Regarding Emily Evans’ piece “FT’s virtual reality money machine goes on show” (Money, March 15), I had the good fortune to see the Phillips Machine, the hydraulic computer built by economics professor Bill Phillips, in operation. A towering wall of water cascading through pipes and valves, it allowed students to have a go at being chancellor. It was being demonstrated by Professor Richard Goodwin at Cambridge. My recollection, I hope accurate, was that he commented: “See how realistic it is! The part marked ‘Public Expenditure’ leaks!”
Richard McAllister
Norwich, Norfolk, UK
