New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
R4BB4GE'S MACHINE.
From The Strand Magazine.

From The Strand Magazine
Babbage's calculating machine would reIuISc, ra
whole Volume to do It's marvellous history anylnlns
ike Justice; and. indeed, sich NoIunle eNists VIZ.
rem bv Maior-Cieneral Babbage son OF the famous
,,,.on:or who Was kind enough to come from mel
enham 10 these offices for the purpose OF gvlhs uo
writer really authentic details concerning what was
Enthusiastically one of the sensa tons OF the nine
tenth century. In the year lels zap oasS rtay
Commenced operations by taking number OF wnee,
TO a whee-cutter at Lambeth 10 have me Ten .ur
in them Toward the end 81 Jny @ me nng S
worked on It for four years regul arly with the re
suit that in october. 1871 he had spent 80 me-
very difference engine MADE noweNe,, 800 =,
together between the year lsso ana 1"uS, 10 =
consisted of from SIX to eight figures Digger anu ia
more perfect engine was afterward G 'mmeiced III
1879 for the Government ,s o
The latterwhich our artist mas a.
about twenty places Of figures; IT was aIs1 ln,'hutu
20 print the tables it computed In ~. bapoase
nent being in a low state OF health. He LEFT the
drawings however IN order ina, the w9 s Kn' Ms
banker instructions to advance III" wnile ne "as
away. In the beginning OF Is-s tne & tb mn
chine and the Admins, ration also directed that a
freproof building should be constructs, t.osS , ~
Babbages house in which was intehdel 10 p ,s45
the machines when finished. one day. early IN l>'1'
finding h. roud no LONGER ma make s charge
of the works that in future he would not pay MN
upon the mechan!cian struck work ana dSisSeu ms
men; one of these. in receipt OF two suineds wetn'
afterward the famous engineer Sir }. WHIT
Babbages troubles had just commenced. HIS bes;
lust received tempting offer from the French GOV
eminent: whereupon his tortured employer hdd 10
give him substantial increase OF salary IN orier 10
retain his services After the strike OF the inventor
men years OF delay and anxiety followed. Bthbage
applying repeatedly the Government for lis de-
cislon upon the subject but In vain Notwithstand-
ing that the difference engine was suspended. ms
indomitabr man still continued his inquiries, ana.
having discovered principles OF FAR wider extent ne
ultima ely embodied them in the analytical engine
machines be seen on Application AZ the
south kensngton Museum For upward OF twenty
years Babbage maintained. in his own house. ana
virtually at his expense elaborate establish
ment for carrying out his Views. He died ~ ms
London house October u.s. ls,l. and Sir kooei
Peel admitted In the House OF Commons. In March
1913. that although fl7.O,O had been spent by the
Government the machine. Babbage himself had
never received a shilling
And yet the invention was not wholly valuel"ss
An eminent and wealthy manufacturer Or Man
chester came to London and this machine. and
on inspecting Il closely. he found mechanical con
trivances which ne subsequently introduced with the
greatest advantage into his own spinning machinery
OF course. after the machine had been defn-
itely cast adri.t by ;he Government. vast amount
Of Interest taken In II by the public. Many
members OF both Houses of Parliament were very
fond of putting puerle questions 10 the inventor
Pray, Mr. Babbage. cried one OF these ancient
dandles, 'If you put the wrong figures into the ma
chine. would the right answer come OUT