MR. HERBERT KNATCHBULLHUGESSEN (Kent, Faversham)asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is a fact that any representative of the British Government was present at the trial of the Zalinski air and dynamite gun in the United States; whether it is a fact that the British Government have ordered guns of this type; and, if so, how many; and, whether it is a fact, as reported in the Globe of 30th April, that one of the guns of the United States dynamite cruiser Vesuvius was "badly wrecked," and that the hollow cast shell immediately went to pieces in the gun-breech?"
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire, HorncastleExperiments with the Zalinski dynamite gun were witnessed by British officers in 1886,1887, and 1888. Guns of this type have not been ordered by the British Government. I have no 1084 information as to the alleged accident referred to in the third question.