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SECRET.

TELEGRAPH COMMUNICATIONS IN TIME OF WAR.

DIRECT WIRELESS TELEGRAPH COMMUNICATION WITH RUSSIA.

I.

NOTE BY THE SECRETARY.

THE Post Office have forwarded (Appendix) to the Committee of Imperial Defence a copy of a letter which has been received from the Russian Telegraph Administration in regard to the establishment of direct communication by wireless telegraphy between the United Kingdom and Russia.

2. The Committee approved at its 115th meeting the report (C.I.D. Paper 136-B) of the Standing Sub-Committee on submarine cable communications in time of war, which contained the following recommendations :--

"30. In view of the liability to interruption of the cables connecting Great Britain with the Continent of Europe, the Sub-Committee recommend that arrangements should be organised for the use of wireless telegraph stations on an emergency to secure at all events a minimum of communication not only with those countries themselves, but through those countries with the extra-European telegraph systems with which their lines connect.”

"35. Of still greater moment is wireless telegraph communication with Norway. While the Anglo-Norwegian cables are exposed to a serious risk of interference from Germany, communication with Norway is of great importance, not only in itself, but also from the prospect it offers of communication, across the Norwegian and Russian frontiers at a point far removed from German interference, with Russia and countries beyond. It is believed that the Norwegian Government would readily co-operate in the establishment of a service which would be available for this purpose in time of war, while in time of peace the stations would carry on ship-and- shore work or possibly render assistance in the event of the interruption of cable communication. There is no station available for the purpose on the British coast, and the Sub-Committee recommend that one should be erected, as an addition to the ship-and-shore service of the Government, in the neighbourhood of Peterhead."

3. The Post Office took action in accordance with the recommendations contained in this Report first in the case of France (C.I.D. paper). The French Telegraph Administration has approved in principle of the proposal to establish such communi- cation, but no definite arrangement has yet been made.

4. The Swedish Government has proposed that a regular wireless service should be established between the United Kingdom and Sweden. This proposal is still under consideration.

5. In present circumstances Sweden might be either hostile to us, or neutral with a strong bias in favour of Germany. In the latter case she might without infringing the laws of neutrality refuse to transmit the telegraph messages, whether by cable or wireless, of either belligerent.* Such a course would obviously cause greater

war.

• This course was adopted by the Government of the Dutch East Indies during the Russo-Japanese

[449]

B 2

141-8

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