§ MR. LAINGasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is the fact that, owing to the interruption of the Postal Telegraph to Shetland from the delay in procuring a repairing ship, storm warnings cannot be conveyed there by telegraph, which might often, and especially on the occasion of the late disastrous gales, be the means of saving the lives of many of the poor fishermen; and, whether, in view of this lamentable occurrence, the Treasury will at once sanction the acquisition by the Post Office of a suitable repairing ship to maintain those Telegraphic Cables to Orkney, Shetland, the Lewis, and other islands of Her Majesty's dominions?
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHSir, I am informed that the Meteorological Office did not predict the gale of July 20 to the north of the Shetlands. Storm warnings have never been sent north of Kirkwall, nor has there been any application for them from Shetland; but even had it been the custom so to send them, no warning could have been. sent of this particular gale. I can only repeat the answer I have previously made, that I admit the inconvenience that has been experienced this year from having no repairing ship, and that I will 839 carefully consider the question in connection with next year's Estimates.