§ CAPTAIN PRICEasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any of the new breech-loading guns intended for Her Majesty's Navy have yet been tested, and with what result?
§ MR. CHILDERSYes, Sir; considerable numbers of these guns, of various calibres—25-pounder, 6-inch, 8-inch, 1605 and 9-inch—have been proved and passed into the Service. In certain cases, they have not only been proved, but tested for endurance, with satisfactory results. For instance, the 6-inch gun has fired 669 rounds, and the 8-inch 371. We are now testing the 43-ton guns, one of which has fired 114 rounds; but if the hon. and gallant Member desires more details, I think he should raise the question on the Army or Navy Votes.
§ CAPTAIN PRICEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Why the writers, Royal Navy (old system) are not allowed the advantages of continuous service as regards pension, pay, and good conduct badges; and, whether they are at present placed not only at disadvantage as compared with others of like rank, but with their juniors who are now entering the Service as boy writers?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI find that this question has been more than once raised, and it has always been refused to grant to the old system writers the benefits of continuous service. These benefits would not affect their pay, and no writers of the old or new system received good conduct pay. The old system writers enjoyed the advantage of entering at once as chief petty officers, which rank the present class only attains after 10 years' service. On the whole, I cannot hold out any hope of an alteration of the conditions on which they entered the Service.