Captain BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is in a position to furnish information as to existing direction-finding facilities for ships approaching the coasts of the British Isles; what new wireless direction-finding stations are contemplated and may be expected in the near future; and whether, seeing that at present an official charge of 5s. is made for each message sent to a ship indicating her bearing from a wireless direction-finding station, whereas similar information is given to 62W ships of all nationalities from wireless direction-finding stations in Canada, the United States, France and elsewhere entirely free of charge, he will consider the desirability of abolishing the charges for such information given to ships in this country?
Mr. ALEXANDERThere are at present direction-finding stations at Berwick, Flamborough and Lizard, and new stations are contemplated in South Wales and at Niton, Isle of Wight. I am aware that in certain countries no charge is made for bearings given by direction-finding stations, but in view of the cost of the service in this country it-is not considered that the whole of the cost should be borne by the Exchequer.