I came across this photograph of the uncle of Tsar Nicholas, the Grand Duke Alexei in Paris after being sacked as the Admiral of the Fleet in charge of the Russian Navy after its sinking by the Japanese at the battle of Tsushima 1905. The Russians lost 7 out of 8 battleships and 10,000 dead or wounded. This was the first decisive sea battle fought by steel warships, a dying echo of a past era when ships of the line surrendered on the high seas after this the most important sea battle since Trafalgar.
The Grand Duke died in Paris after a life of “slow ships and fast women” in the arms of his mistress the French dancer La Balletta in 1908 a fact recorded in the Australian and not the European Press.
This photograph is of interest in that it is the first known electric car with the Grand Duke, far side rear, in the back Paris 1906.
Single electric headlight to the front, candle carriage lights and traction engine steering, drawing a London made standard Barker Landau.
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Just A Car Guy
