§ MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether Reports have been received from commanding or other officers, or officials charged with this duty, with respect to the boots supplied to the troops in South Africa; to what troops, and in what quantities, the 60,000 boots supplied from India last autumn have been served out; and what Reports have been received as to the usefulness and durability or failure of these boots under the conditions of active service.
* THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.Reports have been received from Lord Roberts and Sir Redvers Buller, but they do not indicate the distribution of the Indian boots among the troops; and at the date of the last Report, the Indian boots had not been sufficiently tried to admit of a definite opinion upon their merits.
§ MR. CHANNINGAre not the War Office in a position to trace the various articles supplied under contract, and to obtain information as to their usefulness or otherwise?
* MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMSYes, Sir, the War Office, with proper time and with proper opportunity, will trace anything, I think. These boots were issued generally for the Army, and we do not know at present among what particular troops they were distributed.