Copy
205
Care & Maintenance of the Telephone Line from Port War Signal Station at Dockyard to D'Aguilar.
Secretary, War Office;
I forward copy of a letter received from the Commodore in which he requests me to undertake the maintenance of the Naval line from D'Aguilar to main Signal Station, H. M. Dockyard.
As our own line runs part of the way on the same poles, and mainly follows the same route, and the time of the Public Works Telephone Staff is already fully occupied, I strongly recommend that the maintenance of the Naval line should be taken over by us. The Commodore suggests that the line should be maintained free of cost to Navy and as it is important to the general defence I concur in his view. It is now so maintained by the Civil Government.
The importance of this line to the Military defence is obvious, as on it depends the transmission of any information received by wireless at D'Aguilar, to Military Head Quarters, which are now connected by a special line to the main signal station.
I understand that the Naval Authorities hope shortly to get wireless communication from D'Aguilar to the Japanese Station in Formosa.
Hong Kong
10th April 1907.
C. H. DARLING, Colonel
for General Officer Commanding the Troops.
South China Command.
(Absent on leave.)