Passages from the Life of a Philosopher. Charles Babbage

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      Towards the end of July, 1823, Mr. Babbage took measures for the construction of the present Difference Engine,* and it was regularly proceeded with for four years. {72}

      * NOTE.—It will be convenient to distinguish between—

       1. The small Model of the original or Difference Engine.

       2. The Difference Engine itself, belonging to the Government, a part only of which has been put together.

       3. The designs for another Engine, which in this Statement is called the Analytical Engine.

      In October, 1827, the expense incurred had amounted to 3,475 l.; and Mr. Babbage having suffered severe domestic affliction, and being in a very ill state of health, was recommended by his medical advisers to travel on the Continent. He left, however, sufficient drawings to enable the work to be continued, and gave an order to his own banker to advance 1,000 l. during his absence: he also received, from time to time, drawings and inquiries relating to the mechanism, and returned in­struc­tions to the engineer who was constructing it.

      As it now appeared probable that the expense would much exceed what Mr. Babbage had originally anticipated, he thought it desirable to inform the Government of that fact, and to procure a further grant. As a preliminary step, he wrote from Italy to his brother-in-law, Mr. Wolryche Whitmore, to request that he would see Lord Goderich upon the subject of the interview in July, 1823; but it is probable that he did not sufficiently inform Mr. Whitmore of all the circumstances of the case.

      Mr. Whitmore, having had some conversation with Lord Goderich on the subject, addressed a letter, dated on the 29th of February, 1828, to Mr. Babbage, who was then at Rome, stating that

      “That interview was unsat­is­fac­tory; that Lord Goderich did not like to admit that there was any understanding, at the time the 1,500 l. was advanced, that more would be given by Government.”

On Mr. Babbage’s return to England, towards the end of {73} 1828, he waited in person upon Lord Goderich, who admitted that the understanding of 1823 was not very definite. He then addressed a statement to the Duke of Wellington, as the head of the Government, explaining the previous steps in the affair; stating the reasons for his inferences from what took place at the interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July, 1823; and referring his Grace for further information to Lord Goderich, to whom also he sent a copy of that statement.

      The Duke of Wellington, in consequence of this application, requested the Royal Society to inquire—

      “Whether the progress of the Machine confirms them in their former opinion, that it will ultimately prove adequate to the important object it was intended to attain.”

      The Royal Society reported, in February, 1829, that—

      “They had not the slightest hesitation in pronouncing their decided opinion in the affirmative.”

      The Royal Society also expressed their hope that—

      “Whilst Mr. Babbage’s mind is intensely occupied in an undertaking likely to do so much honour to his country, he may be relieved, as much as possible, from all other sources of anxiety.”

      On the 28th of April, 1829, a Treasury Minute directed a further payment to Mr. Babbage of

      “1,500 l. to enable him to complete the Machine by which such important benefit to Science might be expected.”

      At that time the sum expended on the Engine amounted to 6,697 l. 12 s., of which 3,000 l. had been received from the Treasury; so that Mr. Babbage had provided 3,697 l. 12 s. from his own private funds.

      Under these circumstances, by the advice of Mr. Wolryche Whitmore, a meeting of Mr. Babbage’s personal friends was held on the 12th of May, 1829. It consisted of— {74}

       THE DUKE OF SOMERSET,

       LORD ASHLEY,

       SIR JOHN FRANKLIN,

       MR. WOLRYCHE WHITMORE,

       DR. FITTON,

       MR. FRANCIS BAILY,

       MR. (now SIR JOHN) HERSCHEL.

      Being satisfied, upon inquiry, of the following facts, they came to the annexed resolutions:—

      “1st. That Mr. Babbage was originally induced to take up the work, on its present extensive scale, by an understanding on his part that it was the wish of Government that he should do so, and by an advance of 1,500 l., at the outset; with a full impression on his mind, that such further advances would be made as the work might require.

      “2nd. That Mr. Babbage’s expenditure had amounted to nearly 7,000 l., while the whole sum advanced by Government was 3,000 l.

      “3rd. That Mr. Babbage had devoted the most assiduous and anxious attention to the progress of the Engine, to the injury of his health, and the neglect and refusal of other profitable occupations.

      “4th. That a very large expense remained to be incurred; and that his private fortune was not such as would justify his completing the Engine, without further and effectual assistance from Government.

      “5th. That a personal application upon the subject should be made to the Duke of Wellington.

      “6th. That if such application should be unsuccessful in procuring effectual and adequate assistance, they must regard Mr. Babbage (considering the great pecuniary and personal sacrifices he will then have made; the entire expenditure of all he had received from the public on the subject of its destination; and the moral certainty of completing it, to which it was, by his exertions, reduced) as no longer called on to proceed with an undertaking which might destroy his health, and injure, if not ruin, his fortune.

      “7th. That Mr. Wolryche Whitmore and Mr. Herschel should request an interview with the Duke of Wellington, to state to his Grace these opinions on the subject.”

      Mr. Whitmore and Mr. Herschel accordingly had an interview with the Duke of Wellington; and some time after they were informed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to whom they had applied for his Grace’s answer, that the Duke of {75} Wellington intended to see the portion of the Engine which had been then made.

      In November, 1829, the Duke of Wellington, accompanied by the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Goulburn) and Lord Ashley, saw the Model of the Engine, the drawings, and the parts in progress. On the 23rd of that month Mr. Babbage received a note from Mr. Goulburn, dated on the 20th, informing him that the Duke of Wellington and himself had recommended the Treasury to make a further payment towards the completion of the Machine; and that their Lordships had in consequence directed a payment of 3,000 l. to be made to him. This letter also contained a suggestion about separating the Calculating from the Printing part of the Machine, which was repeated in the letter from the Treasury of the 3rd of December, 1829, communicating officially the information contained in Mr. Goulburn’s private note, and stating that directions had been given—

      “To pay to you the further sum of 3,000 l., to enable you to complete the Machine which you have invented for the calculation of various tables; but I have to intimate to you that, in making this СКАЧАТЬ