London. The very young (22-year-old) Guglielmo Marconi has only arrived in the city a few days ago, but he is already receiving General Annibale Ferrero, the Italian ambassador to London and also a senator, at his home (71 Hereford Road, Bayswater). Marconi would like to offer his invention of wireless telegraphy to the Italian government, but Ferrero strongly advises against it. “I advise young Marconi to protect his invention with worldwide patents, to reserve for himself freedom of action with the Italian government in any patent assignment agreement, and to travel freely wherever he can most easily obtain the large funds needed to launch such an important new invention, which cannot be kept secret for long.” He also says that the Italian government is so rogue that it would have no qualms about stealing his invention. And that it is the most idiotic government in existence, that it only harms the nation, and that the war in Africa is madness. Ferrero knows what he’s talking about: he’s a scientist and a soldier. A few days later (March 1), Italy suffers a heavy defeat at Adwa in the war in Africa, marking the failure of Crispi’s policies in Africa.
