A.—s

606

Mr. BUXTON : Do you mean in time of peace or war ? Mr. DEAKIN : In time of peace. Mr. BUXTON : How in time of peace would it be disadvantageous ? Mr. DEAKIN : Would they not become familiar with their whereabouts, and range of communication i Mr. BUXTON : Supposing you had a station which was not intercommunicable, what would you propose to use it for ? Mr. DEAKIN : For our own ships only I Mr. BUXTON : These other ships can be fitted with the non-Marconi apparatus ? Mr. DEAKIN : 1 assume so. Mr. BUXTON : Then there is nothing to prevent them communicating. If you are going to use a station for any practical purpose you cannot keep its whereabouts a secret. I understand you to say they would get to know where it was. Mr. DEAKIN : Get to know exactly how many stations there were on our coast. Mr. BUXTON : Surely that would be the same whether it was the Marconi system or anything else; because if they are going to be used they must know where they are. Mr. DEAKIN : Certainly. But the question for us, was whether these stations for defensive purposes should become public property. Mr. BABINGTON SMITH : There is nothing in the Convention which prevents purely Naval and Military stations being kept absolutely secret and free from communication with anybody. Such stations are outside the Convention. Mr. DEAKIN : It is months since the papers passed under my hands, and probably I am not recalling the exact terms of the Convention. Mr. BUXTON : I think you will find undoubtedly, when you come to look them up again, that every one of those points you have made, and many others which were made as to the original draft Convention, have been entirely met. Mr. DEAKIN : Since the Convention was published ? Mr. BUXTON : There is an amended Convention. You are speaking probably of the draft of the old one in which there are probably many points to which we should not agree. Mr. DEAKIN : I did not read any Convention except the first.

Fifteenth Day. 14 May 1907.

Wireless Telegraphy.