Four early 20th century "mega yachts"

Today, billionaires like Roman Abramovich, Sultan Qaboos of Oman and Larry Ellison are the proud owners of huge mega yachts, capable of cruising the seven seas in great comfort. However, there were a number of great yachts - powered by steam engines - already a hundred years ago. And I am probaly not the only one, who thinks that these yachts of a bygone time were a lot more elegant than their contemporary counterparts ...

Four of these early 20th century "mega yachts" were seen in Sweden in 1906:

The first of the four, arriving on June 1914, was the British Admiralty yacht "HMS Enchantress". On board were the Duke and the Duchess of Connaught, who came to Stockholm in order to attend the christening of their grandchild, the future Hereditary Prince Gustaf Adolf.  

The "HMS Enchantress" in Stockholm on June 14, 1906.

The "HMS Enchantress" was later to become a favorite of Winston Churchill's, during his time as First Lord of the Admiralty:


"The HMS Enchantress that took Churchill to sea was one of a lost
breed of ocean-going splendours, a steam yacht. They were glorious
craft with slim and elegantly raked funnels, a bowsprit and sumptuous
polished wood and brass, epitomising late Victorian and Edwardian
style and grace. In 1911, the navy had two - the twin-funnelled Royal
Yacht Victoria and Albert III and the single funnelled Enchantress with a
complement of 196 officers and ratings which was the the disposal of the
Commissioners of the Admiralty, and especially of the First Lord. And
no First Lord took greater advantage of her than Churchill. He had
been in post for only a few weeks before he was on board; and between
his appointment as First Lord in late 1911 and the outbreak of war, he
was on Enchantress for a total of eight months; indeed during some
months, such as November 1911, he was seldom away from her. Much 
of this time he was visiting ships, dockyards and other naval installa-
tions, although the First Lord was a generous host and Clementine and
other family members and friends were often invited to share the pleas-
ures of life afloat.

In 1914, Enchantress served as a field hospital for officers but was
then laid up until recommissioned in January 1919. She was ultimately
broken up early in 1935 when Churchill was asked if he would like to
have the pane of glass from the ship that had been engraved with his
coat of arms. He declined, saying he had nowhere to hang it."

(quote from "Churchill and Chartwell" by Stefan Buczacki (2008))

In July 1906 another large British steam yacht, the "S.Y. Mekong" visited Stockholm. According to newspaper reports from the time, King Oscar II of Sweden paid a visit to the yacht, the owner of which was a "Mr. Singer". 

The S.Y. Mekong was brand new when it visited Stockholm in the summer of 1906. The owner, Mr. Adam Singer of Southampton, had commissioned the ship from the shipbuilders Ramage & Ferguson of Leith. Later Singer sold the yacht to the French Duke de Montpensier. In 1915 it was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and was used as a patrol vessel. 

The "S.Y. Mekong" in Stockholm. 

The rest of the "Mekong" story is rather sad:

"On Sunday 12 March 1916 inthe early hours, HMS MEKONG was battling south against an ESE gale and torrential rain. At 4.50am she struck rocks off Gristhorpe and fired agun to summon assistance. The Filey Rocket Brigade set out to locate the
wreck, but in the meantime one member of the crew had tried to swim
ashore with a line tied round his waist. His gallant effort failed, and
his body was found on the rocks later. One other died similarly, but the
remaining crew members were rescued by the Life Saving Rocket Brigade
who lauled them up the cliffs in a breeches buoy. A third life was lost
when one man fell from this buoy and disappeared at once. The wreck of
the MEKONG lay forgotten until 1960 when it was reported that many live
shells were spilling from it. Naval divers were called in the the wreck
was blown up."

Also in July, another large steam yacht, Grand Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg's "Lensahn"  visited Helsingborg in southern Sweden. The Grand Duke was an avid seafarer, who was known for promoting shipping and shipbuilding in his duchy. He was also the only German Duke, whom the Emperor had granted the privilege to wear an admiral's uniform. 

The "Lensahn III" (launched in 1903) was designed by Johann Schütte, a prominent naval engineer, who served as an adviser to the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke usually he skippered his yacht himself, taking it to a great number of destinations in the Baltic and the Mediterranean.

Grand Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg's yacht "Lensahn " photographed in Helsingborg  in  July 1906. 

The proud owner of the "Lensahn" posing  for a photographer in Helsingborg.

The end of this beautiful steam yacht was sad. Like so many other German ships, also the "Lensahn" was after WW I sold to the United States. In the end of the 1920's the yacht was hit and destroyed by a hurricane in Miami. 

Helsingborg, a city with proud maritime traditions, was almost able to match Grand Duke Friedrich August's yacht in 1906. On August 31, the local entrepreneur and politician, consul Nils Pehrson's ( often written Persson) brand new yacht, the "Oriental" arrived in Helsingborg on its maiden voyage from Glasgow, where it was built. At the time it was the largest steam powered private yacht in Scandinavia, with a length of 180 feet (about 55m). 

The brand new steam yacht "Oriental" in Helsingborg on August 31, 1906.