§ MR. BAUMANN (Camberwell, Peckham)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the patent for cordite smokeless powder is Specification No. 5614, A.D. 1889, "An improvement in the manufacture of explosives for ammunition"; and, if so, on what date the patent was assigned to him; on what date did he certify to the Comptroller his opinion that, in the interest of the Public Service, the particulars of the invention, and of the manner in which it is to be performed, should be kept secret; on what date was the complete specification left, and on what date was it accepted; in what foreign countries have Sir Frederick Abel and Professor Dewar patented cordite; whether the foreign patents are secret or open; and to whom the profits of these foreign patents are to go?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)The patent referred to relates to cordite, and was assigned to the Secretary of State on 24th June, 1890. On 28th June, 1890, the Secretary of State certified that it would be for the public advantage that the particulars of the invention should be kept secret; but he has since decided that such secrecy is not now necessary. The complete specification was left on 2nd April, 1889, and was accepted on 2nd July, 1889. I am not able to answer the last three paragraphs of the question.