§ Mr. SHORTTasked the Postmaster-General if he can state the number of towns to which the continuous system of Wheatstone working from the Central Telegraph Office is in operation; the number of wires which were in use daily to each of those towns for commercial purposes under the previous system of working and the number now in daily use; whether delay to telegrams has decreased or increased as a result of the change of system; and what use is being made of the redundant wires?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe continuous Wheatstone system is in operation between the Central Telegraph Office and eight towns. The system is at present in the experimental stage, and I am considering whether or not it should be made permanent. There were forty wires formerly in use as compared with about half that number now. Delay has generally decreased. The wires thrown spare are held in reserve, but some are being used for press work and for making good faulty wires.