§ MR. BEITH (Inverness, &c.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether it is the generally understood practice that officers in charge of the commissariat departments of the various depots and head-quarters of regiments at home should provide the necessary food and canteen supplies from the district which they respectively occupy, and not from distant or foreign sources, especially where the local articles are equal in quality and price to that which can be procured elsewhere?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN,) Stirling, &c.Rations of bread and meat for the troops are obtained under contracts entered into by public competition, and the rule is to accept the lowest offer received, provided the tender is in every respect satisfactory. It is not always possible to ascertain the locality from which the flour or animals are obtained. Canteen supplies are obtained regimentally under arrangements made by officers commanding, with which the War Office does not interfere.