§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)asked the Surveyor General of the Ordnance, If he will state how many Cavalry saddles, pattern 1884, have been made, how many issued, how many returned, how many condemned, either returned or unissued; and, whether any steps have been taken to recover damages from the contractors who have supplied defective saddles; and, if not, why not?
§ THE SURVEYOR GENERAL (Mr. NORTHCOTE) (Exeter)Of 1884 pattern 3,692 saddles were made. Of these 2,627 were issued, including 50 for Canada. None have been condemned as unserviceable. About 150 have been returned damaged by regiments. All the rest have been recalled. The issue of these saddles was made rather as an experiment than as a regular issue; some defects, however, were discovered when they came into use, and modifications and further trials have since been made. The saddles will be re-issued when the modifications of their present pattern, which are now under consideration, are finally approved; but as the present pattern was passed by its Inspectors the War Office is not able to recover damages from the contractors.