§ SIR GILBERT PARKER (Gravesend)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the "Magnificent," "Majestic," "Prince George," "Victorious," "Cæsar," "Hannibal," "Illustrious," "Jupiter," "Mars," "Goliath," "Ocean," and "Vengeance" carried out from each of their four 12-inch guns the full quarterly practice, including the firing of full charges for the quarters ending 31st December, 1904, and 31st March, 1905; will he state the reasons for the omission when any portion of the firing was not carried out; and have any special instructions been issued to any of the above ships with reference to firing from any of their 12-inch guns.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAN, Suffolk, Wood-bridge)So far as is known all the ships named which were in commission at the time carried out the full quarterly practice, including the firing of full charges, for the quarters named, with the exception of the "Majestic," in which ship, as already stated, two of the 12-inch guns developed defects and were exchanged. The Answer to the last part of the Question is in the negative.