Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-09-11
HABBAGE MACHINE.
. MECHANICAL CALCULATOR THAT
COST ENGLAND $1,000.

tention FOR Many YenrS. but Which was
Finally Abandoned "a Being of No Prac-
teal Use.
Babbagc's calculating machine would
require whole volume to do its mar.
velous history anything like justice. In
the ycal 1919 Babbagc really commenced
operations by taking arumbor of wheels
to q wheel cutter at Lambeth to have
lhc 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 g., 415. 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
III 1923 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 1927 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, i'll order that the work might
be carried on i'll his absence, and he also
gave his banker instructions to advance
G1 900 while he was away. In the be-
ginning Of 1929 the government direct
ed the Royal society to inquire into the
machine, and the administration also
directed that tireproUf building should
be constructed in East street, Manches-
ter square, close to Babbagc's house, l
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 i'll
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 week, was aftc1ward the
famous engineer, Sir J. Whitworth
Babbage's troubles had Just COM
mcncod. His best craftsman came to
him one day and said he had just re-
ceivod a tempting offer from the French
government, Whcreupon his tortured
employer had to give him Il substantial
increase Of salary i'll order to retain his
services. After the strike Of the invent
or's men years Of delay and anxiety
followed, Babbage applying repeatedly
to the government for its decision upon
the subject, bat in vain Notwithstand-
ing that the difference engine was sus-
pended, this lndOmitablc man still con-
tlnued his inquiries, and, having dis
covered principles of far wider extent.
he ultimately embodied them i'll the
analytical engine. Both machines can
be seen on application at the South
KensingtOn museum. For upward of 20
years Babbage maintained i'll his own
house and virtually at his own expense,
an elaborate establishment for carrying
out his views. He died at his London
house ON Oct is, 1871, and Sir Robert
Peel admitted to the house of commons,
in March, 1913, that, although 917, 900
had been sIent by the government on
the machine, Babbage himself had never
received a shilling.
And yet the invention was not wholly
valuelcss. An eminent and wealthy
tAllu4 slNNlI1I VI 4ntutIlNSltI NOllG 10
London and saw this machine, and, on
inspecting closely, he found mechanical
cOntrivances which he subsequently in
trOduccd with the greatest advantage to
his own spinning machinery. OF course,
even after the machine had been def
nitely cast adrift by the government,
vast amount Of interest was taken in it
by the public. Many members Of both
houses OF parliament Were very fond of
putting puorile questions to the in
ventor. Pray, Nj. Babhage,' cried
one Of the ancient dandies, If you put
the wrong figures into the machine
would the right answers come out?"
The fame Of Babbage's calculating
machine spread to the ends Of the earth.
Count Suzvelccki once tod Babbage
that the Chinese inquired ;tt,r it, The
guilelcss Cclestials were anxious to know
whether the machine could be carried
i'll the pocket, The inventor assured
them, however, through his cxccllency.
that lit was essentially an out ii pocket
machine. "
The difference engine was not cxhib-
tied in loJI Its loan was refused to
Nov u IA si-ANk tlsO 10 NAlt IJAUllu tAlll-
bition Of 1871. 1t was, however, exhib-
tied in the exhibition Of 1862, but space
for its drawings was refused, and that
the authorities had low opinion Of the
thing will be ovidcnt from the fact that
payment Of 6 shillings q day for Il com
potcnt person formerly Babbage's sec
retary) to cHplain the mechanism was
refused by the commissioners. General
Babbage, the inventor S son, assured me
that Wellington, when premier, went
to lambeth to personally inspect the
machine, and, having seen it at work
for it is quite perfect III its way-hc di-
rected the chancellor Of the oxchcquer
to arrange further grants, his idea b.
ing that the calculating part should be
finished first, in order that there might