MR. FIELDI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether it is a fact 119 that an application has been made by the National Telephone Company for the use of the telegraph cable between England and Douglas, Isle of Man, for telephone purposes; whether he is aware that there is in the existing cable, which consists of five wires, two which are practically never used; whether a telephonic service could be arranged on those two unused wires without delay; and whether he is aware that the subscribers in the Isle of Man to the telephone service were promised that communication would be established at an early date with Great Britain?
§ MR. HANBURYNo such application can be traced. There are three wires in the existing cable, not five, and they are all used for telegraph business. Even if available, they would be quite unsuitable for a telephonic service. So far as the Postmaster General is aware, no promise of the kind described by the hon. Member has been made.