759
doris
I think I need only point out the virtual certainty that our
Signal Stations will be utilized as "War Signal Stations" in Bar
time, to impress anybody with the importance of an efficient,speedy
and accurate method of communication with some central station,
(which should certainly be this Office), while the Lighthouses
will not improbably be used for the same purpose, and being fur-
-ther afield, will be of even greater importance.
6.
But putting aside imperial needs, Hongkong,
as one of the first commercial shipping ports of the World, if not
the first, cannot be said to possess a system of reporting the
approach and arrival of vessels at all commensurate with its
importance, and 1 think it a grave reproach that such primitive
and cumbrous methods are still permitted to survive when an ef-
-ficient system is possible at a cost which is far from prohibi-
-tive.
7.
Last, but not least, there is the consider-
-ation of increased general efficiency of the Harbour Department.
Under the present syster of telephonic communication, no accurate
record of the messages sent and received is assured. The lines,
when wanted, are often engaged or out of order. And great delay
is occasioned by the want of direct communication in no case
except in that of Green Island Signal Station is there less than
one external connection to be made,
8.
My proposition is as follows:-
'fo
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