§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL (Kirkcaldy, &c.)asked the Postmaster General, Why Great Britain charges for telegrams to be sent abroad a rate (1d. per word) much exceeding that charged by France and other countries, and double that charged in the United Kingdom; where the papers are to be found showing how and on what terms the Sub-Marine Telegraph Company obtained a monopoly of the communications between this country and France, and are enabled to charge more than 1d. per word for the few miles across the Dover Channel; on what terms that Company is intrusted with the working of the Government lines to Holland and Germany; whether last February several firms in the City petitioned the late Postmaster General against the renewal of this monopoly of the Sub-Marine Company, and only got a reply to say that the Sub-Marine Company did not admit the charges against them; and, whether he will promise that this monopoly shall not be renewed without full 337 opportunity of discussion in Parliament, and that the matter shall be dealt with in time to provide public cables if Parliament shall see fit?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL(Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)Not a few telegrams contain only three or four words; and the hon. Member has not observed that, whilst a telegram of three words can be sent from England to France for 7½d., a telegram of the same length in this country costs 6d., and in France half-a-franc. Where there is a word rate, pure and simple, it is not unreasonable that the charge should be higher than where the word rate is qualified by a minimum. At the same time, I may say that the matters to which the hon. Member draws attention are of considerable importance, and that they will form the subject of careful consideration when the relations between the Post Office and the Sub-Marine Telegraph Company are reviewed, prior to the termination of the subsisting Agreement. The monopoly to which the hon. Member refers was granted many years ago by the French Government; and I can only suggest that the Papers may have been published in the Official Journal of that Government. The terms on which the Sub-Marine Telegraph Company is entrusted with the working of the cables to Holland and Germany are stated in the Agreement scheduled to the Telegraph Act of 1868. This Agreement will be found in the Appendix to the Report of the Select Committee on the Bill. Fifteen firms connected with the Stock Exchange sent in a Petition in February, calling attention to delay and irregularity in the transmission of messages from the Continent, and expressing a hope that when the monopoly of the Sub-Marine Company terminated, in 1888, the Post Office would make arrangements to improve the service. The complaint was general; and an answer was sent to the effect that the Company did not admit that there was undue delay when the wires were in working order, but that, if particulars of specific cases were furnished, inquiry would be made. With reference to the latter part of the hon. Member's Question, I would point out that the monopoly was not granted by this country, but by the French Government.