§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If it is true that, in sending a telegraphic message to the Continent, no answer can be prepaid for more than thirty words; whether the postal authorities' attention has been called to the manner in which, this rule might have been productive of fatal results, as reported by The Daily News of the 15th March 1886, in the case of the Bradford patients who were bitten by a rabid dog, and placed under the care of M. Pasteur, when, owing to the limitation of words prepaid, those unfortunate people's lives were jeopardised; and, whether the postal authorities will take steps to increase the number of words which can be prepaid in sending telegraphic messages Abroad?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER) (Wolverhampton, E.), in reply, said, that not only in the case of messages between England and foreign countries, but also in the case of telegrams between two foreign countries, no answer of more than 30 words could be prepaid. The average number of words in telegrams passing between England and the Continent was only 11. The rule was adopted by all European States, and no inconvenience to the public had hitherto arisen.