§ 64. Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the reasons for the immediate anxiety of the Government to obtain automatic pistols of whatever calibre and make and for their surrender by civilian owners as a matter of urgent importance either as gifts or for sale to the Government.
§ Sir J. GriggNo automatic pistols are manufactured in the United Kingdom, and we rely on the United States and civilian owners in this country to meet our requirements.
§ Rear-Admiral BeamishAre these weapons required for arming our own officers and men; and is it not a little 640 strange that at this period of the war we should have to rely on imported small arms?
§ Sir J. GriggObviously, during this war there has been constant touch between us and our Allies in regard to distribution and production; and this is merely an example of that.