§ MR. HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if the armour-piercing projectiles, which to the amount of £13,080 were last year purchased from foreigners, could have been obtained from Sheffield; if the braid and cloth ordered from abroad, to the extent of £6,367, were unobtainable at Bradford, Huddersfield, or Limerick; and if the wood for £20,654 worth of butts and fore-ends could have been purchased, if not at home, at least within the Empire?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire, HorncastleSpecial negotiations were entered into with a Sheffield firm for the armour-piercing projectiles, but their terms were too high. Trial orders for braid and cloth are in the hands of English manufacturers, but no progress has been made during the last 11 months, so that we cannot at present get these goods in England. As regards butts and fore-ends of rifles, I regret that at present no walnut has been found of suitable quality, except that which is grown on the Continent of Europe.
§ In reply to a further question by Mr. HOWARD VINCENT,
§ MR. E. STANHOPEsaid: The difference in price of the armour- 1005 piercing projectiles obtained from foreigners was £14 each. An attempt was made to secure a reduction of price from English firms, but no satisfactory arrangement was made.