§ MR. LIDDELLsaid, he was about to ask a question of the noble and gallant Lord the Secretary for the Admiralty, but a word or two of explanation would be necessary to make that question intelligible. Mr. Piggott, a gentleman who had made improvements in telegraphs, obtained the sanction of Her Majesty's Government to lay down an experimental line of telegraphic cable between Alverstoke and Ryde. The Government placed a ship at his disposal; but sent no inspector to see how the experiment was conducted. Mr. Piggott, however, sent a Report to the Admiralty; but, though he had made three applications on the subject to the Board of Admiralty, he had not received any reply. He would, therefore, beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Why no answer has been given to a Report sent in by Mr. Piggott to the Board of Admiralty of the result of a trial of his Telegraphic Cable laid down between Alverstoke and Ryde on the 20th day of June last?
§ MR. CONINGHAMsaid, he wished before the noble Lord answered the hon. Member for South Northumberland, to put another question to which he might give a reply at the same time. It appeared that a telegraph was to be laid down between Malta and Alexandria, and be was informed that Mr. Gisborne was the Government officer who was to be employed 1399 to superintend the operation. After the result of the recent telegraphic experiments, he wished to know whether his information was correct or not?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, he would beg to inform the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Coningham) that the Admiralty had nothing to do with the submarine line between Malta and Alexandria. As to the Question of the hon. Member for South Northumberland (Mr. Liddell), he begged to say that in 1860, Mr. Piggott applied for permission to lay down a telegraph wire from Portsmouth Dockyard to the Isle of Wight. The Admiralty objected to its being laid across Portsmouth Harbour, but gave him permission to lay it down between Alverstoke and the Isle of Wight. Mr. Piggott afterwards wrote to the Admiralty to announce that the line had been laid down; but the Admiralty had nothing at all to do with the submarine telegraph, and no answer was deemed necessary.