THE EARL OF CARNARVONasked, Whether in firing a naval salute in honour of the Shah of Persia pebble powder was used; and, if so, to move for the amount now in store, and the price at which it is manufactured for the Government. The reason which had induced him to put this question was that he understood that out stock of pebble powder was small, that its manufacture was very costly, and that ordinary powder answered quite as well for saluting purposes. Moreover, the sad accident which occurred to a yacht on the occasion of the visit of the Shah of Persia to Portsmouth had been attributed to the great force of this powder. He had been informed—though he could scarcely believe it—that each of the three salutes had cost the country£1,000.
THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNsaid, that the noble Earl was quite correct in presuming that pebble powder was used in the salutes on the occasion of the visit of the Shah of Persia to Portsmouth. It was considered by persons best qualified to form an opinion on the subject that the large guns used on board such vessels as our great ironclads could not be properly fired with the ordinary powder, and the pebble powder was consequently used on the occasion in question with the 18 and 25 ton guns. In ordinary salutes it was customary to fire 12 pounders with ordinary powder. With regard to the other Question of the noble Earl, the quantity of pebble powder in store in the United Kingdom on the 31st March last was 49,411 barrels, 42,578 barrels of which were in loose and 6,833 barrels in cartridge. The cost when manufactured at Waktham Abbey was £3 3s. 5d. per barrel; when obtained from Belgium,£3 9s. per barrel; and when supplied by English manufacturers,£4 15s. per barrel. He was not in a position at present to show the difference between the price of pebble powder and the price of ordinary powder.
THE EARL OF CARNARVONhad been given to understand that ordinary powder answered quite as well for saluting purposes for the large guns.
THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNrepeated that the best authorities on the 142 subject, the officers in charge of the naval artillery, regarded pebble powder as the only powder that should be used with the large guns.
§ LORD VIVIANremarked that some blame must attach to somebody in connection with the accident to the yacht. He believed it was unprecedented, or nearly so, to fire salutes from gun-boats, and the officers in command should have taken due precautions. Seven persons were injured on board the yacht, one of whom, a connection of his own, was so much injured that he had not been able to leave his bed since then until Wednesday last. He believed that the misfortune was occasioned by the use of pebble powder. In his opinion sufficient precautions had not been taken.
THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEconsidered that pebble powder should not be used on such an occasion as that at Portsmouth the other day, as he thought it had been proved beyond doubt that for saluting it was very dangerous. He believed that common grain powder would have answered the purpose quite as well. All that was wanted on saluting occasions was to make as much noise as possible at as little expense as possible—pebble powder when fired without shot was half thrown away, as a large portion was blown out of the gun without being ignited.
THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN,admitting that firing a salute by gunboats was unusual, replied that it was not usual for Portsmouth to see a Shah every day. The Admiralty regretted the accident to the yacht, but a notice had been issued, and appeared in The Times on the 21st of June, prohibiting yachts and private vessels from passing between the line of iron-clads during the inspection, and from closing round Her Majesty's yacht. These orders were contravened, two or three steamers bumping into Her Majesty's yacht considerably to their own inconvenience. Had those in charge of the yacht in question respected the rules issued by the Admiralty no accident would have befallen them. He protested against the accident being attributed to the officers of the Fleet.
§ LORD VIVIANsaid, the yacht went close to the gunboat on account of the well-known rule that gunboats did not fire salutes.