§ LORD FERMOYsaid, he would beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether the trial of Mr. Lynal Thomas's system of rifling large guns is completed, and whether he has any objection to produce the Report of the trials?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid in reply, that in 1862 a large gun was constructed at Woolwich for the purpose of trying Mr. Lynal Thomas's system of rifling, on the distinct understanding that it was to be at that gentleman's own expense. A very large outlay had been incurred, which had not yet been paid by Mr. Thomas. The gun had been fired against iron plates, and Mr. Thomas had repeatedly requested that further trials should be made. The Ordnance Select Committee had, however, recommended that no more trials should take place against iron plates until the general merits of the gun had been more accurately determined. All experiments had since been suspended by order of Earl de Grey until an arrangement could be come to with the view of deciding whose property the gun really was at the present moment. During last year, Mr. Lynal Thomas was declared bankrupt. He had been allowed a certain time to pay for the gun manufactured for him at the Royal factory, and if he did not pay within that period, steps would be taken to determine who should have possession of the gun. It would, under present circumstances, be extremely inconvenient to publish the Report of trials which had not been concluded.