§ Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether he has any information that certain rifle ammunition supplied by American firms, and known to be defective, was notwithstanding this sent to the troops in France, with instructions that this ammunition was to be sent to the points on the line where the least danger was apprehended; will he say what were the instructions given to the general commanding the transport in France relating to the disposal of this particular ammunition; whether instructions were given that the boxes were to be specially marked; will he say who gave these instructions to the transport officers; (2) whether types B and U rifle ammunition have been called in and replaced with type K; whether inferior ammunition supplied by certain American firms was inspected in America; if so, whether the inspectors were representatives of the Ordnance Department; whether he is aware that some of the American cartridge bullets were dummies and incapable of doing any damage even at short ranges; whether this ammunition was tried in machine guns and found quite useless; and will he state the names of the American firms who supplied this ammunition?
§ Mr. FORSTERNo small-arm ammunition known to be defective has been sent to the troops in France. Certain defects in the ammunition supplied by two manufacturers developed, but steps were immediately taken to withdraw all the ammunition of these makes from the troops. We are not aware that any dummy bullets were found in any of the American ammunition supplied. It is undesirable to give details regarding the various firms making war material, the methods of inspection, or the orders issued in the field.