§ MR. JOHN DEWAR (Inverness)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether any experiments have been made with the system of wireless telegraphy, with a view to its application in the postal telegraph service, more especially in cases such as prevail in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, where, under present conditions, the Department has in many instances been unable to establish telegraphic communication between the islands and the mainland on account of the cost. And, will he state the nature of the difficulty which at present prevents the adaptation of wireless telegraphy for the purposes of the public telegraph service.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe Post Office has made many experiments with various systems of wireless telegraphy, and communication has already been established in more than one instance. The Postmaster General is not aware of any case in the Highlands which would be suitable for wireless telegraphy; and as regards the Islands of Scotland, where there is any demand for telegraphic communication, it does not appear that in present circumstances the annual expense of a wireless system would differ materially from the expense of submarine cables; and in any case a guarantee could not he dispensed with. The Postmaster General will, however, continue to keep the matter under review.