§ MR. KING (Hull, Central)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether anything has been recently done by the Government to provide ranges for rifle practice of the Volunteers and Regular Forces, especially in the neighbourhood of London and other large towns; how much money has been spent in endeavouring to make Wormwood Scrubbs safe, and with what results; whether he has had his attention called to a system of safety sheds or screens which have been erected at Wormwood Scrubbs, Elford, and Walker-on-Tyne for 300-yard ranges, and in the Wellington Barracks, Windsor Barracks, and many other places for shorter ranges; whether he will lay upon the Table the official reports regarding this system, and the results of the experiments made with it; and, whether there are any objections to its general adoption?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)New rifle ranges have recently been provided for the Regular Forces at Aldershot, and at Strensall, near York, besides which additions and alterations to make them safe for practice with the Martini-Henry rifle have been made to the existing ranges at many stations. Volunteer Corps, as a rule, provide their own ranges out of the Capitation Grant; but when a range of the Regular Forces is convenient for a Volunteer Corps, and can be spared, the General Officer Commanding the District may allow them the use, on payment of £2 10s. per company yearly for each company actually using the range. Within the last three years £4,493 has been expended on Wormwood Scrubbs, with the result, it is believed, of rendering the butts safe. Safety screens have been erected for trial at Wormwood Scrubbs, and at Elford. At the latter range they have been favourably reported on; but the tests at Wormwood Scrubbs have not yet been sufficient for a conclusion to be arrived at. The only ranges at Wellington and Windsor Barracks are for the Morris tube barrels. These have been favourably reported upon as regards supplementary practice, and the system has been generally adopted for all large garrisons.