HC Deb 09 August 1887 vol 318 c1712
CAPTAIN COLOMB (Tower Hamlets, Bow, & c.)

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether, with reference to the accidents on board Her Majesty's ships Kite, Curlew, and Black Prince, he can give particulars in each case as to the nature of the gun, the ammunition used, the number of men allowed according to Regulations for the service of the gun, the number of men employed in the service of the gun when the accident took place, and how many of these had been fully trained on board the Excellent, or Cambridge, and how many at the Royal Marine Artillery headquarters?

THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)

The accident on board the Kite occurred with a four-inch breech-loading gun, and on board the Black Prince and Curlew with a one-inch four-barrel Nordenfelt. In each case blank cartridge was used. The regulation number of men for the four-inch gun is four. Three were actually employed, a number amply sufficient when saluting only. Of these, two were acting seamen gunners, who had qualified in sea-going ships, but had not yet passed the gunnery ship course; the other was a bombardier of the Royal Marine Artillery, who had been fully trained at headquarters. The established number of men for the four-barrel Nordenfelt is three. In both ships four were stationed. On board the Curlew all had qualified on board the gunnery ships; on board the Black Prince one had so qualified, but two of the others were trained men.