CO129-397 - Public Offices & Others - 1912 — Page 40

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authorities, and report to me what site is proposed. Tenders could then be called for in this country for the erection of the station.

5. You will doubtless at the same time consider the desirability of erecting & similar station at Penang in accordance with the suggestion of the Penang Chamber of Commerce, referred to in your predecessor's despatches, No. 91 of 1st March and No. 102 of 7th March 1911.

Governor

Sir A. H. Young, K.C.M.G.,

&c.

&c.

&c.

I have, &c., (Signed) L. HARCOURT.

II. -COLONIAL OFFICE to POST OFFICE.

SIR,

27th September 1912. WITH reference to the letters from this Department of the 19th April and the 28th August relative to the proposed erection by the Government of a low-power wireless station at Singapore, which have not yet been answered, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, to be laid before the Postmaster-General, the accompanying copy of a despatch from the Governor of the Straits Settlements with regard to the establishment of such stations at Singapore and Penang.

2. Subject to any observations which Mr. Samuel may desire to offer on the question, Mr. Harcourt proposes to inform the Governor, in reply to the third paragraph of his despatch, that the high-power station, to be erected in connection with the Imperial wireless scheme, is intended to carry on long-distance commercial work, but that it is not probable, so far as can be foreseen at present, that it will also be able to carry on short-distance ship-and-shore work, and that for this purpose a separate 13-kilowatt station will be desirable with a range of about 300 miles.

The Secretary,

General Post Office.

I am, &c., (Signed) HENRY LAMBERT,

Enclosure.

for the Under-Secretary of State.

NORTH BORNEO.

I-BRITISH NORTH BORNEO COMPANY to COLONIAL OFFICE.

The British North Borneo Company,

37, Threadneedle Street,

London, E.C., 1st October 1912.

SIR,

THE Court is entering into a contract with Messrs. Siemens Brothers for the installation of wireless telegraphy in their territory. Jesselton, Sandakan and Selimpopon, which are marked on the enclosed map. There will be stations at These will be small stations for internal use only, and it has occurred to the Court that possibly His Majesty's Government might like to co-operate with them in establishing a large station in their territory, with the object of completing the chain of Imperial wireless stations which it is understood is in contemplation.

I am to ask whether in this case His Majesty's Government would be ready to contribute the difference between the cost of a large and small station either at Jesselton or Sandakan, whichever might be most convenient for their purpose.

The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office,

SIR,

(Signed)

I am, &c.,

HARRINGTON G. FORBES, Secretary.

Downing Street, S.W.

II-COLONIAL OFFICE to BRITISH NORTH BORNEO COMPANY.

WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 9th instant, I am

31st October 1912. directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to request you to inform the Court of the British North Borneo Company that His Majesty's Government do not desire to suggest the erection of a high-power or medium-power station in British North Borneo in connection with the Imperial Wireless Scheme.

The Secretary,

British North Borneo Company.

I am, &c.,

(Signed) H. J. READ,

for the Under Secretary of State.

SIR,

GOVERNOR OF STRAITS SETTLEMENTS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

Government House,

Singapore, 15th August 1912. WITH reference to your despatch No. 42 of 16th February last, on the subject of the desirability of establishing wireless telegraph stations at Singapore and Penang, I have the honour to report that, after consulting the Chambers of Commerce in both places, I have provisionally entered in the Estimates for 1913 sums of $20,000 and $6,000 (being approximately the amounts suggested in paragraph 3 of your despatch) for installation and upkeep respectively of a low-power station at Penang.

2. The Singapore Chamber of Commerce expressed the opinion that an installation of so small a range as 300 miles would be of little commercial utility, and I have therefore caused no provision to be made for a station in this Settlement.

3. A further communication has, however, recently been received from the Singapore Chamber inquiring whether the proposed Imperial high-power station would be available for the despatch and receipt of commercial messages when not required for Imperial purposes, and asking that, in the event of the reply being in the negative, the question of establishing a low-power station at Singapore may be reconsidered. I would ask to be favoured with instructions on the point now raised by the Chamber.

The Right Hon. Lewis Harcourt, M.P.,

(Signed)

I have, &c.,

ARTHUR YOUNG

&c.,

&c., &c., Colonial Office,

* See No. 1. page 4.

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