§ SIR JOHN LENGI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in view of the restrictive effect of the present high tariff for telegraphic messages between the United Kingdom and India, he will favourably consider the proposal of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce that the charge should be reduced from five francs to three francs per word, and endeavour to give effect to the recommendation at the forthcoming International Telegraph Conference?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe Postmaster General cannot find that such a proposal has reached him from the Bengal Chamber of Commerce, and he thinks it is more likely to have been addressed to the Government of India, which is directly concerned in the matter. He has, however, received representations on behalf of the merchants and others in this country who use the telegraph to India, and he is in communication with the cable companies on the subject.