN

asked the Surveyor General of Ordnance, Whether Lieutenant Colonel Hope, V.C. has offered to supply the War Office with 200 armour-piercing breech-loading "Hope" guns of the following descriptions: — 100 of No. 1; a Gun of 7 tons in weight, and 18 feet in length, guaranteed to develop an energy per inch of circumference of projectile in excess of that developed by the 3 8-ton 'Woolwich' Gun, when fired with the maximum charge laid down in the Artillery Manual, namely, 160 lbs. of powder and a projectile of 818 lbs.: 50 of No. 2; a Gun of about 17 tons in weight, and 23 feet 6 inches in length, to develop an energy per inch of circumference per projectile in excess of that developed by the 80-ton 'Woolwich' Gun, tired with its maximum charge of 425 lbs. of powder and a projectile of 1,700 lbs.: And, 50 of No. 3; a Gun of about 30 tons in weight, and 29 feet in length, to develop an energy of upwards of 1,000 foot tons per inch of circumference of projectile, which is in excess of the energy of any gun yet made, or known to be making, in any country in the world, or about equal to that of an imaginary Armstrong of 150 tons: The prices to be, in round numbers, 60 per cent, less than the cost of the Guns they replace, or £1,550 for No. 1, £3,800 for No. 2, and £7,900 for No. 3: The proof to be 10 rounds per Gun, composed of a solid projectile 5 calibres in length, taking the rifling so as to prevent any escape of gas, and a cartridge of powder, of not less than 15 calibres in length, all completely converted into gas within the Gun. The ammunition not to be paid for unless the Gun passes the proof; and no Gun to be paid for unless and until certified as passed; whether Colonel Hope has also offered to accept any further conditions of trial which the War Office may desire to impose; and, in the event of any objections being; raiser] to his Guns by either the Artillery or Naval authorities, to submit to the absolute and final arbitration of either General Lord Wolseley or the Under Secretary of State for War, with Professor Tyndall, F.R.S. as scientific assessor; and, whether these offers have been accepted by the War Office; and, if not, whether he will lay the Correspondence on the subject upon the Table of the House?

MR. BRAND

The statements that Colonel Hope, V.C., has offered to supply the War Office with 200 armour-piercing breech-loaders of various descriptions are quite correct; but I have to say that these offers have not been accepted by the War Office. Colonel Hope has been told that if he will construct a gun on his principle and submit it with ammunition to the Ordnance Committee, it will be tried and duly reported upon. The correspondence is in Colonel Hope's possession, and he is at full liberty to make such use of it as he may deem proper.