CHARLES BABBAGE (1792-1871)

CHARLES BABBAGE (1792-1871)
Autograph letter signed ("C. Babbage") to I. K. Brunel, half page, 8vo with integral blank, Dorset St., 14 July 1843.
"I am much gratified by your kind invitation to the launch at Bristol and shall gladly accept it."
Rolt describes how "the Great Britain was named and launched on July 19th 1843 by the Prince Consort who travelled down by a special train from Paddington driven by Gooch with Brunel accompanying him on the footplate. After a company of 600 had sat down to a banquet on board, the ceremony took place. It consisted merely of opening the dry dock sluices at the moment the Prince crashed the bottle against her bows. Bristol, needless to say, held high holiday." (Isamabard Kingdom Brunel, 1970, p. 206).