96 
Report on Mr. Babbage’s 
[March 
stems were so intertwined that it was with some difficulty we could make our way. 
The former part of the road was about the worst I had ever seen, but it yielded to this. 
For miles we could see nothing but these stems interlaced in every direction ; while 
it was often a matter of considerable difficulty, picking our way through them over the 
mass of decayed leaves or slippery clayey soil, where the ground was at all visible. 
The day was one of the most dreary that can be imagined, and doubtless, by the 
sombre' colouring it threw over every thing, gave us an exaggerated idea of the diffi- 
culties. For the greater part of the distance we could not see even the sky, the fo- 
rest forming a thick covering over head ; while the density of the cloud in which 
we were enveloped, afforded us little more light than might be called darkness vi- 
sible by which to see our way. But it must he noticed, that in speaking of the 
badness and difficulty of this road, the ordinary features of bad mountain roads are 
not to be understood ; but rather such as might belong to any unfrequented track, 
even in a plain country, through similar jungle and in similar weather. After a long 
march, the tediousness of which was rendered worse, by the difficulties and dis- 
comforts mentioned, we emerged from the forest, and found ourselves on a part of 
the ridge entirely cleai-ed, marked by a small square erection of a few feet, with a 
pyramidal top, which they called Paspatnath. In front no trees were visible, while 
the prospect opening gave us a very general view of the country, and showed us to 
be within a considerable basin, the sides of which were formed by lofty mountains. 
The cleared spot on whieh we stood was Darji'ling* . 
IV. — Report of the Committee appointed by the Council of the Royal 
Society, to consider the subject referred to in Mr. Stewart's Letter , 
relative to Mr. Babbage’s Calculating Engine ; and to report thereupon. 
Your Committee, in this their Report, have no intention of entering into any con- 
sideration of the abstract mathematical principle on which the practicability of such 
a machine as Mr. Babbage’s relies, nor of its public utility when completed. They 
consider the former as not, only sufficiently clear in itself, but as already admitted 
and acted on by the Council in their former proceedings. The latter they regard as 
obvious to every one who considers the immense advantage of accurate numerical 
tables in all matters of calculation, especially in those whieh relate to astronomy 
and navigation ; and the great variety and extent of those which it is professedly the 
object and within the compass of Mr. Babbage’s engine to calculate and print with 
perfect accuracy. 
The original object of the present machine was to compute any tables which 
could be calculated by six orders of differences and twelve figures in each, and 
sixteen figures in the table itself, in such a form that by bestowing a very mode- 
rate degree of attention on their publication, it would be impossible for a single 
figure to be erroneous ; and supposing any person employing them to entertain a 
doubt whether that moderate degree of care had been bestowed, he might in a 
short time himself verify the tables. The machine was intended to produce the 
work stamped on plates of copper or other proper material. Besides the cheap- 
ness and celerity of calculation to be expected from it, the absolute accuracy of 
the printed results being one of the prominent pretensions of Mr. Babbage’s un- 
dertaking, the attention of your Committee has been especially directed, both by 
careful examination of the work already, executed, and of the drawings and by re- 
peated conferences with Mr. Babbage, to this point. And the result of their en- 
quiry is, that such precautions appear to have been taken in every part of the con- 
trivance and work which they have examined ; and so fully aware does the inventor 
appear to be of every circumstance which may by possibility, introduce error, that 
they have no hesitation in saying they believe these precautions effectual, and 
that whatever the engine does, it will do truly. 
In the actual execution of the work they find that Mr. Babbage has made a 
progress, which, considering the very great difficulties to be overcome in an under- 
taking so novel, they regard as fully equalling any expectations that could reason- 
ably have been formed ; and that although several years have now elapsed since the 
first commencement, yet, that when the necessity of constructing plans, sections, 
elevations and working drawings of every part ; that of constructing, and in many 
i We have been obliged to leave off here, and to reserve the continuation of this pa- 
per tor our next number. 
