§ GENERAL RUSSELL (Cheltenham)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether any reports have been received from South Africa to the effect that the boots supplied to the infantry have again proved to be of inferior quality; and whether large reserve stores of boots are now stored there, and whether more will be forwarded.
MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMSThe foreign service handsewn steel-billed boot and the hob-nailed boots received from India and Egypt have proved satisfactory for infantry; but Lord Roberts has complained of the home-pattern clump-soled boot. We have sent out, in round numbers, 108,000 home and 132,000 foreign pattern; and more will be sent as fast as they can be procured. The hand-sewn boot trade seems to be an expiring industry, and we are endeavouring to obtain a pattern of machine-sewn boot which shall be equally suitable for home or foreign wear.