It
was at this point, 1834, that Babbage had an idea for
a completely different machine -- one that would operate
more rapidly and have far more extensive powers than the
Difference Engine. He asked the government whether he
should continue with the Difference Engine or proceed
with the new machine. It was eight years before the government
advised him that regretfully they must abandon the
project. They had spent 17,000 pounds with nothing to
show, and Babbage had spent a comparable amount of his
own.
Unable to wait for the government decision, Babbage started
work on the Analytical Engine, as the new engine was later
named. He did not expect to build this machine nor did
he expect government support. But, he did believe that
a machine with its capabilities would become a reality
at a later date, perhaps based on his completed drawings.
The Analytical Engine was really the GRAND VISION.