26 SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS. 



lating power, far exceeding that of the difference engine, and, in 

 fact, extending over the whole field of arithmetical analysis. 



An article on Babbage's Difference Engine, in the Edinburgh 

 Review for 1834, suggested to George Scheutz, of Stockholm, the 

 idea of constructing a machine for simultaneously calculating and 

 printing arithmetical tables. After many discouragements, which 

 were overcome by the indefatigable perseverance of George 

 Scheutz and his son Edward, this machine was at last completed 

 in October, 1853. The "Specimens of Tables, calculated, stereo- 

 moulded, and printed by Machinery," published by them in 

 London in 1857, afford a convincing proof of the completeness 

 and utility of their invention. Its originality was gladly recog- 

 nised by Babbage ; and indeed two things only are common to 

 the engines of Babbage and Scheutz ; the principle of calculation 

 by differences, and the contrivance by which the computed results 

 are conveyed to the printing apparatus. 



Several arithmetical machines, on a smaller scale and of simpler 

 construction, have been produced in recent years. Some of these 

 are actually in use in the public offices of this country. We may 

 mention especially the calculating machine of M. Thomas, of 

 Colmar, and the panometer of Edward Grohrnann, of Vienna. 



In the ancient world, and before the invention of the decimal 

 notation, the common operations of arithmetic were carried on 

 with the aid of a " counting board," or abacus, the units being 

 represented by counters, or pebbles (calculi, whence the word cal- 

 culation). The authorities are not entirely agreed as to the pre- 

 cise arrangement of the ancient abacus, which, probably, was not 

 always the same in all instances. It would seem certain, how- 

 ever, that the principle of decimal arrangement was to some 

 extent adopted ; counters in one compartment being valued as 

 units, in that to the left of it as tens, and so on. It may 

 seem strange that this partial introduction of a decimal system 

 should not have led sooner to the invention of a decimal notation 

 such as we now employ. The transition would probably have 



