§ Viscount DALRYMPLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will arrange for the Fleet to carry out their heavy gun firing practice round the coast at some other period of the year than in the middle of harvest time, when the resultant heavy rain may cause serious loss to the farming community?
§ Mr. McKENNAThere is no evidence that the firing causes heavy rain. The winter months are unsuited for target practice owing to bad weather, and the summer is generally devoted to manœuvres, so that the spring and autumn are the more suitable periods for target practice.