§ SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can inform the House what progress has been made with the armament of the coaling station of Sierra Leone; whether he will state how many of the three heavy guns lately sent out are available for practice; and whether the garrison for practising with and manning these guns is on the spot.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton)The whole of the new fixed armaments approved for Sierra Leone have been issued to the station, but the mounting of two of the guns a waits the completion of a work which will be finished early next year. A West Indian Artillery Company is now being raised to complete the artillery personnel of the garrison.
§ SIR CHARLES DILKEasked whether two of the guns were not dropped into the sea.
§ LORD STANLEYI do not know that they were.