§ MR. SHIRLEY (Yorkshire, W.R., Doncaster)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether some valuable inventions and recommendations in regard to aerostatic balloons have been communicated to the War Office by one William Howson, of Mexborough, in Yorkshire; whether the War Office has availed itself of some of such inventions and recommendations without rewarding or recognizing the services of the said William Howson, and would ho state what negotiations have taken place between the War Office and the said William Howson; whether he is aware that the said William Howson professes to be the possessor of a valuable secret for destroying armies, and has offered to make experiments at Woolwich for the purpose of testing the value of his secret; and, whether the War Office will cause such experiments to be made?
§ THE SURVEYOR GENERAL OF ORDNANCE (Mr. NORTHCOTE) (Exeter)1451 (who replied) said: Mr. Howson's proposals have been before the War Office since 1878; but they have been considered impracticable, and have been declined. The War Office has not availed itself of any of Mr. Howson's recommendations, nor has there been any connection between his proposals and certain balloon experiments which have taken place.