§ MR. LANE-FOX (Yorkshire, W.R., Barkston Ash)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether any complaints have been made of the similarity in shape and general appearance between the blank rifle ammunition now issued to His Majesty's forces and the ball ammunition; whether any accidents have yet occurred through any confusion between the two; and whether, by effecting a difference either in colour or in feel he can see his way to obviate the danger of accident now existing.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The short blank rifle cartridge is quite distinct from the ball cartridge, but the long blank only differs in having its case coloured black. It has now been decided to make a groove round the case of the long blank cartridge so that it can be distinguished by feel.