§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the frequent employment in India of mixed forces of British and Native troops, and of the great inconvenience and danger likely to arise from the fact that a different kind of ammunition is 1868 used by British and Native troops respectively, the Indian Government will consider the advisability of converting the Martini-Henry rifle, now in the hands of the Native troops, by substituting the Lee-Metford barrel for the Henry barrel?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. G. RUSSELL,) North Beds.A reply to a somewhat similar question by the hon. and gallant Member for the Newport Division of Shropshire was given on the 7th July last. In the absence of any proposals from the Government of India, there is no intention of taking any steps in the direction suggested by the hon. Member, the cost of which would be very considerable.