§ COLONEL HUGHES-HALLETT (Rochester)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, What breech-loading guns there are on board ships in commission and afloat at this moment, theoretically capable of perforating eighteen inches of armour (whether steel, steel faced, or wrought iron), at 1,000 yards; and, whether the Captains of the ships carrying these guns have or have not been ordered not to fire them, and for what reasons?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing), in reply, said, that the Colossus was armed with two 12-inch 43-ton guns, capable of piercing 20 inches of armour at 1,000 yards. The Edinburgh and Conqueror had each two guns of similar calibre and power. The Impérieuse had four 9-inch 24-ton guns, capable of penetrating at 1,000 yards 18 inches of wrought iron.
270 The captain of the Colossus had received directions not to practise with the big guns on board, that vessel, in consequence of the accident to a similar gun on the Collingwood.