§ SIR R. PENROSE-FITZGERALD (Cambridge)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Interdepartmental Committee to whom the question of wireless telegraphy for life-saving purposes has been referred is a Committee appointed in consequence of the recommendation contained in the final Report of the Royal Commission on Electrical Communication with Lighthouses and Light Vessels; and whether such Committee comprises all the representatives suggested by the Royal Commission—namely, the Board of Trade, the Post Office, the Trinity House, and other lighthouse authorities, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and the Admiralty.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe Inter-departmental Committee to which my hon. friend refers was appointed to consider and report (a) with respect to the provision and maintenance of communication between outlying lighthouses and light vessels and the shore, and whether any, and, if so, what extension and improvement can be made therein, special regard being had to a system of wireless telegraphy; (b) how far and subject to what conditions the means of communication with such light stations can be made available for private messages without affecting the efficiency and safety of the lighthouse service; and (c) how far the connections between shore lighthouses and post offices or coastguard stations should be made available for private messages. This Committee has superseded that which was appointed in consequence of the recommendation contained in the final Report of the Royal Commission on Electric Communication with Lighthouses and Light Vessels, and comprises representatives of the Board of Trade, Admiralty, Treasury, Post Office, and Trinity House.
§ SIR R. PENROSE-FITZGERALDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give instructions to the Inter-departmental Committee to whom the question of wireless telegraphy for life-saving purposes has been referred, to communicate with the German Government and the German lifeboat authorities as to the exact nature of the system in use in the Borkum light-vessel.
§ MR. RITCHIEYes, Sir; the Committee will endeavour to ascertain the nature of the system of communication with the Borkum light-vessel which has been adopted.