§ MR. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.)To ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether any reports from gunnery officers of the Navy have been received upon the system of twinning the two six-inch guns in turrets of ships of the "County" class together, so that one cannot be fired without the other; and, if so, will he state their purport.
(Answered by Mr. Pretyman.) These twin mountings were the subject of much controversy and consideration when adopted by the previous Board of Admiralty in 1899, but ships of this class have not been long enough in commission for the present Board to have formed any final opinion on the merits of this particular mounting. No reports from gunnery officers on any guns, whether favourable or unfavourable, can be published, as all are confidential.