THE ELETTRA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE ELETTRA.

. YACHT MAKES HISTORY. Wo always rejoice when we see two or three lines tucked away in the corner of a big newspaper announcing that Marconi has set out on a voyage in his yacht Elettra, for it invariably means some new discovery of benefit to the human race, the "Children's Newspaper" says. This gallant little yacht will,go down tho ages with the Santa Maria, Mayflower, Fram, and Discovery. The Elettra herself has recently been used as an experimental ship as well as a ship on which experiments have been made. She has, in fact, been used by her owner to test his latest discovery while carrying as passengers representatives of the world's shipping. Safety at sea has been the most urgent need of civilised man since he ventured from the river beyond the coastline. But, do what he will, fog and darkness have ever been barriers to sea transport, and for many years Marconi has been endeavouring to master these blinding forces of Nature. Tho wireless directional beam lias accomplished much, but. has proved inadequate to enable a ship to navigate in enclosed and crowded harbours in safety. Marconi now claims to have solved this problem, too, and has fitted up the chart room of the Elettra to show his perfect method.

It is the ultra-short wireless waves which are employed to work the new miracle. There is a transmitter on shore operating on a wave-length of about 60 centimetres, entirely free from interference from atmospherics. Apparatus in the chart room will pick up this wireless wave, and a ship can steer towards the beacon. Its path, would, of course, show the safety line for entering a harbour or passing through a narrow channel in an estuary.

In the chart room of the ehip there is a, dial which is divided into two sections, red and green. All tho steersman has to do is to keep the dial pointed where the red and green meet; in addition,-a high note will sound when tho ship swings to the left, and a low note when she swings to the right, so that actually a blind man could eteer a ship into the harbour.

The Elettra did not actually use a harbour for the public demonstration; a couple of buoys were anchored, and she passed in triumph between them.