§ Mr. CHADWICKasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, having regard to the great importance as a life-saving medium of wireless telegraphy at sea, and also the fact that one of the chief objections to its general adoption is the cost of special wireless operators, he can say that in practice the Admiralty have found, both by experience in the air and on the sea, that a comparatively simple course of training suffices to make young officers sufficiently proficient for the ordinary purposes of a small cargo ship?
§ Mr. LONGI am advised that a short course of training will turn out competent wireless telegraphy operators, but it must be remembered that a man cannot hope to maintain his efficiency as a wireless telegraphy operator without constant practice, and also that it is bad policy for officers, whose proper duty at sea is keeping watch on deck, to be employed in the wireless telegraphy office.
§ Mr. CHADWICKasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, based on the experience of the War, a course of wireless 2152W telegraphy training should be included in the curriculum of every sea-training institution?
§ Mr. LONGThe institution of such a. course would no doubt be of value, but it must be borne in mind that no man can be an efficient wireless telegraphy operator unless he has constant practice, and it is useless to train men who will use their knowledge only occasionally.