HC Deb 30 March 1885 vol 296 cc968-9
MR. RITCHIE

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the attention of the War Office has been drawn to complaints of the condition of the American canned meat and biscuits supplied to the Army in Egypt; whether it is true that hundreds of tons of the canned meat have been found to be putrid when opened, and hundredweights of biscuits in a state of decomposition; whether the orders sent to America for canned moat have lately been increased to a total of several millions of pounds; and, whether there are not firms in this Country who are prepared to make contracts for fresh preserved moat, to be packed in this Country, on terms equally favourable to those which the American contractors are prepared to take, due allowance being made for the difference in cost of transport; and, if so, why orders which would give employment to large numbers of working people in this Country are sent abroad?

MR. BRAND

No Report has been received showing any such extensive loss of preserved meats as that referred to. The loss of preserved meats is estimated at 1 per cent. Very large orders have been given in America. The War Office is not aware of any contractors in this country capable of competing successfully with the American contractors for this supply. On a recent occasion an attempt was made to encourage English competition; but it did not prove successful; in fact, it proved a complete failure. As regards biscuits, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on the 27th instant to the hon. Member for Glasgow.

SIR ALEXANDER GORDON

On what ground does the hon. Member assert that no English firms are able to compete for this supply with the American firms?

MR. BRAND

I thought I stated the grounds in the answer I gave. I said that we obtained a certain quantity of preserved meat from an English contractor; but, on inspection, it turned out bad, and we had to cancel the contract.

MR. RITCHIE

Has the War Office issued any tenders to the large manufacturers of this country?

MR. BRAND

I cannot reply to that particular Question; but I may say that every inquiry has been made, and we believe that no English contractor can compete with the American trade.

SIR ALEXANDER GORDON

May I ask whether the Department are acquainted with the Messrs. Moir, who were large contractors for many years?

MR. BRAND

Yes, Sir; we are well acquainted with the Messrs. Moir.