2,340. “Do you propose to call them?”—“No, but they are here to be called.”
2,341. “You do not propose to call them. This is the fact, is it not, that this Bill was sent to the Select Committee, with special instructions to make inquiries into various matters raised by petitions from 25 to 30 different interests, and you have, since that time, subsidized every interest that could give any information to this Committee; is not that the fact?”—“Not quite.”
[37] Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates, July 21, 1868, p. 1,568 and following.
[38] Special Report from the Select Committee on the Electric Telegraphs Bill, 1868.
Mr. Leeman examines Mr. Scudamore.
Question 2,330. “When the Bill was read a second time in the House of Commons, had you knowledge of the contents of the terms of the agreement between the Telegraph Companies and the Railway Companies, which enabled you to form any judgment financially as to what you might ultimately have to pay in respect of the Railway Companies?”—“No, I had not.”
[39] Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates, July 21, 1868, p. 1,578 and following.
[40] Special Report from the Select Committee on the Electric Telegraphs Bill, 1868; Appendix, No. 7.
| Leases to expire in: | Number of miles of telegraph line |
|---|---|
| 3 to 6 years | 1,280 |
| 7 ” 10 | 4,046 |
| 11 ” 20 | 3,211 |
| 20 ” 99 | 4,927 |
| Average unexpired length of all leases: | 23.67 years. |
[41] Special Report from the Select Committee on the Electric Telegraphs Bill, 1868; q. 2,980, 3,023, and 1,132.