The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-18 00:00:00

A NEW CALCULATING MACIINE.

We read in the Meniteur—" M. Thomas, of Colmar,
has lately made the finishing improvements in the calcu-
lating machine, called the arithmometer, at which he has
been working for upwards of 30 years. Pascal and Leib-
nitz, in the 17th century, and Diderot at a later period,
endeavoured to construct a machine which might serve
as a substitute for human intelligence in the combination
of figures, but failed. M. Thomas's arithmometer may
be Used without the least trouble or poz.,sibiiity of error,
not only for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and di-
vision, but also for much more complex operations, such
as the extraction of the square root, involution, the reso-
, lotion of triangles, &c. A. multiplication of eight figures
by eight others is made in eighteen seconds ; a
of sixteen figures by eight figures in 24 seconds;
and in one minute and a quarter one can extract the
square root of 16 figures, and also prove the aceuraoy
of the calculation. The arithmometer adapts itself to
every sort of combination. As an instance of the
wonderful extent of its powers, we may state that it
can furnish in a few seconds products amounting to
99,9,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999 ! A marvel-
lons number, comparable to the infinite multitude of
stars which stud the firmament, or the particles of dust
which float in the atmosphere. The working of this in-
strument is, however, most simple. To raise or lower a
nut screw, to turn a winch a few times, and, by means
of a button, to sli le off a metal plate from lett to right,
or from right to left, is the whole secret. Instead of
simply reproducing the operations of man's intelligence,
the arithmometer relieves that intelligence from the ne-
cessity of making the operations. Instead of repeating
responses dictated to it, this instrument instantaneously
dictates the proper answer to the man who asks it a
question. It is not a matter producing material effects,
but matter which thinks, reflects, reasons, calculates and
executes all the most difficult and complicated arithmetical
operations, with a rapidity and infallibility which defies all ,
the calculators in the world. Tee arithmometer is more-
over a simple instrument, of very little volume and easily
portable. It is already used in many great financial esta-
blishments, where considerable economy is realised by its
employment. It will soon be considered as indispensable,
and be as generally used as a cloak, which was formerly
only to be seen in palaces, and is now in every cottage.
Generally speaking, the practical application of any great
mechacicat improvement involves an injury to certain in-
teracts, but that is not tae case here. The arithmometer
will not cause to the persons employed in banks, count
leg-nooses, and public offices any such prejudice as tow
knitters suffered from theiuvention of the stocking frame,
tte spinners from the spinning jennies, or copyists from
the invention of printing. The person who makes use of
this machine even daily does not therefore lose his apti-
tuoe fur calculation in the ordinary way. 01, the contrary,
although a child may be easily taught to perform the most
complicated calculations by the use of the instrument,
the more expert in figures the operator is the more ad-
vantage he will derive front the aid of this machine. The
ar...thunotneter is not only a palpable evidence of a great
difficulty overcome ; it is an element of wealth, a new
means of multiplying time, like the loComotive engine
and the electric telegraph. The discovery is an event
the full importance of which it is inapo3sible as yet to
measure."

MURDEROUS ATTACK ON FACTORY OPERA-
TIVES ArLAR BRADFORD.

Since the recent disturbances and destructive attack
upon Mr. Taylor's mill at Bei!doe, a township near
Bradford, reported in The Sun a fortnight ago, serious
apprehensions have been entertained of further outbreaks,
and rumours have been current ef another physical de-
monstration. againse the two-loom system of wearing--
that is, each weaver attending to two looms, as is the
case in Bradford, the plan not having hitherto been
favourably received in the out-townships. The local
authorities, however,, selected 140 of the principal inha-
bitants, and had them sworn in as special constables,
which circumstance, combined with the precautions taken
by the West Riding Constables, has had the effect of
repressing disturbances in the immediate vicinity of Mr.
Taylor's mill, but has not prevented the one-loom wea-
vers from threatening harm to those weav:ng on the new
system. No actual violence occurred until Friday night.
The precaution has been adopted of allowing the two-
loom weavers to leave work earlier than the others, and 1
,n
_Friday evening a party of ten or a dozen, residine in 1
,Brieford, three miles distant, left Mr. Taylor's premises
"-about half-past five o'clock, and proceeded on their a a.y
tigalt4r.)!y iborne. They walked along Manningba.m fine, the high
reed from Saltaire, Baildon, and Shipley to'Bradfo;d ,
l e shorter' eoutte opposite Redbeek mill, a place where a
fro
highway after crossing some fields by a
' he :geettakee
,• tweeee no and rom Shipley. A large party of men, be-
-30, rushed across the fields, armed with
%clhontlier weapons, attacked the two-loom
• a avers, and
with the exception,"t
loom
weaverb s
at belaboured them roost brutally. The two
got away from their assailants,
Manghan, residing of a poor fellow, named Thomas
gh'i,at White Abbey, a suburb of Brad-
, ford, who missed)
and on one of the attaTr*L•Y in the midst of the scuffle,
a another two-loonier," they
the 'exclamation ~Th',l.7e6,g Party pointing him out with
heat him most ehatnefen
continue
ynur2dth their cudgels, felled him
their brutal ill-treatment
to the groimil, and coman
bee
le insensible. It is pre-
until tile unfortunate
etreed tf2et hi.s assailatst3 werc:aani
himglacinampanions return-
uof en the ground,
ran away, for on some of MangleamrtPed by
fit leP3'''ri
thecarried wtohtehreeaßbLudt!
ing in a short time they found
twifetlit,eericnogwianrdlalyis
ruffians.bloed,w ithH7weaigs
ford Infirmary, where prompt assistance was rendered
by the medical gentlemen in attendance, ho foetid that •
the principal injuries inflicted comprised two eery en '•
wounds at the hack of the head, one ea the rio;t- ii-av,.f: j
and another on the left leg. He remained fora con-.'^. 1
derable time in a state of senei-inseneftility. o,l,bis
r2'.:
turn to consciousness he informed the medical attendant, ;
that he did not know any of his assailants, and ex
pressed his belief that none of them are employed at M.
Taylor's mill. Yesterday afternoon, on inquiry at lb , I
Bradford Infirmary, the reporter learnt that Ma.nglia a
was slightly improvicg, and that hopes were entertaimsd •
of his recovery. In the meantime the local police n- d
eonstah:-.lary are irie ituting
the members of the brutal geng.
stringent endeavours to, t Noe