§ SIR SAMUEL WILSON (Portsmouth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what progress has been made with the construction of the new magazine rifle, or with the conversion of 409 the old rifle to the new pattern; and, whether the troops in Upper Egypt now repelling the attack of the dervishes, and those about to be sent there, will have the advantage of the improved weapon?
§ * MR. E. STANHOPEI am glad to be able to say that satisfactory progress has been made with the new rifle. The preliminary stage of preparing all the gauges for all the parts of the rifle has been necessarily a long one; but I should like to take this opportunity of contradicting a report which I have seen, that any change of pattern has been found necessary which will produce any delay. The British troops on the Nile will not be armed with the new rifle.