§ SIR JOHN GRAYasked the Controller General, If he has any objection to lay upon the Table of the House the following documents:—Copies of a Letter written to the Adjutant General, Horse Guards, by Colonel Ponsonby, then commanding 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, applying for permission to have a renewed and proper trial of Lieutenant Colonel Carter's equipment with the new Valise Equipment; and the Reply; of the Application made by Colonel the Honourable Percy Fielding, C.B., commanding Coldstream Guards, for permission to try the said equipments, and the Recommendation of the same by Major General Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar; and the Reply; and, a detailed Statement of the various articles (under the head of Equipment), and the amount of ammunition (showing how distributed), each soldier will have to carry during war, together with a List 104 of the Regiments which wore the new Valise Equipment at the Autumn Manœuvres; specifying whether any, and which, of those Regiments failed in wearing this equipment as intended during war, with the particulars of the cause of any omissions?
§ SIR HENRY STORKSSir, it is not considered desirable to give the Correspondence referred to in the Question of my hon. Friend. The equipment of the Army was adopted, after mature consideration, on the recommendation of a most competent Board of Officers, and experience has shown that the present valise equipment is well suited to the service. I may add that a voluminous Correspondence as regards Lieutenant Colonel Carter and his proposed knapsack has been already laid on the Table of the House, on the Motion of the hon. Member for Sunderland (Mr. Candlish). I consider the question settled, and do not think any further expense should be incurred in printing Correspondence on the subject.