Evening journal., 1896-11-17
BABBAGE MACHINE.
A MECHANICAL CALCULATOR THAT
COST ENGLAND $4,000.
An Invention That Attracted Wide At
tention Tor Many Years, but which Was
Finally Abandoned as Being OF No Prac-



ticai Uso.
Babbage's calculating machine would |
require whole volume to do its mar.
velous history anything like justice. In
the year 1919 Babbago really commenced |
operations by taking arumber Of wheels
TO wheel cutter at Lambeth to have |
the teeth cut in them. Toward the end |
OF July, 1923, the inventor commenced |
upon the difference engine, and he |
worked on it for four years regularly,
with the result that, in October, 1927,
he had spent SO, 475. The very first diff
ference engine made, however, was put
together between the year 1920 and
June, 1922. 1t consisted Of from six to
eight figures A larger and more per-
feet machine was afterward commenced
in 1928 for the government. The latter
was to have six orders OF differences,
each consisting Of about 20 places Of
figures. 1t was also intended to print
the tables it computed. In 1897 Bah
bage's wife died, and he was advised to
travel on the continent. being in low
state Of health. He left the drawings,
however, in order that the work might
be carried on in his absence, and he also
gave his banker instructions TO advance
81 600 while he was away. In the be-
ginning Of 1929 the government direct
ed the Royal society to inquire into tho
machine, and tho administration also
directed that fireproof building should
hq ted fr,I ~rt
ter square, close to Babbage's house,
Dorset street, in which it was intended
to place the machines when finished.
One day early in 1892, finding he could
no longer make payments in advance,
Babbage informed the engineer in
charge Of the works that in future he
would not pay him until money was
received from the treasury. Thereupon
the mechanician struck work and dis
missed his men. One Of these, in receipt
Of guineas a week. was afte1ward tho
famous engineer, Sir J. Whitworth.
Babbage's troubles had Just COM
menced. His bcst craftsman came to
him one day and said he had just re-
oeived tempting offer from the French
government, whereupon his tortured
employer had 10 give him a substantial
increase Of salary in order to retain his
services. After the strike Of the invent
Or's men years Of delay and anxiety
followed. Babbagc applying repeatedly
to the government for its decision upon
the subject, but in vain. Notwithstand-
ing that the difference engine was gus
pended, this indomitablo man still con-
tinued his inquiries, and, having dis
covered principles Of far wider extent.
he ultimately embodied them in the
analytical engine. Both machines can
be seen ON application at the South
Kensington museum. For upward Of &c
years Babbage maintained, in his OWL
/ house and virtually at his own expense
an elaborate establishment for carrying
out his views. He died at his Londol
house on Oct IS. 1871, and Sir Rober
Peel admitted to tho house Of commons
in March, lS4s. that, although e17, OOI
had been spent by the government OF
the machine, Bahbage himself had neve
received a shilling.
And yet the invention was not who'll,
valueless An eminent and wealth,
manufacturer Of Manchester came {,
/ London and saw this machine, and, OF
inspecting closely, be found mechanica
cOntrivances which he subsequently in
troduced with the greatest advantage {,
his own spinning machinery. OF course
even after the machine had been den
nitely cast adrift BY tho government, 4
vast amount Of interest was taken in i
by the public. Many members Of botl
houses Of parliament wero very fond O
putting puerile questions to the in
ventor. Pray, Mr. Babbage," " criet
one of the ancient dnndics, "if you pu
the wrong figures into the machin,
would the right answers come out?"
/ The fame Of Babbages calculating
machine spread to the ends Of the earth
Count Strzyelecki once told Babbag,
that tho Chinese inquired after it. Tn,
guileless Celestials We're anxious TO know
whether the machine could be carried
in the pocket. The inventor assured
them, however, through his excellency
that "it was essentially an out Of poke
machine.
The difference engine was not exhib
tied in 1851. It's loan was refused Il
New York and also to the Dublin exhi
bition Of 1547. It was, however, exhib
tied in tho exhibition of 1862, but spac,
for its drawings was refused, and tha
the authorities had low opinion Of tn,
thing will be evident from the fact tina
payment Of 6 shillings a day for com
petent person formerly Babbage's sec
retary) to explain the mechanism wa
refused by tho commissioners Genera
Babbage, the inventors S son, assured m'
that Wellington, when premier, wen
to Lambeth to personally inspect th'
machine, and, having seen it at work
for it is quite perfect in its way-he di
rected the chancellor Of the exchequei
to arrange further grants, his idea be
ing that the calculating part should b'
finished first, in order that there nigh
be something Of real value to show I,
parliament in return for the money O.
the nation. General Babbage furthei
assures me that when the machine wal
abandoned it could, in his opinion, have
been entirely completed for $500