ON CHESS
XVII - The Automaton Chess-Player - V
THE explanation which has been given of the Chess Automaton is admitted to be correct in all its details, except as regards the means employed by the concealed player to gain a knowledge of the moves of his antagonist and to make his own. This infonnation belongs, however, to those minor details which could only be obtained by actual inspection of the interior arrangements of the machine: we can scarcely admire too highly the sagacity of Mr. Willis, who, enjoying no advantages of inspection beyond those given to the spectators in general, succeeded, nevertheless, in discovering the secret of this famous machine, and demonstrating, by means of drawings and clear descriptions, the presence and position of the animal power which worked the automaton.
Mr. Willis imagined that the concealed player obtained a view of the chess-board by looking through the waistcoat of the figure, so that his head was separated from the spectators only by a thin veil. The objections to this theory are numerous: among the many eyes and ears, sharpened as they were by anxions curiosity, something would surely be seen or heard to lead to discovery, the smallest motion or sound, even the simple act of respiration in that confined situation, might detect the confederate. It is evident that de Kempelen foresaw all this, and was thus led to provide the ingenious means we are about to describe, as being the more secret and effectual for carrying on the game.
It is proper to state that M. Mouret himself, so long the secret colleague of M. Maelzel, furnished an account of the mysteries of the automaton, from which M. de Tournay, a member of the Paris Chess Club, has published his anccount in the first volume of Le Palaméde, a French periodical, devoted chiefly to Chess. It is from this source that we hive derived the following information, which may, therefore, in every respect, be considered authentic.
We stated in a former article, that, during the that, during the exposure of the interior mechanism, the exhibitor held a lighted candle to several parts of the machinery, and that he left his candle burning on an adjoining slab: the reason for this was to prevent any notice being taken of a wax taper in the interior of the machine, should its rays chance to flash out during the exhibition. The wax taper furnished the concealed player with light; and he was supplied with air by certain openings which did not appear, and by others which appeared necessary to the construction of the outer chest, or to the trunk of the Turk.
Within reach of the concealed player were, first, a handle by which he could guide the arm of the automaton; secondly, an elastic spring for moving its fingers; and, thirdly, a cord in communication with bellows for producing a sound to imitate "Check." The prinpipal contrivance requiring explanation is, that by which the player was made acquainted with the moves on the automaton chess-board, and thus enabled to repeat them on a smaller chess-board of his own. The concealed player is seated in that part of the chest immediately under the automaton's chess-board, and may be supposed to be looking up to the roof of his narrow cell. There, on what may be called his ceiling, he sees a representation of that chess-board, each square painted to correspond with the square above; the only difference being, that, in the automaton's board, some of the squares are occupied by chess-men and the rest are empty, while, in the board beneath, every one of the squares is numbered and furnished with a small metallic knob. Every chess-man on the automaton's board contains a small magnet, and each move made with any one sets in motion the metallic knob belonging to the squares from and to which such piece is played.
To illustrate this action more clearly, let the reader suppose himself placed under a table both surfaces of which are respectively divided into sixty-four corresponding squares: to each square of the under-side of the table is suspended by means of a very short thread a little iron ball. Now, as a magnet exerts its attractive force for unmagnetised iron and steel through any known substance, (except, of course, through iron and steel,) it is quite clear that the wood of the table will not prevent the magnets contained within the chessmen from attracting the little balls, and holding them, as it were, fixed to the under surface of the table: but, as there are only thirty-two chessmen actually on the board at the commencement of the game, it follows that thirty-two balls are attached to the wood of the table, while the other thirty-two remain suspended by their threads. As soon as one particular piece is taken up for the purpose of making a move it is obvious that the metallic knob immediately below it, being no longer subject to the magnetic attraction, falls as far as it is permitted by the length of the thread which supports it, and thus intimates to the person below that the square just occupied by a piece is now vacant; but the piece being placed on another square, the knob below that square starts up and thus indicates the precise square to which the piece was played. The concealed player repeats the move on a little board, with which he is furnished, and which is numbered to correspond with the board on the underside of the table; this board is constructed in the manner of the chess-boards used in travelling so as to be safe from the danger of having the pieces upset.
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On this board he also makes his own move, and takes note of the numbers of the squares from and to which his piece is played; he then sets the arm of the automaton in motion, takes up the piece he designs to play, the little knob falls down; he plays the piece to the square intended, and the little knob rises up; and thus the game proceeds.
This illustration will afford the reader a more perfect notion than has yet been given of the mode of working the automaton. We have nothing more to say respecting the mechanical part of this strange deception, and therefore beg to conclude our notice with a translation of the latter half of M. de Tournay's very amusing article.
M. Maelzel having entered into an agreement with M. Mouret, a very eminent chess-player, to conduct the internal arrangements of the automaton, the two confederates set out on a tour for the purpose of spreading the fame of the automaton, and reaping the benefit of the deception in many towns of England, Scotland, and Holland, where it was yet only known by report. The most complete success attended this journey. Wherever they went, spectators crowded to the exhibition to witness the triumphs of the automaton, who always kept his ground against his antagonists, and came off victorious, in spite of the advantage which he permitted to his opponent in giving him the pawn and move.
The exhibitor and his assistant went on for some time in perfect harmony: accounts were settled between them at every halting-place, and each was perfectly satisfied. It happened, however, on one of these occasions that M. Maelzel remained debtor to his assistant for a considerable sum, and as weeks and months passed by he still had some pretext for omitting its payment. At length a year had passed, without producing the desired settlement, and M. Mouret, weary of this delay, found the means of frightening his companion into his proper duty.
The automaton was then at Amsterdam: the king of Holland sent one morning to engage the exhibition-room, at the same time ordering a sum equal to three thousand francs, to be paid to M. Maelzel. The latter went joyfully to announce the good news to his associate, they breakfasted together, and were delighted at the thought of entering the lists with a crowned head. M. Maelzel then hastened to make such preparations as should make the exhibition as brilliant as possible. The performance was to commence at half-past twelve at noon. Twelve o'clock arrives, and it is time for M. Mouret to take his station in the chest. But he has not yet arrived, and M. Maelzel hastens to find out the cause of the delay. What is his surprise to find Mouret in bed, and seized with a convulsive trembling. "What do I see? what is the matter?" exclaimed Maelzel. "I have a fever," said his artful assistant. "Why, you were very well just now !" "Yes, but this is a sudden attack." " The king will be here presently." "He must go back again." But what can I say to him ?" " Tell him the automaton has got the fever." " No more of this folly." " I don't wish to joke with you." "Then pray get up." " Impossible." " Let me call a physician." " It is of no use." "Is there no means of subduing this fever?" " Yes, one only." " What is it ?" " To pay me the 1500 francs you owe me." " You shall have them . . . this evening ?" " No, no, this moment." M. Maelzel saw too plainly that there was no alternative, and went to fetch the money. The cure was wonderful; the automaton was never so attractive before. The King did not actually play, but he advised his Minister of War, who played for him. The pair were completely beaten by the automaton, but all the blame of the defeat was, of course, thrown upon the Minister.
Another anecdote is related of the automaton to the following effect. In one of the towns of Germany a conjuror had been exhibiting his various tricks, to the delight and amazement of the inhabitants, when the arrival of the automaton presented a still more powerful object of attraction, and left the poor fellow without an audience. Annoyed and jealous at the reputation of his rival, he went to be himself a witness of the new performance, and from his own experience in the art of deception he felt convinced that the chest contained a hidden player. He therefore began all at once to raise a cry of "Fire," in which he was seconded by one or two companions The spectators were seized with the greatest alarm, in which, strange to say, the automaton participated, and in his fright upset his adversary and tottered about as if he were mad. Happily, M. Maelzel, who preserved his presence of mind, was able to push him behind a curtain, where he soon became quiet, and recovered his usual dignified bearing. The alarm of fire was soon discovered to be false, and the conjuror did not gain anything by his attempt to undeceive the company. After this event M. Maelzel, in giving directions to a candidate for the office of concealed player, was accustomed to say, " If you hear a cry of fire, don't stir; I will come to your help."
The automaton was afterwards taken to North America, where it was exhibited, during several years, in the principal towns of the United States and Canada. South America then received a visit from this wonder of the age, and after a due exhibition of its powers the automaton finally sank into oblivion, and was deposited in a lumber-room at New York, where we believe it still remains, never again perhaps to be the means of exciting curiosity or interest.
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Chess Archeology 
