MAJOR SEELYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he wilt state at what date the present pattern of Royal Field Artillery Gun was first issued, and for what propelling charge and for what weight of projectile the gun was originally designed.
§ * MR. BRODRICKThe field gun with which most field batteries are armed was first issued in 1885, and a projectile weighing 12½ lbs. and a propellant of 4 lbs. of black powder were then used. In 1892 it was decided to change this gun into a 15-pounder, using cordite charges. In 1899 an improved pattern of 15-pounder was adopted, and the new batteries raised in 1900 were armed with this gun and the Impounder Q. F. Ehrherdt gun, both firing smokeless powder.