SU N DAY, 19 APRIL 2026
Guglielmo Marconi last week switched on from his yacht Elettra, then lying o ff Genoa, 2800 lights in the Sydney Town Hall by pressing a key which set in motion the ether signals that were transmitted by beam wireless to Australia. It was regarded as one of the most interesting experiments of the times in wireless transmission, and was a complete success. The photograph shows Marconi on the deck of the yacht with his wife, who was on the vessel when the signal was sent through. Elettra was Guglielmo Marconi's steam yacht – a seaborne laboratory – from which he conducted his many experiments with wireless telegraphy, wireless telephony and other communication and direction-finding techniques during the inter-war period. Built during the early part of the 20th century, she sailed both as a private yacht and also as a naval patrol boat before passing into the hands of Guglielmo Marconi in 1919. At the outbreak of World War I, the vessel was requisitioned by the British government and converted into a patrol and escort ship for the Royal Navy as part of the Channel Fleet, plying between England and the French ports of Brest and Saint Malo. [7] At the end of the war, she was decommissioned and auctioned at Southampton, coming into the hands of Guglielmo Marconi in 1919 for £21,000. [8] Service with Marconi Conversion to luxurious seaborne laboratory Now owned by Marconi, the vessel sailed from London in July 1919. O ff the coast of Portugal, Marconi startled the operators at a coast station with transmissions of music from gramophone records. [9] The yacht arrived at Naples in mid-August, then transferring to La Spezia, where she was converted for service as a laboratory. Marconi's original intention was to rename his yacht Scintilla ('Spark') but it was felt this would prove too di ffi cult to pronounce in English. The yacht was accordingly renamed Elettra and was entered into the Italian Registry of Shipping on 27 October 1921 with subsequent ratification under the Italian flag on 21 December. Modifications at La Spezia included increasing the height of the masts in order to rig the various wireless aerials that would be required. It was also arranged that Marconi's private cabin would give directly onto the laboratory. [10] On deck and aft of the laboratory was a dining room with space at table for 12– Page 3 of 7 Maggie Marriott
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