§ MR. JAMES ROCHEI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the attention of his Department has been called to the state of the boots of the English regiments now serving on the Nile after three days' marching has he been informed that the majority of the men arrived at the Atbara in practically a bootless condition, and that the soles of the boots were found to consist of two strips of bad leather with some shoddy material between them; and whether he will give the name of the contractor who supplied these boots, and the price paid for them?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.No official report has been received in respect to the boots of the English regiments now serving on the Nile. I am informed that the character of some of the ground over which the troops had to march was such as to destroy boots even of a high quality. The boots supplied to the Army in Egypt are not made of shoddy materials. They are hand-made English boots of the best procurable hide. Between the outer and the inner soles strips of this leather have to be inserted to produce a level tread, as a solid piece would render the soles inelastic and unsuitable for marching. The boots are supplied by various contractors, and the price varies according to the contract rate.
§ MR. J. BURNS (Battersea)Will the hon. Gentleman take the trouble to ascertain, with reference to these boots, what are the proportions of piecework goods to day work hand-made goods?
§ MR. POWELL WILLIAMSI understand that the boots to which the Question refers are all hand-made.
§ MR. POWELL WILLIAMSI do not think it is possible to ascertain that.
§ MR. H. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in Northampton machine-made boots can be produced exactly as good as handmade?
§ [No reply.]