ed the President of the Board of Trade in the House of Commons today whether, with a view to affording wireless operators on board ships a chance of saving their Li when ships had to be abandoned, he would order investigations to devise means whereby a wireless apparatus could be set to t automatically 8. 0. S. the latitude and longitude of the vessels Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister replied that he had been advised that there probably be no difficulty in ising such an instrument, but thought in the ordinary way it would be of very little use would be in operation for a very short time. It would make no pro-ion for replying to messages from ships coming to the rescue. Wireless operators had behaved with tremendous gallantry and by remaining at their posts they had not merely sent out S. 0. S. signals, but had received messages from shins coming to the rescue.
His department would be glad at any. time to discuss the value of any automatic apparatus, but the difficulties must be borne in mind.
Asked whether he would consider making it compulsory that every passenger-boat should carry at least tone motor wireless Sie Philip replied that these. ques: tions would be considered at the International Conference on the Safety of Life at fea, which would Cooli take place next spring.
Sir Philip said that, provisions of the Mi ping Act, the Royal Nati out Instit undertook the rety for prov taining the life-boat services fon the coasts of the Bi ish Isles.
He did not think that there was any reason for secking to take away from the Institution the great public service which it had. discharged faithfully and well since it was founded in 1824.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.