§ MR. COWANasked the Secretary of State for War, If it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to carry out the proposal of the late Mr. Secretary Herbert, to erect a battery on Inchkeith for the protection of the Firth of Forth, or if Government has any other measures 1566 under consideration to defend the Firth and its ports, which have now no available means of defence?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, he would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Estimates for the current year, which contained no provision for an armament of Inchkeith. It was true that in 1859 the Government contemplated arming Inchkeith; but after obtaining tenders the matter appeared to have slept until the year 1865 or 1866, and was only now again renewed. Other projects had been put forward for the protection of the Firth of Forth by the arming of Inchkeith; but other ports in the Kingdom were asking for armament, as the hon. Gentleman must be aware. It was so large a question that he (Mr. Hardy) was unable to give any further information on the subject.