Mr. Torrens moved an amendment adverse to the Bill, but his motion was defeated by a vote of 148 to 23. Before the vote was taken, Mr. W. Fowler, of the firm of Alexander & Company, Lombard Street, speaking of the reversionary rights of the railway companies, had said: "Therefore, for what the House knew, there might be contingent liabilities for hundreds of thousands or millions of pounds sterling more."[45] The measure became a law in August, 1869; and on February 5, 1870, the telegraphs of the United Kingdom were transferred to the Post Office Department. In the course of the year 1870, the Government bought the properties of the Jersey and Guernsey Company and of the Isle of Man Company. Those purchases, together with a large number of minor purchases made in 1869, but not previously mentioned, raised the total sum paid to the telegraph companies to $29,236,735. [Sidenote: _Reversionary Rights estimated at $3,500,000 cost $10,000,000_] Not until 1879 were the last of the claims of the railway companies adjusted. The writer has not succeeded in finding a specific official statement of the aggregate sum paid to the railway companies for their reversionary rights and for the grant to the Post Office of perpetual and exclusive way-leaves over their properties, but he infers that that sum was $10,000,000 or $11,000,000. That inference is based on testimony given in 1888 by Mr. C. H. B. Patey,[46] Third Secretary to the Post Office, and on information given by the Postmaster General in 1895.[47] It will be recalled, that in 1869, the Marquis of Hartington, Postmaster General, had told the House of Commons that the payments for the rights in question would not exceed $3,500,000. The Postmaster General doubtless spoke on the strength of assurances given by Mr. Scudamore. It will be remembered also that Mr. Leeman, in 1868, had warned the House in strong terms that Mr. Scudamore's estimates were not to be trusted. Finally, it will be remembered that in 1869, Mr. W. Fowler, a financier of high standing, had warned the House of Commons that "there might be contingent liabilities of thousands or millions of pounds sterling more." FOOTNOTES: [29] _Hansard's Parliamentary Debates_, April 1, 1868, p. 678, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. [30] _Hansard's Parliamentary Debates_, June 9, 1868, p. 1,305. [31] _Special Report from the Select Committee on the Electric Telegraphs Bill_, 1868. Mr. Scudamore: q. 3,477 and following, 3,352 to 3,364, 172, and 3,379 to 3,386. [32] _Hansard's Parliamentary Debates_, July 26, 1869, p. 755. [33] _Special Report from the Select Committee on the Electric Telegraphs Bill_, 1868; q. 3,366 and following, 3,484 and following, and 2,204 to 2,226. [34] _Hansard's Parliamentary Debates_, July 21, 1868, p. 1,557 and following. [35] _Special Report from the Select Committee on the Electric Telegraphs Bill_, 1868; Mr. Foster, q. 2,857, _et passim_.