§ SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will state where the breakages occurred during the gale in Scotland on Monday, 6th July, in the telegraphic communication, and for what length of time messages were delayed in transmission before communication was renewed.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.On the 6th instant a large tree was blown across the telegraph line between Chester and Eccleston, breaking twenty-two wires, and a similar accident happened to the line between Lichfield and Stafford. There were minor interruptions all along the lines caused by branches of trees in full foliage being blown across the wires. The maximum delay to messages was at about 2.30 p.m.: it was then 130 minutes to Dundee, 110 minutes to Glasgow and Aberdeen, and 105 minutes to Edinburgh. By 6.30 the delay was reduced to half-an-hour.