42. Captain CRAIGasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that only one Marconigram operator is carried by certain Peninsular and Oriental mail steamers; and whether, in view of the experience gained within recent years, the Board will issue Regulations that every ocean-going steamer fitted with the Marconigram instrument shall carry at least two operators?
Mr. BUXTONI am informed by the Peninsular and Oriental Company that only one Marconi operator is carried on certain of their ships, and that it is difficult to find sufficient work for this operator, as there are few opportunities for communication cast of Suez. The Board of Trade have no power to issue Regulations as to the number of operators to be carried, but, as I have already stated to the House, a Bill requiring certain ships to be provided with wireless telegraphy apparatus has been prepared, and the question of operators will be dealt with in it.
43. Mr. FRED HALLasked the grounds on which the letters patent in respect of certain improvements in wireless telegraphy granted to Ettone Bellini were revoked; and whether any of such improvements have been or are proposed to be embodied in the Marconi system?
Mr. BUXTONIt is assumed that the patent referred to is No. 11339 of 1911. This patent was revoked by the Comptroller-General of Patents on the 28th September last in consequence of an offer made by the patentee to surrender the patent under the provisions of Section 26 (3) of the Patents and Designs Act, 1907. The reason given by the patentee for making this offer was as follows:—"That the invention is found to be wanting in novelty." I have no official information as to the last part of the question.