§ LORD EUSTACE CECILsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether, with the view to its introduction into the English service, any steps have been taken by the Government to ascertain the effect of the engine of war called the Mitrailleur, which has been lately adopted and highly approved by the French military authorities; and whether it is true that a Select Committee is now or has been sitting to inquire into other descriptions of the same firearm, and, if so, how soon their Report may be expected?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, two mitrailleurs have been purchased; one from America, called the Gatling, and the 256 other from Belgium, called the Montigny. They have been partially tried, and returned to the inventors, at their own request, for some improvements. One has been returned to us, the other not. A Committee has been appointed, and experiments will shortly be resumed. The French instrument is of the same kind.