§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Government of India have for some considerable period been pressing the authorities at home to re-arm the Field Artillery in India, and have provided money to meet this expenditure; and whether the failure to replace the 120 nine-pounder muzzle-loading guns still in India by modern breechloaders is due to delay on the part of the Ordnance Authorities at home or to the Government of India itself?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN,) Stirling, &c.I would refer the hon. Member to my reply made on March 27 to the hon. Member for West Belfast, in which I stated that of 347 field guns demanded by the Indian Government 270 had already been shipped to India, 36 more awaited shipment (of which 24 have now been shipped), and of the remaining 41, 38 were well advanced in the Ordnance Factories. Of these, I can now say that 10 have already been issued, 10 are completed and under inspection, 11 have passed proof and will be ready for final inspection shortly, and seven more will be ready by the end of May.
§ MR. HANBURYIs the delay due to the Home Authorities or to the Indian Government?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI cannot say without referring to India. As far as the Home Authorities are concerned, the hon. Member must be aware that during the last three or four years there has been a great demand for heavy gnus, both for ships and coaling stations, and that, no doubt, led to some delay in the execution of orders for India.