THE EARL OF STRADBROKEMy Lords. I beg to put the Question which stands in my name on the Paper—viz.: To ask the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can give the date at which howitzers will be supplied to the Territorial Field Artillery to complete their proper number; and whether there are a sufficient number of the old pattern howitzers now in use in the British Isles in the Regular Artillery to meet the deficiency in the Territorial Brigades.
I might remind your Lordships that, in replying to a Question of a. similar nature in this House during the summer, the noble Lord the Under-Secretary held out the hope to the Territorial Force that they would shortly receive their complement of guns. The noble Lord then stated that the reorganisation of the Regular Forces would commence in a few days, and that as the old guns were replaced by the new ones the discarded guns would be passed on to the Territorial Brigades. That statement was made four months ago, and it would be interesting if the noble Lord could tell your Lordships how many howitzers have since that elate been so passed on. With regard to the latter part of my Question, I might perhaps explain that a number of howitzer brigades are quartered outside the. British Isles, and that there is a feeling that when these brigades are furnished with new howitzers the old guns may be scrapped to save the 682 expense of sending them back to this country, and that thus the Territorial Force will not receive their full equipment. I hope the noble Lord will be able to dispel this fear, and to make a statement which will be encouraging to the Territorial Force as to the reception by them of the guns necessary to make up their complement.
LORD LUCASThe issue of the new howitzers to the Regulars should commence in January next, and shortly afterwards it will be possible to begin transferring the howitzers now in the hands of the Regular Artillery to the batteries of the Territorial Force. At this moment it is not possible to give actual dates, but the manufacturers are hastening as much as possible the completion of the new weapons. When the noble Earl last raised this question I told him that the issue was going to be made in September. It is true that we began the issue of the new howitzers to the Regulars last September, but it was found necessary to recall them as certain slight modifications had to be made, and this has been the cause of the delay. These modifications are now being made. We hope that in a month or two the alterations found to be necessary will be completed, and then the Territorials will receive their howitzers. With regard to the second part of the Question, I may say that there are plenty of these guns in this country, and that there will be a sufficient number available for arming the whole of the howitzer batteries of the Territorial Force.