§ *SIR CHARLES DILKEI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, what opportunities are afforded to the men of the Royal Naval Reserve of loading and firing modern breech-loading guns; and, in the case that no such opportunities are afforded to those engaged at drill on board H.M.S. President, would it be possible to allow a fast gun vessel to embark Officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve attached to the President at Blackwall occasionally in summer for practice at the mouth of the Thames?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYInstruction in all the operations of loading modern breech-loading guns is given to Officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve on board all the drill ships, and at 19 out of the 34 drill batteries, and modern breech-loading guns are being supplied to the remaining 15 batteries. It is not possible to fire the breech-loading guns from the drill ships, except in the case of the Medea and Medusa, which, being sea-going ships, have replaced the old 1042 drill ships at Southampton and North Shields. The extension of this system of training the Royal Naval Reserve in sea-going vessels, as in the case of the Medea and Medusta, is under consideration. ["Hear, hear!"]