§ * MR. RENWICK (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he will state approximately the cost that the Telegraph and Telephone Department of the Post Office has been put to in repairing the damage done to the overhead wires by the storms which took place in November and December last, and the the length of delay which has occurred in the transmission of telegraphic messages between London and Glasgow, London and Liverpool, London and Newcastle-on-Tyne, London and Cardiff, Newcastle-on-Tyne and Cardiff, Newcastle-on-Tyne and Glasgow, and vice versa, caused by the said storms.
§ The following Question also stood on the Paper on the same subject.
§ SIR JOHN LENGTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he will state how many days and hours the telegraphic service between London and the principal commercial centres of the Country were interrupted during the storms of November and December; what is the estimated loss of revenue from each day's interruption; what has been the cost of repairing the 467 wires and renewing the telegraphic service; and what measures are being taken to prevent a recurrence of similar interruptions in future.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe November storm caused no total interruption between London and any commercial centre in the country, except intermittently during the night of the 13th, with places in Scotland. On six days in the month, however, the delay on the Glasgow circuits amounted to one hour and upwards; and this was also the case on four days in the month on the Newcastle circuits, on two days on the Liverpool circuits, and on one day on the Cardiff circuits. In December, the wires to Glasgow, Liverpool, and Newcastle, were totally interrupted for the greater part of four days. Cardiff was not entirely cut off. On the direct wires between Newcastle and Cardiff, the interruptions in November were from the 12th to the 15th, and in December from the 9th to the 19th; but, except for a short time, communication was maintained by other wires. Between Newcastle and Glasgow there was no total interruption, but in December there was a delay of 35 minutes on the 16th. The loss of revenue from the November interruptions was about £2,500 and from the December interruptions about £5,500. The cost to the Post Office of making good the November breakages was about £2,500; and the December repairs will probably cost nearly £27,000. These sums do not include the expense incurred by the Railway Companies in carrying out their obligations to the Department. It will not be possible to prevent interruptions; but the Postmaster General hopes that the measures which have been taken to strengthen the lines and to provide reserve wires, will render them less serious; and the continuation northwards of the Birmingham underground line will be of great help.
§ * MR. RENWICKWill the hon. Gentleman kindly explain what is meant by one hour and upwards interruption, and what steps can be taken to prevent a repetition of this state of things especially as regards Newcastle and district.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIf my hon. friend will read my answer carefully, I think he will see I have dealt with both those points.
§ SIR JOHN LENGwas understood to ask if the underground wire was to be extended to Edinburgh and Glasgow
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINNo, SIR.