§ MR. MILLERsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is proposed to make a change in the principles on which the locks of our military arms have hitherto been constructed, by adopting a spiral main spring in lieu of a main spring of the usual construction; and, if so, whether that change has been recommended by the Superintendent of the Small Arms Factory, or other competent mechanical opinion, or whether it has been recommended by a Military Committee alone?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, the Henry-Martini lock acts with a spiral spring. The Henry-Martini rifle has been provisionally, but not finally, adopted. The Committee took the opinion of the Superintendent of the Small Arms Factory and other competent mechanical opinions before recommending the arm, and I have determined to add to the Committee, before it makes its final Report, a civil engineer eminent for his mechanical knowledge.