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 A SHORT STORY OF 
 
 CHARLES BABBAGE 
 
 
 AND HIS 
 
 CALCULATING MACHINES 
 
 Part One 
 
 January, 1905 
 
 WYMAN & GORDON 
 
 CLEVELAND. OHIO 
 WORCESTER. MASS 
 
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A Short Story of 
 
 Charles Barrage 
 
 AXD HIS 
 
 CABCT LATINO MACHINES 
 
 - PJiRT ONE - 
 
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 M'VMAN cSi CiORDON 
 
 (’LKVEi.ANi), OHIO >voRC’ i<:sti-:h, mass. 
 
CHARLES BABBAGE 
 
 HIS Short Story will be divided into Two Parts, on 
 account of the space necessary to describe, even 
 in the briefest manner, the inventions of this most 
 remarkable man. Very little is known about his home 
 life, although he lived very recently; the invention so far 
 transcended the man in importance, that the details of 
 his life seem to have dropped out of sight. 
 
 Charles Babbage was born on the 26th of Decem¬ 
 ber, 1791, at Totnes, Devonshire, England. His 
 parents were wealthy and sent him to a private school 
 to be educated. 
 
 He entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1810. 
 He early showed a marked interest in mathematics, and 
 it is recorded that he was familiar with the works 
 of the great mathematicians before he went to college. 
 He graduated from Trinity in 1814 with high rank 
 in mathematics, then traveled and continued his studies 
 privately. His first published essay was on the Calculus 
 of Functions, in the Philosophical Transactions of 1815. 
 He was made a fellow of the Royal Society in 1816, 
 and labored with Herschel and Peacock to raise the 
 standard of mathematical instruction in England. 
 
 He early noticed the number and importance of 
 errors in astronomy and other calculations due to errors 
 in mathematical tables. (The first idea of a calculating 
 machine came to him in 1812 or 1813, while still a 
 student/ Some years later he went to Paris to study 
 
1 
 
 0 
 
 
 \ 
 
 B 
 
 Btfi 
 
 their methods for computing and printing the now cele¬ 
 brated French tables of powers, roots, circumferences, 
 areas, sines, tangents, logarithms, etc. There he met 
 several of the most noted mathematicians of the day. 
 He bought a copy, at a high price, of Didot’s natural 
 sines, carried to the twentieth place in figures. By the 
 permission of the French officials, he copied by hand 
 to the fourteenth place, from the tables of logarithms 
 deposited in the Observatory, every 500th number from 
 10,000 to 100,000. 
 
 All scientific callings require these tables, but espe¬ 
 cially astronomers and navigators. These tables are now 
 seen in every engineer’s hand-book, and we little appre¬ 
 ciate the labor and expense involved in their preparation. 
 It is of interest to consider the extreme care that was 
 taken to prepare them. The work of calculating these 
 tables was entrusted at Paris to three corps of calcula¬ 
 tors, the first section investigated the various formulae 
 and selected the ones that could most readily be adapted 
 to simple numerical calculation by many individuals. 
 The second section consisted of seven or eight trained 
 students, who converted the algebraic formulae into 
 numbers and tabulated and reviewed the calculations of 
 the third group. The third section consisted of sixty to 
 eighty persons, who simply added and subtracted the 
 equations given them. Their labors occupied several 
 years and the results were bound in 1 7 folio volumes. 
 In these tables absolute accuracy is essential, and that is 
 very, very rarely attained. In a set of logarithms stereo¬ 
 typed by Mr. Babbage, the proof was compared number 
 by number with other tables seven times, never-the-less, 
 in the last reading thirty-two errors were discovered. 
 
 o14313 
 
After stereotyping the proof was compared figure by 
 figure four times and eight more errors discovered. 
 Other tables, after having been in use for years, have 
 been found to contain hundreds of errors. 
 
 Becoming intensely interested in these tables and the 
 methods for preparing and copying them, Mr. Babbage, 
 as early as 1819, gave careful thought to the invention 
 of a machine that would calculate and print them without 
 the intervention of human hands and, therefore, without 
 error. By 1822 he had made a small machine that 
 would calculate simple formulae, such as multiplication 
 tables and squares up to eight figures. 
 
 In a letter of this same year to the President of the 
 Royal Society, he not only describes this machine, but 
 adds that he had already designed a method for printing 
 faultlessly the results, and that he also had in mind 
 machines to multiply, extract roots, and various other 
 operations. 
 
 The machine that was constructed at this time was 
 very simple, consisting of but few parts, but these were 
 repeated many times. On trial, it was found possible to 
 calculate from 30 to 40 numbers a minute, which was 
 faster than a man could copy them down. He claimed 
 that his machine only needed to be constructed on a 
 larger scale to calculate any and all tables that were 
 characterized by regular differences between succeeding 
 terms, and to add printing mechanism that would produce 
 and record absolutely faultless tables. 
 
 He called this first machine a Difference Engine, 
 because it produced successive terms of a table auto¬ 
 matically, by adding the requisite differences to the 
 last term. 
 
To illustrate in the table of squares, 1-4-9-16-25, 
 etc. 
 
 By subtraction we get the first order of differences, 
 
 3-5-7-9, etc. 
 
 By subtraction again we get the second order of 
 differences, 2-2-2, etc. 
 
 Now, to find any term, we have only to add the 
 constant 2 to the last known difference of the first order 
 to the last known square, to produce the following 
 square: 
 
 To illustrate, what is the square of 1 1 ? The square 
 of 10=100, the square of 9 = 81, 100—81 = 19 
 2 +19 +100= 121, the square of 11. This is compara¬ 
 tively a simple table. There are tables in common use 
 that have five, six, and even seven orders of differences, 
 before the constant is found. Mr. Babbage, in 1822, 
 wrote to the Prime Minister of England and asked 
 Government assistance in constructing a Difference En¬ 
 gine that could calculate up to twenty places of figures, 
 and that would also print automatically the results. 
 
 The Treasury referred the request to the Royal 
 Society, for an opinion as to the merits of the invention. 
 They reported promptly that it was “fully adequate to 
 the attainment of the objects proposed by the inventor.” 
 Soon after, in 1823, the sum of $7,500 was appro¬ 
 priated to this end. 
 
 Mr. Babbage at once set to work to construct the 
 enlarged and automatic Difference Engine. Draftsmen 
 were set to work making the drawings. Mr. Joseph 
 Clement, out of Maudsley’s men, was given charge of 
 the mechanical part, and for four years the work pro¬ 
 ceeded. Tools had to be designed and constructed to 
 
meet the demand for extreme accuracy, even workmen 
 -had to be trained to a nicety of execution before 
 unheard of. 
 
 In 1827 the expense incurred had amounted to 
 $I 7,000, of which Mr. Babbage had advanced nearly 
 $10,000. At this time his health was poor and he went 
 to Italy, leaving minute instructions to be followed in 
 building the machine and placed $5,000 at their dis¬ 
 posal. Perceiving that the probable expense would be 
 considerable, he asked the Government for another 
 grant. Lord Wellington inquired of the Royal Society 
 for an investigation as to whether the project was worth 
 proceeding with. The Society gave “their decided 
 opinion in the affirmative.” In 1829 the Government 
 made another grant of $7,500. By this time the 
 expense had reached $35,000. Lord Wellington then 
 personally examined the machine, and the Government 
 made a grant of $7,500 more, with the suggestion that 
 the calculating part be separated from the printing device. 
 
 In 1830 still another grant of $15,000 was made by 
 the Government. In 1832 the Government constructed 
 a fire proof workshop near Mr. Babbage’s residence to 
 contain the costly drawings and machinery which had 
 accumulated dunng the years. In 1833 a portion of the 
 machine was put together, which completely justified the 
 expectation. It could calculate, and did so with absolute 
 accuracy, tables of three orders of differences up to six¬ 
 teen figures. 
 
 Meanwhile difficulties arose between Mr. Babbage 
 and Mr. Clement, who had charge of the construction. 
 The latter had an increasing sense of the value of his 
 part of the work, and his charges grew apace. At 
 
length Mr. Babbage secured consent to have Govern¬ 
 ment Engineers examine all accounts before being paid. 
 There being some delay in payments, Mr. Babbage was 
 accustomed to advance money. In 1834, he declined 
 to do this longer, and the result was that Mr. Clement 
 withdrew, taking with him many of the best workmen 
 and all the special tools that he had designed and built, 
 which according to the custom of the day he had a 
 right to do, even though the Government had paid for 
 them. Then there were vexatious delays, as to whether 
 the Government would meet Mr. Clement’s terms or 
 secure some one else for the construction. 
 
 Meanwhile an entirely new idea came to Mr. Bab¬ 
 bage by which he could construct a calculating machine 
 of far greater range than the Difference Engine. 
 Mr. Baggage felt that it was not right to ask the 
 Government to complete the first machine without mak¬ 
 ing known to them his new discovery. Perhaps also, 
 and it would be quite natural, he rather hoped that the 
 Government would abandon the old and start at once 
 the construction of the new. At any rate, while the 
 question was being discussed, political questions became 
 involved and the matter was not decided until 1842, 
 when it was definitely given up. The part of the 
 machine that was completed was sent to the Museum of 
 King’s College, London, and later sent to South Kensing¬ 
 ton and the uncompleted parts distributed among friends 
 and institutions, as souveniers. 
 
 The entire cost of this machine to the Government, 
 exclusive of the fire proof building, had been $80,000. 
 Not one penny came to Mr. Babbage as a recompense 
 for his labors of twenty years. In addition to what the 
 
Government had expended on the construction, Mr. 
 Babbage had also expended fully as much more and 
 considerable sums for personal expenses, experiments, 
 travel, and research. Although this machine was never 
 completed, it has been thought by some that the money 
 had been well expended, because of the habits of extreme 
 accuracy and precision that were introduced into English 
 machine construction, by the many workmen and drafts¬ 
 men who received their training under Babbage and 
 Clement and then passed on to other shops, carrying 
 with them the skill and method there acquired. 
 
 The construction of machine tools was certainly 
 greatly enriched by the necessities involved in the con¬ 
 struction of this invention. 
 
 From 1828 to 1839, Mr. Babbage had been Lu¬ 
 casian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge. He had 
 made several journeys to the Continent and written many 
 letters and essays. One book, published in 1834, called 
 “The Economy of Machines and Manufactures,” summed 
 up his consideration of the manufactures of the time. 
 This book was widely printed and read for several 
 decades, and did much to extend the modern system of 
 manufacture by machinery. 
 
 Once only, in 1832, he tried to enter public life, but 
 was defeated. 
 
 In our next number the story of Mr. Babbage will 
 be continued wdth an account of his greatest invention, 
 the Analytical Engine, which was the most complicated 
 mechanism ever conceived by the mind of man. 
 
 Dwight Goddard. 
 
 Copyrighted, 1904, 
 By Wyman & Gordon. 
 
SHORT STORIES OF ENGINEERS 
 
 ARE PUBLISHED MONTHLY IN PLACE OF A 
 ====== CATALOGUE ===== 
 
 We have issued the following 
 
 JAMES WATT 
 
 MATTHEW BOULTON 
 ROBERT FULTON 
 
 GEORGE STEPHENSON 
 JAMES NASMYTH 
 
 SIR HENRY BESSEMER 
 
 SIR WILLIAM SIEMENS 
 
 ALFRIED KRUPP 
 ELIAS HOWE 
 
 JOHN ERICSSON 
 
 SIR JOSEPH WHITWORTH 
 THOMAS NEWCOMEN 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 
 
 JOHN FITCH 
 
 OLIVER EVANS 
 
 JOHN STEVENS 
 ELI WHITNEY 
 
 THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 PETER COOPER 
 
 ALEXANDER L. HOLLEY 
 JAMES B. EADS 
 
 WILLIAM R. JONES 
 
 RICHARD ARKWRIGHT 
 WILLIAM MURDOCK 
 
 RICHARD TREVITHICK 
 KRISTOFER POLHEM 
 
 WILLIAM SYMINGTON 
 HENRY MAUDSLEY 
 
 Others to follow. 
 
 Many of these are out of print. 
 
 WE SEND THESE STORIES TO REMIND YOU THAT 
 
 ■ : WE MAKE 
 
 HIGH GRADE DROP FORGINGS 
 
WYMAN & GORDON 
 
 CLEVELAND. OHIO 
 WORCESTER. MASS. 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 Drop Forgings 
 
 HIGH GRADE WORKMANSHIP 
 
 We employ only first class workmen and 
 up-to-date machinery. 
 
 HIGH GRADE MATERIAL 
 
 We order on analysis and have our own 
 Chemical Laboratory to know what we 
 receive. 
 
 HIGH GRADE TESTS 
 
 We have acquaintance with methods of 
 Heat Treatment by which we can secure 
 high elastic limit and tensile strength. 
 
 PROMPT DELIVERIES 
 
 By reason of our T^o Factories located 
 east and west at great R. R. centers. 
 
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 ^=ff=F 
 
 A SHORT STORY OF 
 
 CHARL^ BABBAGE 
 
 Part II. 
 
 The Analytical Engine 
 
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 March, 1905 
 
 WYMAN & GORDON 
 
 Cleveland. Ohio 
 
 Worcester. Mass. 
 
SHORT STORIES OF ENGINEERS 
 
 ARE PUBLISHED IN PLACE OF A CATALOGUE 
 
 We have issued the following 
 
 JAMES WATT 
 
 MATTHEW BOULTON 
 ROBERT FULTON 
 
 GEORGE STEPHENSON 
 JAMES NASMYTH 
 
 SIR HENRY BESSEMER 
 
 SIR WILLIAM SIEMENS 
 
 ALFRIED KRUPP 
 ELIAS HOWE 
 
 JOHN ERICSSON 
 
 SIR JOSEPH WHITWORTH 
 THOMAS NEWCOMEN 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 
 
 JOHN FITCH 
 
 OLIVER EVANS 
 
 JOHN STEVENS 
 ELI WHITNEY 
 
 THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 PETER COOPER 
 
 ALEXANDER L. HOLLEY 
 JAMES B. EADS 
 
 WILLIAM R. JONES 
 
 RICHARD ARKWRIGHT 
 WILLIAM MURDOCK 
 
 RICHARD TREVITHICK 
 KRISTOFER POLHEM 
 
 WILLIAM SYMINGTON 
 HENRY MAUDSLEY 
 CHARLES BABBAGE 
 Others to follow. 
 
 Many of these are out of print. 
 
 HIGH GRADE DROP FORGINGS 
 
 MADE ONLY ON ORDER 
 
 WYMAN (SI GORDON 
 
o 
 
 CHARLES BABBAGE 
 
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 Part 2 
 
 
 THE ANALYTICAL CALCULATING 
 
 MACHINE 
 
 4jT WAS not decided by the Government of England 
 ^ to discontinue the construction of the Difference 
 Machine until 1842, almost ten years after work upon 
 it had ceased. Meanwhile Mr. Babbage had given 
 much thought and expense in perfecting his new and 
 vastly more complicated calculating machine. 
 
 The Difference Engine was designed to calculate 
 tables by simple addition of the proper differences. The 
 Analytical Engine was designed to work out the alge¬ 
 braic development of any formula whose law was known 
 and to convert it into numbers. In fact, Mr. Babbage 
 declared that if constructed it could solve any algebraic 
 problem the successive steps of which could be conceived 
 of by the human mind, do it automatically and print the 
 result without the possibility of error. 
 
 In a letter Mr. Babbage thus describes it: 
 
 It IS intended to include 100 numbers, susceptible 
 of changing each may consist of 25 figures 
 any given function which can be expressed by addition, 
 subtraction, multiplication, division, extraction of roots, or 
 the elevation of powers, the machine will calculate its 
 
 
numerical value; it will afterward substitute this value in 
 place of V or any other variable and will calculate the 
 second function with respect to V; it will reduce to tables 
 almost all equations of finite differences.” 
 
 In the Difference Engine the exact method for adding 
 was immaterial because a simplification of it only affected 
 one or two hundred parts, but in the Analytical Engine, 
 the mechanism for performing the elementary operations 
 of adding, subtraction, dividing and multiplying became 
 so important that any change affected thousands upon 
 thousands of parts. In fact the machine could only exist 
 by inventing for it a mechanical method of addition of the 
 utmost simplicity. It is said that Mr. Babbage and his 
 assistants designed and partly constructed over twenty 
 different methods before the desired simplicity was 
 attained. 
 
 The system of addition finally decided upon was , 
 extremely simple and yet it not only added all digits at 
 once, but included in the total all amounts carried and 
 what is more wonderful, had an “anticipating caniage,” 
 that included in the total all the amounts carried of the 
 carryings. Thus any addition could be performed auto¬ 
 matically at one operation, without the necessity of a sub¬ 
 sequent operation to include the carryings. 
 
 4 - 
 
 The Engine was not a combination of machines, the 
 one to add, another to subtract, another to divide, but 
 was designed as one machine, so arranged that any 
 operation, or any combination of operations, could be 
 performed automatically at will. It consisted in the 
 main of two sets of columns, the one called the Mill and 
 the other the Store. 
 
The Mill consisted of a series of columns made up of 
 discs, into which was placed the quantities about to be 
 operated. The Store consisted of a larger number of 
 columns into which all the variables about to be operated 
 upon were placed, and into which all those quantities, 
 which had arisen by result of other operations were 
 placed. 
 
 He thus separated the operations from the objects 
 acted upon. 
 
 “All the shifts which have to take place, such as 
 carrying, borrowing, etc.—changing addition into sub¬ 
 traction, or shifting the decimal place, are affected by a 
 system of rotating cams, acting upon or actuated by bell 
 cranks, tangs, clutches, escapements. These clutches and 
 bell cranks control the process effected, or being them¬ 
 selves suitably directed, secure that the proper process 
 should be performed on the proper subject matter and 
 duly recorded or used as required.” 
 
 The columns that make up the Store contained a 
 series of wheels that received the results of operations 
 performed by the Mill and served as a store of numbers 
 yet to be used. The wheels gear into a series of racks, 
 which in turn are operated by cards. 
 
 These cards were the new thought that came to Mr. 
 Babbage when he was constructing the Difference 
 Engine and which brought him visions of the possibilities 
 of the new machine and led him to lose interest in the old. 
 
 The cards themselves were no new invention. They 
 were invented by Jacquard to control the introduction of 
 threads in weaving brocade. It flashed into Mr. 
 Babbage’s mind that he could use these cards to indicate 
 
successive operations in a calculating machine that, with 
 this equipment, would have a power over complicated 
 arithmetical operations that would be nearly unbounded. 
 
 These cards were perforated by different combina¬ 
 tions of holes and were then linked together as a chain 
 and arranged to pass successively over a set of wires. 
 The wires, corresponding to the holes, would drop 
 through and indicate by suitable connections the desired 
 operations of the Mill. 
 
 Having the machine, all that human brains are called 
 upon to do is to perforate successive cards and then 
 operate the machine, when the desired operations would 
 follow without possibility of error. 
 
 In the Analytical Engine there were two principal 
 sets of these cards, one to indicate operations, one to 
 indicate the columns of variables upon which the results 
 are to be presented. 
 
 These cards thus arrange the various parts of the 
 machine and then execute the processes. 
 
 ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 (/) mx + ny = d 
 (2) rn X + ny = d' 
 dn — d’n 
 
 X =-^-r- 
 
 ran — m n 
 
 d'm — dm' 
 
 y = -r- 
 
 mn — mn 
 
 To find the value of x and y eleven successive 
 operations must be performed, as indicated in the follow¬ 
 ing tables: 
 
Columns 
 on which 
 are in¬ 
 scribed the 
 primitive 
 data. 
 
 •Vn = m 
 
 W. = 
 
 IV, = 
 
 'V, = 
 
 = 
 
 m 
 
 ‘V, = d> 
 
 c Cards of the 
 operations. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 
 ^ Ti 
 
 •s? 
 
 «- c 
 o) o 
 
 5 ‘- 
 z ^ 
 
 2 
 
 
 >> 
 
 >» 
 
 >» 
 
 »> 
 
 >» 
 
 j= 
 u . 
 ?. c 
 o 
 
 
 O a 
 
 a i: 
 3 S* 
 
 s ° 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 Variable cards. 
 
 Columns acted 
 on by each 
 operation. 
 
 Vo X = 
 Va X ‘Vi = 
 Vj X 'V4 = 
 V 5 X ‘V, = 
 Vo X ‘V, = 
 V2 X 'V3 = 
 
 Ve - ‘V; = 
 
 V — IV 
 '^8 ''9 
 
 V — IV — 
 
 ''10 '^11 — 
 
 V,3^%2 = 
 
 Vi.^‘V,, 
 
 Columns 
 that receive 
 the result 
 of each 
 operation. 
 
 ‘Ve . 
 
 ‘V7 . 
 
 % . 
 
 ’Vo . 
 
 1 V 
 
 ''10 . 
 
 * V 
 
 ’V12. 
 
 'Vi3. 
 
 •Vh. 
 
 • V 
 
 ''15. 
 
 IV 
 
 * 16. 
 
 Indication of 
 change of value 
 on any column. 
 
 { 
 
 { 
 
 {w:= 
 
 {iv- 
 
 ’V 3 = 
 IV, = 
 1 V 2 = 
 
 w. = 
 
 :} 
 :} 
 :} 
 :} 
 :} 
 
 f-lV2 = 0V2 1 
 
 rV3 =0V3 I 
 J‘Vo=«Vo1 
 i’V7 = %; 
 
 / 'Vs = ‘'Vs 1 
 I'Vo = %; 
 
 ;'Vio=‘'v,,'i 
 
 l'Vn=‘'V„/ 
 
 'V 
 
 ‘V 
 
 »V 
 
 IV 
 
 ov 
 
 'V, 
 
 OV 
 
 ov 
 
 ov 
 
 ov 
 
 I ’V,3=‘’V,3l 
 
 l'V,2=‘V,2j 
 rvH=‘'v,a 
 I ' Vjo— ®Vj.2 J 
 
 Statement of. results. 
 
 =mn' 
 
 IV7 =m'n 
 ‘V3 =dn' 
 
 IV9 =d'n 
 
 ^\\Q = d'm 
 lV„ = t/7«' 
 
 IV,2 = 772 n'— 
 
 i 7 i n 
 
 * V13 = 7 i^ — d'n 
 
 = d'm — d m' 
 
 'V.s = 
 
 d n' — d' n 
 
 •V 
 
 ni n' — 111 n 
 d* m — d vd 
 
 = x 
 
 m il —m '71 
 
 T=y 
 
 8 
 
 Cards for these variables must be arranged and cards 
 for the eleven operations and then all that remained was 
 to place the mechanism in motion. It is thus seen that 
 anything in the way of calculating that the human mind 
 IS capable of precisely defining, this machine would be 
 capable of performing. 
 
 Anyone at all versed in designing machinery will 
 recognize the difficulties involved in keeping a clear con¬ 
 ception of the individual motions of this maze, of “wheels 
 within wheels.” In order that he might have a clearer 
 insight into the various motions, Mr. Babbage invented a 
 system of mechanical notation, by means of which he 
 
could chart the syncronous motions of every part of even 
 the most complicated mechanism. The motion of each 
 part was represented by a vertical line, whose length was 
 divided into units of motion. On each side of this line 
 were various symbols for direction, nature (intermittent 
 or regular), source, etc. These tables of notation were 
 carried to such refinement that in designing it was always 
 possible by laying a straight edge across the chart to see 
 at a glance the exact position and status of every part at 
 that instant. 
 
 It is said that at one stage it was desirable to shorten 
 the time in which a certain operation was performed. 
 The constructor had a model of the part before him, 
 while Mr. Babbage resorted to his tables. The opera¬ 
 tion required the time of twelve revolutions. After pro¬ 
 longed study, they found ways to reduce the time to 
 eight revolutions, then the Constructor gave it up, but 
 shortly after Mr. Babbage discovered new combinations 
 by which it was crowded into four revolutions. 
 
 For twenty years Mr. Babbage continued work on 
 this invention in his own house and at his own expense. 
 He continuously employed draftsmen and mechanics, and 
 took much time in explaining his designs to visiting 
 experts, mathematicians, and philosophers. 
 
 It was no dream of a crank. It was the consummate 
 result of the life-long thinking of the greatest genius for 
 this sort of thing that the world has ever seen. The 
 designs were examined by the wisest philosophers and 
 the foremost engineers of his day, who again and again 
 gave commendation and endorsement to the worth of 
 his plans. 
 
To be sure, only a small part of the Mill was ever 
 built, just sufficient to show the method of adding and 
 subtracting and the anticipating carriage. Part was 
 made in gun metal mounted on steel, but the greater 
 part of a kind of pewter hardened by zinc and moulded 
 by pressure. All the principles were either drawn or 
 constructed in models. 
 
 A great many experiments were made and special 
 tools designed for making with sufficient precision the 
 multitude of little wheels, which, in some cases, amounted 
 to 50,000, and the various methods of construction were 
 determined upon. Over 400 drawings were made, of 
 which some thirty were group plans, some of which were 
 of elaborate complication. There are five volumes of 
 sketches, and 400 to 500 folio pages comprising a com¬ 
 plete mechanical notation. 
 
 There was very little description made of it. The 
 philosophers were more interested in speculation over its 
 mathematical possibilities and Mr. Babbage was too busy 
 designing until the infirmities of old age prevented him. 
 He once, however, spoke of 1,000 columns with 50 
 wheels each in the Store alone, and, besides, many 
 thousand wheels mounted on axles in columns for the 
 Mill and a vast machinery of cams and cranks for the 
 control. 
 
 It was a marvel of mechanical ingenuity and resource, 
 in detail good, but, on the whole only a theoretical pos¬ 
 sibility. Probably no man but Mr. Babbage himself 
 ever understood its working. 
 
 M. Menabrea, an Italian Military Engineer, made a 
 profound study of it in 1842, but admits in his careful 
 
description that the time at his disposal was gone before 
 he had begun to master its more abstruse possibilities. 
 
 The Analytical Engine was invented in 1 834, and 
 it was 1848 before Mr. Babbage felt that he had 
 mastered its main design. In 1852 he consulted the 
 Government to see if they would construct it, and in 
 1854 he abandoned work upon it. 
 
 He had doubtless expended over $ I 00,000 of his 
 private fortune on the two machines. Those who were 
 cognizant of the state of machine construction during 
 these years aver that the money expended was more than 
 repaid in the advance caused in the art of constructing 
 machines of precision. No small credit should be given 
 to Mr. Babbage for this exceedingly practical result of 
 his painstaking efforts. 
 
 The printed works of Mr. Babbage comprise over 
 80 titles nearly all of which are essays on mathematical 
 and philosophical subjects. He died in London in 1871. 
 
C’OI>IEI) FROM POR FRAFF 
 IN SOUTH KKNSINCnON 
 LONDON, F. C. 
 
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Manufacturers of 
 
 Special Drop Forgings 
 
 
 WE DO NOT CARRY IN STOCK 
 BUT MAKE UPON ORDER 
 
 Anything that can be Forged 
 
 AMONG OTHER THINGS 
 WE y\RE MAKING A UNE OF 
 
 SOLID EYE HOOKS 
 
 Price on Application Depends on Quantity. 
 
 No. 
 
 EYE 
 
 * 4 
 
 EXTREME 
 
 SAFE LOAD 
 
 Diameter 
 
 Thickness 
 
 ■ 
 
 Length 
 
 Width 
 
 3 
 
 - * 
 
 
 V o 
 
 1 
 
 
 1000 lbs. 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 ^4 
 
 Sis 
 , # 
 
 2h 
 
 1200 •• 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 * 4 
 
 « 
 
 
 4‘4 
 
 
 1500 “ . / 
 
 6 
 
 1 S ' 
 
 ' 16 
 
 _ J 
 
 L- 
 
 1,.^ 
 
 5^ 
 
 3>s 
 
 ’ 
 
 2(m “ 
 
 Special High Grade Drop Forgings