§ MR. WEBBI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War is he aware that great labour and expense was gone to by the late Mr. Hotchkiss for many years before his system of ordnance was brought to the state of perfection which led to its adoption into Her Majesty's Service in 1884–5, which labour and expense were paid for by the shareholders of the Hotchkiss Company in purchasing the business and patents; that, owing to the fact that the Government make the Hotchkiss guns in their own factories, and only give the company orders for the breech mechanisms, &c., required to complete them, and throw open to public trade competition the quick-firing gun ammunition orders, ammunition makers who took no part in the development of the quick-firing gun system have been allowed to reap profits where they had expended nothing in experimental work; and has any protest against this system been made by the Directors of the Hotchkiss Company; if so, has Government taken any action in regard to the same?
§ MR. BRODRICKWe have no know ledge of the steps taken to perfect the Hotchkiss gun before its adoption into the Service; but we have recently received from the Hotchkiss Company a communication on the subject, embracing a number of points extending over several years, and which is now being carefully considered.