I enjoyed the concise history of programmed machines provided by
Fritz Gellerman (digest 960225).  Here is another unique machine,
described in the book "Stars and Telescopes" by David P. Todd;
Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1899, p. 360.

   "An arrangement of multiple cameras for observation of solar
eclipses was first worked out by the writer for the total eclipse of
22 December, 1889, at Cape Ledo in West Africa.  In all, 23 instru-
ments, chiefly photographic, were attached to a massive polar axis,
and pointed parallel to each other, following accurately on the
eclipsed Sun.
   "The engraving opposite illustrates many of them; also in
the foreground are the pneumatic contrivances by which exposing
shutters, plate-holders, and all other moving devices for eclipse
observation were operated automatically.
   "The control was effected by a perforated strip of paper, similar
to the music sheets now commonly used in automatic organs.  Each
perforation in the eclipse sheet represented, not a musical note,
but a mechanical movement of some particular device.
   " ... The set-up worked perfectly but, unfortunately, on the day
of the eclipse the Sun was totally obscured by clouds."

The engraving apparently was produced by a non-astronomer: although
the rendering of the player pump-organ seems accurate (the artist
probably visited a local organ store), the astronomical devices seem
contrived, and the paper-roll "eclipse sheet" looks like it was the
target of a shotgun blast!  The caption says: "The Pneumatic
Commutator and Photographic Battery of Eclipse Instruments (Todd)"

-- Robbie Rhodes