§ Mr. PETOasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in the case of the wreck of the steamer "Delhi," owing to the wireless apparatus being calculated to send messages with wave length of 300 or 600, and the Admiralty stations being tuned to wave lengths varying from 600 to 1,600, the "Delhi" was unable to communicate with Gibraltar, and communication was only made through the new wire less station at Cadiz, opened only a fort night before the wreck: and what steps he proposes to take to make Admiralty wire less stations of use in similar cases?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe wireless messages from the "Delhi" were taken in by His Majesty's ships at Gibraltar, and it is not the fact that the news of the wreck was first received by the naval authorities through the wireless station at Cadiz. The International Wireless Convention provides for the differentiation between commercial and naval wave lengths mentioned by the hon. Member. Whenever a sufficient number of men-of-war are in company, a look-out is kept by one of them on a commercial wave length. Naval shore stations, however, have to look out on naval wave lengths, and consequently commercial ship or shore stations will not ordinarily be able to communicate with them. This differentiation is necessary, and I do not propose to alter it.
§ Mr. PETOWould it not be possible to have an additional receiver or some additional plant at these Admiralty stations, so that they may be able to take messages from commercial vessels?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, Sir; it is only a question of money.