§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury have received several representations from Ireland, England, and Scotland, urging the desirability of establishing a telegraph and signal station on Tory Island, off the coast of Donegal; and, whether it is the intention of the Government to give effect to the same?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER) (Wolverhampton, E.)Several representations have been made from time to time for the establishment of a telegraph and signal station on Tory Island. The Post Office has no monopoly of the business of signalling ships, which is altogether outside the action of the Telegraphs Act. It is a business which is mostly undertaken by the Committee of Lloyds. Some time ago that Committee made an offer to establish a signal and telegraph station on Tory Island, and the Postmaster General expressed his readiness to grant a licence upon nominal terms for establishing telegraph communication with the main land; but the Lloyds Committee, owing to difficulties in the way of laying and maintaining the cable, did not proceed with the work. I do not think that I can hold out any hope that the Government will undertake to establish a telegraph and signal station on Tory Island.