Note sur la machine suedoise de MM. Schutz pour calculer les tables mathematiques par la methode des differences, et en imprimer les resultats sur des planches stereotypes pp. 557-60 WITH M. Flourens Communique la Lettre Suivante Adresse par M. Charles Babbage (p. 528) in Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de L'Academie des Sciences 41, 1855 [SCHEUTZ'S DIFFERENCE MACHINE MATHEMATICALLY DESCRIBED] Full volume

Paris: Mallet-Bachelier, 1855. 1st Edition. Full volume. RARE FIRST PRINTING OF BABBAGE'S REPORT ON SCHEUTZ'S DIFFERENCE CALCULATOR. Babbage thought so highly of Scheutz's engine that in an effort to promote [it], presented a talk on it before the Academie des Sciences. In the talk, Babbage describes the machine's construction and functions using his own system of mechanical notation. His speech was published in the volume offered here the Academie's Comptes rendus" (Hook & Norman Origins of Cyberspace, No. 73).

Georg Scheutz [Scheuts] and his son Edvard based their calculator on Babbage's own designs. "After reading a description of the Difference Engine (by Babbage), they designed and built their own version. This machine was smaller and lighter than the engine conceived by Babbage. They used gears and levers that would have been suitable for the mechanism of a clock. In contrast, Babbage used technology that would have been appropriate for a steam engine. Babbage's engine, if completed, would have filled a room. The Scheutz engine sat nicely on a table and looked like a complicated music box. Babbage was pleased with Scheutz's engine and praised it publicly" (Dictionary of Scientific Biography).

In 1854 the Scheutz's took their engine to England "in the hopes of marketing it. There they were introduced to Babbage, who received them with great friendliness and showed a lively interest in their work. Babbage devoted two whole days to investigating Scheutz'sengine for which he had much praise, especially for the way they had succeeded in building it with the funds at their disposals.... (ibid).

ALSO INCLUDED: M. Flourens Communique la Lettre Suivante Adresse par M. Charles Babbage is a short note discussing Babbage's presentation of the paper offered here to the Academy of Science. CONDITION & DETAILS: Complete full volume. Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1855, in Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Seances de L'Academie des Sciences, 41. Ex-libris bearing only a deaccessioned stamp on the back of the title page and slight ghosting at the spine where a spine label has been removed. Tightly and solidly bound in clean full blue cloth, gilt-lettered at the spine. Solidly and tightly bound. Minor toning. Very good condition.