CAPTAIN MAXWELL-HERONasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether balloons have been sent out to the forces at Suakin; and, if so, whether every effort will be made to bring them into immediate use, in order to discover the movements of hostile Arabs, and to guard against surprises such as that which occurred on Sunday last?
§ MR. BRANDIt would be impossible for me to tell the House why the General Officer Commanding at Suakin did not use these balloons, and it is entirely out of my power to answer the Question.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Secretary of State for War, If it is correct, as reported in the papers, that two Gardner machine guns were jammed at the battle of Sunday last; and, whether he will lay upon the Table of the House, Colonel Gildea's Report as to the inefficiency of the Martini-Henry rifles in the Transvaal campaign of 1881?
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLasked whether the hon. Gentleman could inform the House whether the sticking had not occurred from the use of mongrel cartridges, composed of pasteboard and metal instead of solid metal cases, and 668 whether the necessary machinery for making solid metal cases existed at Woolwich?
§ LORD ELCHOasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, in view of the further and more detailed accounts that have been received as to the jamming of cartridges in the Martini rifles at Abu Klea, and in view of the fact that these cartridges are again reported to have jammed at Hasheen, Her Majesty's Government will immediately inform the House whether these reports are true; and, if true, whether they are prepared to take immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of circumstances so dangerous to the safety of those armed with the Martini-Henry rifle?
§ MR. BRANDWe have received no detailed report as to the jamming of the Gardner guns or of the Martini rifles. The Gardner guns are naval guns, and were in naval charge, and since I came down to the House I have ascertained that no report to that effect has been received at the Admiralty. I can only repeat the answer I gave in the debate on the Army Estimates, that Lord Wolseley has sent to the War Office certain recommendations for the improvement of the Martini ammunition, which are now under consideration, with a view to their adoption if they prove feasible and advantageous.
§ LORD ELCHOasked whether it would not be proper to ascertain whether the report in the papers was true or not?
§ MR. BRANDWe cannot obtain detailed reports by telegraph; but we have no doubt that a report will be sent to the War Office of any such occurrence.
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLrepeated his Question as to whether the machinery existed at Woolwich for turning out solid metal cases for cartridges?