Post by Diarist on Mar 28, 2017 7:37:59 GMT 1
Back at Emmanuel College I explained to Marian that we can't try to crack British secret codes without having a government contract unless he wants to go to jail. "Are you and your colleagues capable of designing a ciphering machine, one which is unrelated to and better than Enigma?"
"I believe we can do that."
"Then start doing that but here in Cambridge. In the meantime I'll get you a government contract to crack British codes and anything else we consider interesting. In the long term we'll have their super-Enigma competing with your machine. How many people do you need to construct your ciphering machine?"
"We won't need many for the design but then some fine engineering would be required for the actual construction."
"Watchmakers, clockmakers or jewellers?"
"Something like that."
"Have you ever thought about secure speech communication?"
"Yes but it needs much more than a typewriter."
"Then that's a project for later. I suggest that you work with Alan Turing and his team for a while. This computing device has enormous potential."
I gave Henry a list of German scientists working in England including a few at the university here in Cambridge. "You might want to bring Alan Wilson and Oskar Heil together. Oskar is working on something called Field Effect Transistor. Do you have any idea what that is?"
"Vaguely and it may be associated with semiconductor research. I'll introduce them to each other. When will you be back from Palestine?"
"Towards the end of February. I have to go to the bank to ensure that everything is funded."
I thanked everyone for being present then drove Alan and Marian back to Bletchley Park. On the way to London I decided to visit Geoffrey at de Havilland. Two Hornets and one Mosquito were outside the hangar. I found Daryl first and greeted him. "I just happened to be in the area. Is Geoffrey here?"
"No, he's left for the day but Junior is over there."
"We've been conducting taxying trials and running in the engines a little," he told me.
"When's the maiden flight of the Hornet planned?"
"If the weather is good then hopefully next week."
"Damn. I won't be here. Make sure that someone calls COL Windsor, that's King Edward's new military name, to ensure that someone from the MoD is here. If your father has any questions he can call me this evening."
"I'll do that."
"Good luck, Geoff. I envy you."
At the bank I was glad to see that John Mitchell was there too. "John, I heard that someone at Vickers was fired because his work was a couple of thousands off. Hallo, Dad."
"That does sound a bit harsh," John admitted.
"Well, he did work in the Finance Section. Just kidding. I have this for you, Dad. If they've gone public can you have someone in New York buy them in my name."
"How many?"
"As much as possible without attracting attention."
"Why technology firms?"
"We need a Technology Division so I'm putting one together. If you have anything interesting on the books I'd like to purchase it and that includes this IBM firm."
"Are you competing with us again, Bob?" John asked me.
"No. You don't have anything in this area and if it's in my name it won't attract the attention of our competitors. With the advances in technology we'll have to do a strategic reorganization in the not too distant future anyway."
"We've been thinking along those lines too, Bob."
"We can discuss that later. It's too early to change things now. I had lunch with John Keynes and at de Havilland there will hopefully be a maiden flight next week. What's happening at Vickers, John? Nothing ready?"
"The Merlin is being evaluated and three engines have run well over 100 hours without any problems."
"Excellent news. I'll inform Winston Churchill. I'll see you in a few weeks when I return from another overseas trip."
"I believe we can do that."
"Then start doing that but here in Cambridge. In the meantime I'll get you a government contract to crack British codes and anything else we consider interesting. In the long term we'll have their super-Enigma competing with your machine. How many people do you need to construct your ciphering machine?"
"We won't need many for the design but then some fine engineering would be required for the actual construction."
"Watchmakers, clockmakers or jewellers?"
"Something like that."
"Have you ever thought about secure speech communication?"
"Yes but it needs much more than a typewriter."
"Then that's a project for later. I suggest that you work with Alan Turing and his team for a while. This computing device has enormous potential."
I gave Henry a list of German scientists working in England including a few at the university here in Cambridge. "You might want to bring Alan Wilson and Oskar Heil together. Oskar is working on something called Field Effect Transistor. Do you have any idea what that is?"
"Vaguely and it may be associated with semiconductor research. I'll introduce them to each other. When will you be back from Palestine?"
"Towards the end of February. I have to go to the bank to ensure that everything is funded."
I thanked everyone for being present then drove Alan and Marian back to Bletchley Park. On the way to London I decided to visit Geoffrey at de Havilland. Two Hornets and one Mosquito were outside the hangar. I found Daryl first and greeted him. "I just happened to be in the area. Is Geoffrey here?"
"No, he's left for the day but Junior is over there."
"We've been conducting taxying trials and running in the engines a little," he told me.
"When's the maiden flight of the Hornet planned?"
"If the weather is good then hopefully next week."
"Damn. I won't be here. Make sure that someone calls COL Windsor, that's King Edward's new military name, to ensure that someone from the MoD is here. If your father has any questions he can call me this evening."
"I'll do that."
"Good luck, Geoff. I envy you."
At the bank I was glad to see that John Mitchell was there too. "John, I heard that someone at Vickers was fired because his work was a couple of thousands off. Hallo, Dad."
"That does sound a bit harsh," John admitted.
"Well, he did work in the Finance Section. Just kidding. I have this for you, Dad. If they've gone public can you have someone in New York buy them in my name."
"How many?"
"As much as possible without attracting attention."
"Why technology firms?"
"We need a Technology Division so I'm putting one together. If you have anything interesting on the books I'd like to purchase it and that includes this IBM firm."
"Are you competing with us again, Bob?" John asked me.
"No. You don't have anything in this area and if it's in my name it won't attract the attention of our competitors. With the advances in technology we'll have to do a strategic reorganization in the not too distant future anyway."
"We've been thinking along those lines too, Bob."
"We can discuss that later. It's too early to change things now. I had lunch with John Keynes and at de Havilland there will hopefully be a maiden flight next week. What's happening at Vickers, John? Nothing ready?"
"The Merlin is being evaluated and three engines have run well over 100 hours without any problems."
"Excellent news. I'll inform Winston Churchill. I'll see you in a few weeks when I return from another overseas trip."