§ SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)To ask the Secretary of State for War what has been the extent of the delay of the delivery of the new field guns for India, which is alluded to in the Memorandum of General Sir Edmond Elles.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) The extract from the Memorandum to which the hon. Baronet appears to refer, is as follows: "There has been some delay in the provision of the quick-firing guns for Field Artillery owing to some points regarding the equipment having been still under the consideration of the War Office.' This presumably refers to the delay in placing the first orders with the trade, which was due to the question of royalty on design and in the case of the 926 18-pounder to the trials with a 20 lb. shell as well.