"Randall Garrett - Takeoff" - читать интересную книгу автора (Garrett Randall)

Actually, Blake has managed to infect me with his excitement; he has pointed out phrases in several
of the letters which tally very well with EinsteinтАЩs theory. But, alas, the information we have is woefully
incomplete.
 What we need, you see, are NewtonтАЩs lettersтАФthe ones he sent which provoked these answers.
We have searched through everything here at Cambridge, and we havenтАЩt found even a trace; evidently
the Newton manuscripts were simply discarded on the basis that they were worthless, anyway. Besides,
records of that sort were poorly kept at that time.
But we thought perhaps the War Office did a somewhat better job of record-keeping.
Now, I realise full well that, due to the present trouble with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the War
Office canтАЩt take a chance and allow just anyone to prowl through their files. It wouldnтАЩt do to allow one
of the EmperorтАЩs spies to have a look at them. However, I wondered if it wouldnтАЩt be possible for you to
use your connexions and influence at the War Office to look for NewtonтАЩs letters to one of the
correspondents, General Sir Edward Ballister-ffoulkes. You can find the approximate dates by checking
the datelines on the copies I am sending you.
The manuscripts are arranged in chronological order, just as they were received by Newton
himself. Of them all, only the last one, as you will see, is perfectly clear and understandable in all its
implications.
Let me know what can be done, will you, old friend?

With best wishes,
SAM
Dr. Samuel Hackett
Department of History


12 November 1666
London

Mr. Isaac Newton, A.B.
Woolsthorpe

Dear Mr. Newton:
It was very good of you to offer your services to His MajestyтАЩs Government at this time. The
situation on the Continent, while not dangerous in the extreme, is certainly capable of becoming so.
Your letter was naturally referred to me, since no one else at the War Office would have any need
for the services of a trained mathematician.
According to your pr├йcis, you have done most of your work in geometry and algebra. I feel that
these fields may be precisely what are needed in our programme, and, although you have had no
experience, your record at Trinity College is certainly good enough to warrant our using your services.
If you will fill in the enclosed application blank, along with the proper recommendations and
endorsements, we can put you to work immediately.
Sincerely,
Edward Ballister-ffoulkes, Bart.
General of Artillery
Ballistics Research Dept.


12 November 1666
Cambridge