§ MR. COLERIDGE KENNARDasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that a large contract for the supply of cartridges has been placed by Her Majesty's Government in America; and, if so, whether, before placing this important piece of national business at the disposal of foreign manufacturers, Her Majesty's Government submitted it to the competition of British traders, due regard being had to their prior claims, and to the pressing necessities of large groups of unemployed artizans, whose subsistence entirely depends upon orders reaching their employers?
§ MR. SAMPSON LLOYDasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the statement in the newspapers is true, that Her Majesty's Government have given an order for the purchase of fifty million cartridges to an American manufacturing firm; and, if the statement is true, whether, inasmuch as there are 612 manufactories at Birmingham capable of executing such an order efficiently, he will state why, at a time when there is so great want of employment to working men and women in and near Birmingham, the order above named was given by Her Majesty's Government to Foreign manufacturers?
§ MR. BRANDIf Questions are to be put with respect to every paragraph which appears in the newspapers about the Expedition to Suakin the time of the House will be largely occupied. There is no truth whatever in the statement.