Page:Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.djvu/166

150 5. In 1855 the great French Exhibition occurred Previously to its opening, our Government sent Commissioners to arrange and superintend the English department.

These Commissioners reported that the English contribution was remarkably deficient in what in France are termed "instruments de précision," a term which includes a variety of instruments for scientific purposes. They recommended that "a Committee should be appointed who could represent to the producers of Philosophical Instruments how necessary it was that they should, upon an occasion of this kind, maintain their credit in the eyes of Europe." The Government also applied to the Royal Society for advice; but neither did the Royal Society advise, nor the Government propose, to exhibit the Difference Engine.

6. The French Exhibition of 1855 was remarkable beyond all former ones for the number and ingenuity of the machines which performed arithmetical operations.

Pre-eminently above all others stood the Swedish Machine for calculating and printing mathematical Tables. It is honourable to France that its highest reward was deservedly given to the inventor of that machine; whilst it is somewhat remarkable that the English Commissioners appointed to report upon the French Exhibition omitted all notice of these Calculating Machines.

The appearance of the finished portion of the unfinished Difference Engine No. 1 at the Exhibition of 1862 is entirely due to Mr. Gravatt. That gentleman had a few years before paid great attention to the Swedish Calculating Engine of M. Scheutz, and was the main cause of its success in this country.

Being satisfied that it was possible to calculate and print all Tables by machinery, Mr. Gravatt became convinced that