HC Deb 26 February 1885 vol 294 c1399
MR. LEA

asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade, If telegraphic communication has been established between the Sunk Lightship and the shore; and, if the experience of its working is so satisfactory as to induce its extension to other lightships or to lighthouses?

MR. J. HOLMS

The experiment of connecting the Sunk Lightship with the shore by electric cable commenced last December, and is to continue for 12 months. If at the end of that period it has worked, and is working, satisfactorily, the Trinity House are to take over the cable from the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, who are not to be paid before the cable is taken over. It will be well to await the result of the first 12 months' working before considering the question of extending the experiment to other stations.