s telegraph was not far away.

XVI

AN ITALIAN BOY'S WORK

The Italian Youth who Dreamed Wonderful Dreams--His Studies--Early
Detectors--Marconi Seeks an Efficient Detector--Devises New Sending
Methods--The Wireless Telegraph Takes Form--Experimental Success.

With the nineteenth century approaching its close, man had discovered
that the electric waves would travel through the ether; he had learned
something of how to propagate those waves, and something of how
to receive them. But no one had yet been able to combine these
discoveries in practical form, to apply them to the task of carrying
messages, to make the improvements necessary to make them available
for use at considerable distances. Though many mature scientists had
devoted themselves to the problem, it remained for a youth to solve
it. The youth was Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian.

We have noticed that the telegraph, the cable, and the telephone were
the work of those of the Anglo-Saxon race--Englishmen or Americans--so
it came as a distinct surprise that an Italian youth should make
the next great application of electricity to communication. But
Anglo-Saxon blood flows in Marconi's veins. Though his father was an
Italian, his mother was an Irishwoman. He was born at Villa Griffone
near Bologna, Italy, on April 25, 1874. He studied in the schools of
Bologna and of Florence, and early showed his interest in scientific
affairs. From his mother he learned English, which he speaks as
fluently as he does his native tongue. As a boy he was allowed to
attend English schools for short periods, spending some time at
Bedford and at Rugby.

One of his Italian teachers was Professor Righi, who had made a close
study of the Hertzian waves, and who was himself making no small
contributions to the advancement of the science. From him young
Marconi learned of the work which had been accomplished, and of the
apparatus which was then available. Marconi was a quiet boy--almost
shy.

He did not display the aggressive energy so common with many promising
youths. But though he was quiet, he was not slothful. He entered into
his studies with a determination and an application that brought to
him great results. He was a student and a thinker. Any scientific book
or paper which came before him was eagerly devoured. It was this habit
of careful and persistent study that made it possible for Marconi to
accomplish such wonderful things at an early age.

Marc