Help with a historical meeting

[Count Dearborn]

I need a reasonable means for Charles Babbage to meet Sir Richard Francis Burton.

[NapoleonXIV]

While studying mapping at Oxford in 1841 Burton is given an assignment which involves checking the long and tedious calculations for a series of lat/long locations as a sort of punishment for disagreeing with a pompous professor of geography. Another student jokingly suggests that he could do them easily with Babbage's Difference Engine, which by then had been in development for several years. Wondering if this application might indeed be something which could make both of them money Burton arranges an appointment with Babbage.

[Grey Wolf]

I need a reasonable means for Charles Babbage to meet Sir Richard Francis Burton.

Without being able to help, I would ask what years the two lived, start and end, and what is the optimum period within this where it overlaps and both are active and would suit your purposes. Is there any great event in this period where they could meet up ?

Grey Wolf

[sunsurf]

(raises hand excitedly) Oh! Oh! I know one! I know a good one!

From Yahoo:

Charles Babbage. Born December 26, 1791 in Teignmouth, Devonshire UK, Died 1871.

Sir Richard Francis Burton (March 19, 1821 - Oct. 20, 1890) was an English explorer, linguist, author, and soldier.

They meet here!

Victoria Station: The Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace
The history of the 1851 event which was conceived to symbolize the industrial, military, and economic superiority of Great Britain.

Here's a relevant site:

http://www.victorianstation.com/palace.html

(settles down) :)

[Grey Wolf]

I was wondering about the Great Exhibition

As there are 30 years between them it seems a good idea

And a very apt one

Read up on Crystal Palace and you will have a very unique setting for yout writing too

Grey Wolf

[Count Dearborn]

Thanks, I forgot about the Crystal Palace.

[wkwillis]

Burton worked for British Intelligence every once in a while. This was back when intellgence was still an amateur's game. Babbage worked on his computer with large (for the time) government subsidies back when the government did not subsidise science to any great, or often, little, extent. Possibly the Babbage project was a Playfair Cypher breaker. Babbage was involved in crytography. If both worked for British intelligence you have a reason for them to be introduced to each other in the course of business, by their boss.