§ MR. MARJORIBANKS (Berwickshire)I beg to ask the Secretary, of State for War whether he will state the exact details of the improvements to be made in the Magazine Rifle in the new issue known as Mark II.?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)The changes proposed in Mark II. rifle are somewhat too technical to make it possible for me to explain them in answer to a question. It has been already stated that, except for the new magazine, they could all have been introduced during the manufacture of Mark I., but I may say that the main changes are in (1) the magazine, which will contain 10 cartridges, and will be much more easy to fill; (2) the foresight—experience having shown that for military purposes the Martini-Henry pattern is better than the Lewis; (3) the safety catch, which has been omitted; (4) the bolt-head and bolt-cover, which has been modified, and the screw abolished; (5) the weight of the rifle generally, which has been reduced.