§ MR. BUCHANANasked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been called to the serious interruptions to telegraphic communication between Scotland and England that frequently occur, from the want of protection of the wires from storms; and. whether he will take into consideration the propriety of introducing an underground system of wires, at least on the more exposed parts of the line, so as to obviate the great commercial inconvenience caused by interruptions in the service?
§ MR. FAWCETTSir, interruptions of telegraphic communication between Scotland and England have been frequently under consideration. They have not occurred in any particular locality, but have been experienced in various parts of the country traversed by the several main lines of telegraph between London and Scotland. The placing of any one section of the lines underground would not, therefore, insure immunity from interruption, while the cost of substituting underground wires for over-ground throughout the United Kingdom, or even between the principal town, would be very great, probably not less than £1,750,000.