§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether it has yet been ascertained how ball cartridge came to be intermixed with the blank cartridge recently issued to the troops at Aldershot; and what steps it is intended to take to avoid a similar danger at Aldershot and other stations where blank cartridge is issued?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN,) Stirling,&c.The accident is supposed to have arisen from the packers of the 413 two kinds of ammunition at Woolwich working in too close proximity. Most stringent orders have been given to separate, as far as possible, the inspection and packing of blank and ball ammunition. In addition every packet of blank ammunition is to be carefully weighed to ascertain that it does not exceed a proper mean weight. The whole of the ammunition at Aldershot is being examined and repacked.
§ MR. HANBURYIs it a fact that men worked at the two kinds of ammunition in the same room?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThey were working in the same room.