§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the Secretary of State for War whether the Government have accepted from Waltham Abbey or any private firm cordite for issue to the military Service which has failed to pass the heat test laid down as necessary; how long a time has the heat test been recognised as a necessary test; has the heat test been found superfluous; what test is now applied in order to ensure the safety of His Majesty's military magazines; and is a second heat test after a lapse of forty days carried out?
§ Mr. HALDANECordite which has failed to pass the heat test is not accepted. The heat test has been recognised as necessary since the introduction of cordite162W as a Service explosive. The heat test has not been found superfluous, and is employed in every case. In the case of old cordite, sometimes the silvered vessel test-is used as well. A second test is not carried out after a lapse of forty days in land service, but tests are taken periodically of all cordite in store.