§ MR. A. WYLIE (Dumbartonshire)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the clothing and equipment of many of the Militia regiments are in a very inefficient condition, and if the Government intends to improve them?
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe military authorities do not consider that the clothing and equipment of the Militia are otherwise than in a good and serviceable condition. They have the clothing prescribed by regulation of the same quality as worn by the Line. Helmets are being supplied gradually. As regards equipment, some battalions have brown leather instead of the buff worn by the Line battalions of the regiment.
§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNE (Rochester)asked when the whole force would be supplied with helmets?
§ * MR. BRODRICKA large proportion of the force will, we hope, be supplied in the course of the year.
§ MR. WYLIEI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, whether the Government, seeing that the militia battalions of the Gordon Highlanders and the Cameron Highlanders are clothed in the uniform of their line battalions, intends to remove the present uniform of the three other Highland battalions, and give them instead the uniforms of their respective line battalions.
§ * MR. BRODRICKNo change is at present contemplated in the uniform of the militia battalions of the Highland regiments.