§ MR. GALLOWAY (Manchester, S. W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the officer commanding the 3rd Lancashire Royal Engineers (Volunteers), acting in accordance with the existing regulations, prepaid the sum of £2 17s. for maps, and sent in his requisition in proper form; whether he is aware that the maps were sent through the local agent at Southampton, together with a bill for £7 11s. 6d.; will he explain why the regulation authorising the issue of ordnance maps at reduced rates to officers has been cancelled at Southampton, and why no notification has been made in Army Orders that this privilege has been withdrawn; and whether, as the effect of an advance of 160 per cent. in the price of the necessary materials will be to discourage the study of military topography, he can see his way to allow maps to be purchased at the reduced rate in future.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIn September last a circular letter was issued to general officers commanding giving them authority to demand direct from the Director-General of the Ordnance Surveys maps required for instruction or other military purposes which would be issued free, and notifying them that the issue of maps on prepayment would be suspended from October 1st. I have no information as to the particular case referred to, but if officers require maps 1128 for military purposes and their general officer commanding approves, the maps are now issued free instead of at a reduced rate. The scale of issue is at present tentative, but when it is definitely approved it will be notified in Army Orders.