§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSasked the Under Secretary of State for War, (1.) The number of forty-pounder guns, dis- 803 tinguishing between breech and muzzle loading, now in use or store; (2.) the number of carriages in store suited to these guns; (3.) the number of carriages capable of conversion for the use of these guns; within what time such conversion could be effected, and its cost; (4.) the charge of powder, initial velocity, and the range of the 40-pounder guns; the present position of the armament of the Volunteer Force; and what was the charge and initial velocity of the latest pattern of field gun? The noble Lord said that the Questions arose out of a discussion which was going on at the United Service Institution with regard to the arming of the Volunteer Corps; and he asked for the information for the guidance of those taking part in that discussion.
THE EARL OF MORLEYsaid, he should be exceedingly glad to furnish any information he could that might be useful to the gentlemen taking part in the discussion at the United Service Institution; but he thought his noble Friend would admit that it was not expedient to give details of special ordnance stores in possession of the Government. That was a precaution always to be borne in mind; and certainly at the present time, and under existing circumstances, he must decline to give an answer as to the number of carriages and guns of a certain character now in store at the Arsenal. But with regard to the guns in the hands of the Volunteers, he should be happy to give all the information in his power. He believed there were at present 106 40-pounder breech-loading guns with their travelling carnages complete in the hands of Volunteers, distributed over the whole country among between 40 and 50 different Volunteer Corps. This was all the information he should be justified in giving, and in the circumstances it was quite as much as he could be expected to give. With regard to muzzle velocity, the 40-pounder was not a new gun; the charge was 5 lbs. of powder, and the muzzle velocity 1,180 feet. The newest of all the field guns was the 12-pounder breech loading gun. This gun had not yet been issued to the batteries. The charge was 4 lbs. of powder, and the muzzle velocity was 1,715 feet. In the case of the 13-pounder, the muzzle velocity was 1,560 feet.