CHAPTER XIII 



THE MARVELS OF MARCONI 

 The Beginnings of Wireless 



FEW scientists have ever had a better start in their 

 life-work than Guglielmo Marconi, but a start is 

 nothing unless the starter makes good use of it, 

 and no man alive has worked harder than this brilliant 

 Irish-Italian, or better deserved the great success and 

 reputation which he has gained. 



It is often said that Marconi was not the originator of 

 wireless telephony and telegraphy, and this is true in a 

 measure, for others before him had succeeded in causing 

 electric signals to travel through space from one set of 

 wires to another. Marconi, however, was the first to use 

 the Hertzian waves for this purpose, and to put wireless 

 communication on a practical basis. Very rightly, there- 

 fore, his name will go down to future generations as that 

 of the father of wireless. 



Years ago Miss Annie Jameson, daughter of John 

 Jameson, the well-known Dublin whisky-distiller, went 

 to Italy to complete her musical studies ; there she met 

 and married Giuseppe Marconi, a young Italian of good 

 family. Their eldest son, Guglielmo, was born at Bologna 

 on April 25th, 1874. The boy soon proved that he 

 had brains beyond the average, and while still quite a 

 youngster began to take a keen interest in chemistry. 



His mother was a clever woman herself ; she encouraged 

 him, and got all the books that she thought would help 

 him. She engaged a tutor for him, and even had built a 

 small laboratory where he could do his experiments. 



When Guglielmo was old enough he went to school at 



151 



