§ SIR JOHN HAYsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether the Armstrong and Whitworth Committee are likely soon to report; what the cause of the delay has been; and whether both competitors have completed the Guns ordered to make the experiment?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, in reply, that the cause of the delay which had taken place, and was still likely to take place, was that the guns which had been ordered for the purpose of making a practical experiment between the two systems had not yet been supplied. In February last the Committee ordered the guns which they thought necessary for the experiments—namely, three Whitworth 12-pounders, three 70-pounders, and three 658 muzzle-loading guns; and had also ordered a like number of Armstrong 12-pounders and 70-pounders, and breech-loading guns. Mr. Whitworth had explained that the reason why he had not been able to supply his guns was that he depended on the manufacturer for the metal, and that a considerable time might still be expected to elapse before he would be able to supply them. It therefore appeared that there was not much chance of a trial of the two systems being completed for three or four months.