COLONEL LONG (Worcestershire, Evesham)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, whether it is true that the batteries of artillery armed with the new 12-pounder and 15-pounder guns are to be supplied for the annual practice this year with old-pattern 12-pounder ammunition instead of their proper ammunition?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Guildford, SurreyYes, Sir; the batteries will this year be supplied with old-pattern ammunition. There is a large store of old-pattern ammunition, and as the instruction gained with it at gun practice is for general purposes the same as from the use of new- pattern ammunition, it has been considered desirable not to waste entirely the existing store. The new ammunition cannot, moreover, be properly issued for practice until a reserve sufficient for all purposes has been accumulated.