MR. H. BERKELEYsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether, adverting to the probability that guns of much greater calibre must now be placed on our Seaboard Forts and Iron-plated Ships, Sir William Armstrong is to have the exclusive manufacture of such guns, or is their construction to be thrown 332 open to competition and of what calibre is the largest gun completed as intended for practical service as yet made for Government by Sir William Armstrong, and proved without accident to the breech or bursting?
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, the War Office had no contract with Sir William Armstrong, but that it had one with the Elswick Iron Company, which was printed in the index to the Report of the Committee on Military Organization. If that contract were referred to, it would be seen, that if the War Department ceased altogether to employ the Elswick Company for the manufacture of ordnance, they would be bound to compensate for the loss of profit on its plant to the extent of, £85,000. In reply to the second question of the hon. Gentleman, he would, as the subject was one of some interest—of temporary interest, at all events—read to the House a statement as to the largest guns which were at present in use, or in course of trial—
110-pounder Service Gun.—The 110-pounder Armstrong gun is the largest as yet actually introduced into the service. Large numbers have been supplied to Her Majesty's ships and the batteries at home and abroad. Experimental Guns.—A 140-pounder gun, rifled on Sir William Armstrong's shunt principle, and loaded at the muzzle, fires a solid shot of 140 lb. weight, with a charge of 20 lb. of powder. The experiments with this gun hare been highly satisfactory. 200-pounder.—A gun on Sir William Armstrong's principle is now in course of manufacture, and expected to be ready in about a month. 300-pounder.—A 300-pounder rifled gun is now undergoing a course of preliminary experiments as a smooth-bore gun, and has been fired with a spherical shot of 156 lb. weight, and a charge of 40 lb. of powder. And a proposal has this day been brought forward by the Director General of Ordnance for the manufacture of a gun capable of firing, as a smooth-bore gun, a shot of 300 lb. weight, or, as a rifled gun, a shot of 600 lb. In addition to these guns one 120 lb. gun of Mr. Whitworth's, and a 200 lb. gun of Mr. Lynall Thomas, are in course of construction.