87. Captain FABERasked the Postmaster-General if he will lay upon the Table of the House all the correspondence which has taken place between his Department and the British representative of the Goldschmidt system concerning Imperial wireless service?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELAs I have already stated in answer to a question yesterday, I propose to lay the correspondence with other Papers on the Table of the House at an early date.
90 and 91. Captain FABERasked the Postmaster-General (1) whether the Goldschmidt Company has as yet made any offer of a definite test; and what answer the Post Office has returned; and (2) whether he has submitted to his expert advisers the desirability of throwing open to public tender the contract for the Imperial chain, in view of the fact that a wireless system, other than the Marconi, has succeeded in establishing communication across the Atlantic, and over a distance much greater than any hitherto covered between regular stations; and what action he proposes to take in the event of the test of the Goldschmidt system proving satisfactory?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIn reply to these questions I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given yesterday to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds.
Captain FABERWould it not be possible to throw open this contract to other systems, seeing that the Marconi Company are promised 10 per cent, on the gross receipts instead of net receipts, whereas other companies might come in on better terms?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI gave a very full reply yesterday as to the objections to calling for tenders.
Captain FABERWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind what I have said about the 10 per cent, on gross receipts?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELYes. I have had it particularly in mind for nearly two years.
§ 92. Mr. BARNSTONasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that in May, 1911, the Sub-Committee of Imperial Defence urged the creation of long-range wireless stations, that seven months later the Committee of Imperial Defence itself similarly recommended this step, and that the Post Office eight months later still produced the first Marconi contract and waited yet another eight months before evolving the second, whether there is any special reason now for precipitate action involving the grant of a monopoly to one system to the exclusion from tendering of another which claims to be able to tender with the certainty of satisfying all the conditions of the Post Office?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe delay which has already unfortunately occurred is an additional reason against further delay. There is no question of precipitate action or of the grant of any monopoly.
§ Mr. HUNTCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether it was decided under all circumstances to give a monopoly to the Marconi Company, and whether this is due to the fact that their manager knows so much about Ministerial investments?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThere is no question of any monopoly whatever.
93. Mr. F. HALLasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the proprietors of the Goldschmidt system of wireless telegraphy are willing to guarantee the required speed in transmission and reception of wireless messages laid down as necessary under the terms of the Marconi Contract, and are willing to 1071 tender and to start construction of stations at once, he will take steps which will allow the proprietors of the said Goldschmidt system competing for the contract for the Imperial wireless service?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELAs I have previously stated in the House, and as I have informed the English representatives of the Goldschmidt system, I am unable to consider the use of that system for the purposes of the Imperial stations until my representatives have witnessed an adequate demonstration of the working of the system. A guarantee on the part of the company without such a demonstration is not sufficient.
Mr. F. HALLIs the House to understand that the contract with the Marconi Company will not be completed until the Goldschmidt people have had a fair opportunity of demonstrating fully to the Post Office their means of transmitting and receiving messages?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI cannot say that the matter will be held back until the Goldschmidt Company are in a position to offer a demonstration. I invited them to give me a demonstration last week, but they are unable to do so until some weeks hence.
Mr. F. HALLIs it not a fact that the Goldschmidt Company are prepared to give a demonstration the first week in August?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThey say that they will be able to give a demonstration the first week in August, but as Parliament will rise about the middle of August, if I waited until then for a demonstration, it would be impossible to give the House time to deal with the matter this Session, and it would mean the postponement of the whole question for nine months, and possibly for twelve.
§ Mr. WALTER GUINNESSCould not a tender be accepted conditionally on the practical test being carried out, and the contract, after that condition has been carried out, put through before the House rises?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNo. I have not sufficient confidence in the test being successful to make it reasonable to adopt such a suggestion.