§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONasked the Postmaster-General the number of words transmitted by the deferred press service since its inauguration five months ago, in order that it may be known to what extent, if any, the news service in the Empire has been increased by this non-urgent system, liable to nineteen hours' delay, from the United Kingdom to Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, monthly, respectively, the home- 1891W ward deferred press service from these countries, the ordinary press service outward and homeward, say for the past six months, as a comparison, and also the ordinary deferred message service in noncoded language for the use of the public for the same period in comparison with the ordinary full rate message service.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe North Atlantic cable companies as a whole do not possess statistics of their traffic in a form which would permit of the detailed comparison desired by the hon. Member being made. The following figures relate to traffic passing over the North Atlantic cables during the first three months of this year:
Class. To United Kingdom. From United Kingdom. Total. Words. Words. Words. Press— Deferred* 99,302 156,103 255,405 Other† 497,832 655,929 1,153,761 Ordinary— Half Rate‡ 277,415 243,040 520,455 Cable Letters§ 441,988 235,021 677,009 1,197,464 Full Rate† 2,757,477 2,761,765 5,519,242 * Traffic exchanged with Australasia, Canada, Newfoundland and United States. † Traffic exehanged with Australasia, North, Central and South America and West Indies. ‡ Traffic exchanged with Australasia, Canada, Newfoundland, United States, West Indies and (for part of period) Argentina. § Traffic exchanged with Canada, Newfoundland and United States.