THE STEAM YACHT SEMIRAMIS, R.Y.S.

THE STEAM YACHT SEMIRAMIS, 491 TONS GROSS (272 NET), WAS DESIGNED FOR MR. JOHN LYSAGHT BY A.H. "SKIPPER" BROWN AND BUILT FOR HIM BY RAMAGE & FERGUSON OF LEITH IN 1889. STEEL-HULLED AND WITH A SCOTCH BOILER, HER TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE PRODUCED 635IHP. AND COULD DRIVE HER AT A STEADY 14 KNOTS WHEN IN STEAM. RIGGED AS A SCREW BRIGANTINE, SHE WAS 225 FEET IN LENGTH WITH A 27 FOOT BEAM AND A 13 FOOT DRAUGHT. LYSAGHT SOLD HER IN 1893 AND IN 1894 SHE WAS BOUGHT BY A.J. DREXEL, THE IMMENSELY WEALTHY PHILADELPHIA BANKER, WHO PROMPTLY RENAMED HER MARGARITA. HE IN TURN SOLD HER TO THE EQUALLY WEALTHY HENRY WALTERS OF BALTIMORE IN 1899 WHEREUPON HER NAME CHANGED AGAIN, THIS TIME TO NARADA. AS NARADA, SHE BECAME ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN YACHTS ON THE NORTH ATLANTIC AND WALTERS MADE MANY TRIPS TO EUROPE IN HER TO BUY THE ART TREASURES WHICH NOW FORM THE BASIS OF THE WALTERS GALLERY COLLECTION IN BALTIMORE. APART FROM THE LATTER YEARS OF THE GREAT WAR WHEN SHE WAS LEASED TO THE U.S. NAVY, WALTERS USED NARADA CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL HE SOLD HER IN 1933, AFTER WHICH SHE DISAPPEARS FROM RECORD.