§ LORD ELCHOsaid, he would beg to ask a question of the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for War, of which he had given him private notice, Whether, as he understands there are something like 800,000 stand of arms converted of the Enfield breech-loading pattern, there is any good reason why the Militia and Volunteers should not be armed with them?
§ MR. CARDWELL, in reply, said it was true that 575,000 Sniders had been converted; but there were only 300,000 in store, which was a smaller number than it was usual to keep. As to supplying the Militia with them, they had already supplied 64 regiments, and he hoped, as conversions went on, to supply a greater number with them.
§ LORD ELCHOsaid, he wished to know, as there were only about 140,000 effective Volunteers, and as the number of breech-loaders admitted to be in store was 300,000, if there was any good reason why these should not be put in the hands of Volunteers at once?
§ MR. CARDWELLsaid, he had already stated that the number in store is smaller than it is usual to keep.