§ MR. COGHILL (Newcastle-under-Lyme)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any arrangements are being made for training, in the service of heavy guns, and the various and complicated stores and war material now in use, the Volunteer Artillery Corps situated at great distances from any suitable forts or fortresses; when are the field guns, promised to Artillery Volunteers, to be issued; and, how many are to be issued, and to what corps?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)All Volunteer Artillery situated within a reasonable distance of a port or fortress to be defended are assigned to those posts by the new mobilization scheme. After making every provision for this service there still remain a certain number of corps of Artillery Volunteers, who are mainly assigned to the defence of London. I am disposed to agree with the statement attributed to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Sir Edward Hamley) 1414 two days ago, that for tins purpose guns of position would probably be the most useful arm with which to provide them. But I may say generally that I am in favour of arming each corps, so far as its peculiar circumstances and its resources will permit, with the arm best suited to the duties it will have to perform.