Elettra (Marconi)

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Marconi, born near Bologna, Italy, the son of an Italian country gentleman and an Irish mother, was educated in both Italian and English schools, gaining his scientific training at Leghorn and Bologna where he eagerly watched the experiments of Professor Righi with electro-magnetic wires and went on to make experiments of his own. In 1895 he set to work in earnest. He substituted a vertical wire for the Hertzian form of resonator, improved the Branly coherer which he used as a detector and invented an electric tapping device. With this apparatus he could send messages more than a mile. Next year he visited England and took out a patent—the first ever granted for a practical system of wireless telegraphy. In 1897 a company was formed to exploit wireless commercially—the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company—and in 1899 signals were transmitted across the English Channel. In December 1901 communication was established between Cornwall and Newfoundland and a rapid advance was made in methods of communication with ships at sea and in many other directions.
Marconi bought the steam yacht Elettra in 1920 and much of his finest research work was carried out on board the vessel when many miles from civilisation. He claimed that he could obtain ideal conditions for his many experiments only when at sea. The Elettra was built by Ramage and Ferguson at Leith to the designs of Cox and King, London and was completed in May 1904, for the Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, under whose ownership the yacht was named Rovenska. She had an overall length of 220 ft. a beam of 271/2 ft. and depth of 161/2 ft. For about 18 years the Elettra was Marconi's floating research laboratory. "The yacht" he said "not only makes me independent, but it takes me away from curious eyes and distractions. I can work there at all hours of the day and the night, finding without delay suitable ground for all kinds of experiments which would be difficult and complicated to carry out on land." It was on board the Elettra in the Bay of Biscay in 1920 that the first music broadcast to a ship was received, Marconi's guests dancing to the music of the Savoy Hotel Orpheans. Later, in mid-Atlantic the vessel's passengers heard Dame Melba from Covent Garden, the Elettra relaying the singer's voice to other stations in Europe, a great achievement in 1920.
The Elettra was the first vessel to take shelter from a gale by means of a wireless warning. This was in 1922 when Marconi made his first Atlantic crossing in the yacht when she took refuge at Bermuda. Marconi himself was a skilled navigator, holding the rank of captain in the Italian Royal Naval Reserve. His love of the sea was made manifest in his statement while the yacht was stormbound. . I am longing to get on board Elettra again. I travel a lot, but I am never happy when I am away from my yacht for long. Let somebody else have greater and more ambitious dreams. I am quite satisfied with my floating home. Nothing can replace the charm and freedom of the sea."
The yacht was magnificently furnished and equiped as a home, as well as a scientific laboratory and workshop. Besides the cabins used by the Marchese and Marchesa there were three guest cabins and four bathrooms; Marconi's study was furnished in oak and decorated with autographed portraits of the crowned heads and top brass who had visited the yacht. It was on board the Elettra that the short wave beam system was developed as a means of long-distance wireless communication. This brought into use short wave bands of 20 to 100 metres, previously considered impractical for commercial use. The Elettra steamed many thousands of miles in the course of these researches.
On the death of Marconi, a wealthy American, David Davies, made an offer of £200,000 for the yacht, but Marconi's executors refused this, preferring to sell the vessel to the Italian Government. All the apparatus on board, including the short wave radio telegraphic and radio telephonic gear, echo-sounding equipment, etc., the property of the Italian Marconi Company and part-property of the Marconi Company, London, was presented to the Italian Government by the joint companies in memory of their president. SG1130. Bahamas SG1077. Sea Breezes Feb 1960

[aukepalmhof]

Ordered as a yacht by the Archduke Charles Stephen (1860-1933) of Austria by Ramage & Ferguson Ltd. at Leith Scotland.
27 March 1904 launched under the name ROVENSKO named after the place on the island Losinj, Croatia where the Archduke had a luxurious villa where he usually lived during the winter.
Tonnage 632 grt, 232 net., dim. 67.40 x 8.38 x 5.18m. length bpp. 56.36m.
Powered by 3-cyl steam engine, 137 nhp., speed 12 knots.
She was managed by the Austrian Navy.

1910 She was bought by Sir Max Waechter, and registered under the British flag.
1914 Sold to Gustavus H.F. Pratt.
14 April 1915 till 30 March 1919 requested by the Royal Navy as an auxiliary patrol, armed with 1 – 12pdr. gun. Used in the English Channel and North Sea.
When World War I ended laid up in Southampton and put on the sale list.
1919 Was bought during an auction by Guglielmo Marconi for £21.000.
After some repair she sailed from London in July 1919 under the command of Commander Raffaele Lauro still under the British flag and arriving Naples in August.
She was later moved to La Spezia to be refitted in a radio wireless floating laboratory, 8Kw transmitter and receivers placed and fitted out with aerials, she had cabins for Marconi and his wife Beatrice and invited guests.
Renamed in ELETTRA.

During many voyages the already used systems were improved, and new invented equipment tested out, also research and experiments were undertaken.
After Marconi died in 1937 the ELETTRA was bought by Italian Ministry of Post and Telecommunications for 820.000 pounds
1939 She was taken to the Arsenal of La Spezia for refitting and restoration, but when war was imminent she was moved to Trieste, which was a safe port when war would brake out.
08 September 1943 she was requisitioned by the German forces.
The Italians were only allowed to land the radio equipment and materials used by Marconi for his trials.
All was packed in 19 cases and concealed in different places in Trieste.
November 1943 she was towed into the Arsenale Triestino, where she was converted in a warship, fitted out with 2 MG’s of 20mm and 15mm.
She got the Number 107G later changed to MA6, where after she was used for patrols off the Dalmatian coast.
21 January 1944 she arrived in the evening in the valley of Diklo near Zadar where she anchored. The next morning an Allied reconnaissance aircraft discovered her, where after she was bombed and machine gunned by aircrafts.
The wreckage was abandoned and she lay in the shallow bay for a long time, half submerged.
1962 Marshal Tito returned the wreckage to the Italian Government.
The hull was refloated by a salvage company out of Split and towed to a yard in San Rocco near Trieste.
All plans to restore her to her old glory where after some years abandoned due to a lack of money. .
1977 Her hull was cut into several sections which were transported to several museum sites, the machines and boiler you can find in the Naval Museum of Venice.

Colombia 1975 3p sg1380, scott?
Montserrat 1996 $1.50 sg 991, scott888
Niger 1974 50f sg534, scott?
Rwanda 1974 20c sg 603, scott587 , and 50f sgMS608, scott?

Source: http://www.radiomarconi.com/marconi/ele ... ettra.html.