The great advantage which this telegraph possesses in transmitting
messages with the rapidity of lightning, annihilating time and space,
would perhaps be much lessened in its usefulness, could it not avail
itself of the application of a secret alphabet. We will now proceed
to describe some of the various systems by which a message may pass
between two correspondents, through the medium of the telegraph, and
yet the contents of that message remain a profound secret to all
others, not excepting the operators of the telegraphic stations,
through whose hands it must pass.
For this purpose let the telegraphic characters representing particular
letters be transposed and interchanged. Then the representative of _a_,
in the _permanent_ alphabet, may be represented by _y_, or _c_, or
_x_, in the _secret_ alphabet; and so of every other letter. As there
are twenty-seven characters in the telegraphic alphabet, they can, by
transposition, furnish six hundred and seventy-six different kinds of
secret alphabets; nearly two for every day of the year. Two persons
have agreed to use, in their telegraphic correspondence, the secret
alphabet. From the six hundred and seventy-six combinations, they have
selected one for each day in the year, and given each their particular
date. In the course of their business, it becomes necessary on the
first of July, for one to transmit important information to the other.
He then refers to the telegraphic book, for the alphabet belonging to
that date, and from it writes his communication, as follows: _The firm
of G. Barlow & Co. have failed._ He runs his eye along the alphabetical
column for _t_, and finds that for the first of July it is _e_, that
_h_ is _j_, _e_ is _n_, and in the same manner, he proceeds with the
remaining letters of his message, which, when completed, reads as
follows: _Ejn stwz ys & qhwkyf p iy jhan shtknr_. As every person
employing the telegraph has his name, occupation and place of business
registered in the record book of the office, with his telegraphic
number, we will suppose, that _Mr. Hammond, Builder, 57 Anson-st.
Philadelphia_, sends the above communication to the office for _Messrs.
Talford & Co. Lumber Merchants, 41 Bradford-st. New York_. In the
record, the former name is numbered 14; and the latter 31. The private
message is then directed thus, _No. 14 to No. 31_, and reads thus:
Mr. Hammond, &c. sends the following communication to Messrs. Talford
& Co. &c. “The firm of G. Barlow & Co. have failed.” This message,
in substituted characters, is copied at the receiving station, and
immediately delivered. The messenger returns with the following: _Syw
fjhe hzyxce._ To which is prefixed _No. 31 to No. 14_. This is sent to
Mr. Hammond, who, on translating it, discovers that it must be answered
by figures. He then refers to the secret numerals, under the date of
the first of July, and finds the private numerals required are 897,
312, adding to it a few letters, when it reads thus, _No. 14 to No.
31, 879, 312 rykkm_. If it should happen, that on the 6th of December,
or 13th of May, it was necessary to send a private communication, the
secret alphabets of those dates are used, and so for any date of the
year.
July 1st. | March 28th. | December 6th. | May 13th.
| | |
A change to H | A change to A | A change to Q | A change to X
B change to Q | B change to N | B change to P | B change to M
C change to I | C change to O | C change to N | C change to G
D change to R | D change to V | D change to O | D change to T
E change to N | E change to P | E change to V | E change to L
F change to S | F change to C | F change to A | F change to F
G change to & | G change to Q | G change to C | G change to &
H change to J | H change to D | H change to R | H change to K
I change to T | I change to R | I change to D | I change to S
J change to B | J change to E | J change to & | J change to N
K change to U | K change to S | K change to E | K change to Z
L change to K | L change to F | L change to Z | L change to J
M change to Z | M change to T | M change to F | M change to P
N change to C | N change to G | N change to X | N change to E
O change to Y | O change to U | O change to G | O change to U
P change to L | P change to H | P change to W | P change to I
Q change to D | Q change to B | Q change to H | Q change to V
R change to W | R change to I | R change to B | R change to B
S change to M | S change to & | S change to I | S change to Y
T change to E | T change to J | T change to U | T change to O
U change to X | U change to Z | U change to J | U change to H
V change to A | V change to K | V change to Y | V change to Q
W change to F | W change to Y | W change to K | W change to D
X change to O | X change to L | X change to S | X change to W
Y change to V | Y change to X | Y change to L | Y change to A
Z change to G | Z change to M | Z change to T | Z change to R
& change to P | & change to W | & change to M | & change to C
1 change to 5 | 1 change to 6 | 1 change to 0 | 1 change to 7
2 change to 7 | 2 change to 1 | 2 change to 9 | 2 change to 8
3 change to 1 | 3 change to 7 | 3 change to 4 | 3 change to 6
4 change to 8 | 4 change to 2 | 4 change to 5 | 4 change to 9
5 change to 2 | 5 change to 8 | 5 change to 3 | 5 change to 4
6 change to 9 | 6 change to 3 | 6 change to 8 | 6 change to 1
7 change to 3 | 7 change to 9 | 7 change to 6 | 7 change to 0
8 change to 0 | 8 change to 4 | 8 change to 2 | 8 change to 5
9 change to 4 | 9 change to 0 | 9 change to 7 | 9 change to 2
0 change to 6 | 0 change to 5 | 0 change to 1 | 0 change to 3
The transposed secret alphabet is not perfectly secure for private
messages, when the message contains more than eight or ten words. It
is, therefore, necessary to adopt some of the following modes of making
it perfectly incomprehensible, and beyond the power of any person to
decypher it. Any one or two, or more, of these modes may be selected
and combined for this purpose. Let the following key or transposed
alphabet, be used in illustrating the following rules:
A to R | F to X | K to U | P to E | U to K | Z to M
B Y | G B | L V | Q P | V G | & I
C Z | H T | M D | R L | W N |
D A | I W | N & | S F | X J |
E S | J C | O Q | T O | Y H |
1st. Let the last letter of a word remain unchanged, viz.
_Rome_, transposed, _lqde_.
2d. Let the first letter of a word remain unchanged, viz.
_Rome_, transposed, _rqds_.
3d. Let the first and last letter remain unchanged, viz.
_Rome_, transposed, _rqde_.
4th. Let the middle letter of a word of 5, 7, 9 or 11 letters
remain unchanged, viz. _First_, transposed, _xwrfo_, and
in words of 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 letters, let the two middle
letters remain unchanged, viz. _Rome_, transposed, _loms_.
5th. Let the first, middle, and last letters of a word remain
unchanged, viz. _first_, transposed, _fwrft_.
6th. Let the middle letter of words of 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13
letters commence the word, viz. _first_, transposed,
_lxwfo_.
7th. Let the two middle letters of a word of 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12
letters commence the word, viz. _Rome_ transposed, _qdls_.
8th. In a word of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 letters, let the first
half of the word be substituted for the last half, viz.
_Rome_, transposed, _dslq_.
9th. Let every other entire word be reversed, viz. _What is
the news_, transposed, _ntro fw ots fns_ &.
10th. Let every third word be reversed.
11th. Let every fourth word be reversed.
12th. Let every fifth word be reversed.
13th. Let the three middle letters of every word of 5, 7, 9,
11 or 13 letters be reversed, viz. _first_, transposed,
_xflwo_.
14th. Let every word of two or three letters be prefixed to
the beginning of the following word, or affixed to the end
of the preceding word, viz, _State of Maine_, transposed,
_forosqx drw&s_.
15th. Let one, where double letters occur in a word, be
excluded, viz. _will_ transposed, _nwv_.
16th. Where two or more words, of two or three letters, follow
each other, let them be joined together, viz. _Cotton is
on the rise_, transposed, _zqoq& wfq&ots lwfs_.
17th. Make no separation between words of less than eight
letters, viz. _Cotton is on the rise_, transposed,
_zqoq&wfq&otslwfs_.
18th. Make no separation between words.
19th. Reverse the order of the letters of the whole message,
viz. _Cotton is on the rise_, transposed and reversed,
_sfwl sto &q fw &qoqz_.
20th. Change the key, alternately, every ten or fifteen words,
using two keys.
21st. Let the two first letters of all words of four letters
be affixed to the end of the preceding word, and the
remaining two letters be prefixed to the word following,
viz. _stocks have fallen_, transposed, _foqzuftr gsxrvs&_.
22d. Change the key irregularly, thus, for example, the first
three words transpose from one key; the next three words from
another key; the next three from another key, and so on.
23d. Reverse the termination of those words ending with _tion_,
_sion_, _ness_, _less_, _tive_, _ty_, _ly_, _ed_, &c.
24th. Make a division of long words into two.
25th. Let those words which occur frequently and have only two
or three letters remain unchanged, viz. _to_, _a_, _the_,
_of_, _and_, _for_, _with_, &c.
26th. Let every two words, or every three, or every four, be
reversed.
27th. Omit one vowel in every word.
28th. Omit the letter _e_ at the beginning and end of a word.
29th. Omit the letter _i_ or _y_ at the beginning and end of a
word.
30th. Omit the letter _o_ at the beginning and end of a word.
31st. In words of 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 letters, let the first of
the two middle letters commence the word, and the last of
the two middle letters end the word.
32d. Let _t_ signify _the_; _e_ for _of the_; _f_ for _of_;
_u_ for _you_; _wi_ for _with_; _i_ for _by_; _tt_ for
_that_; _ts_ for _this_; _fr_ for _from_; _n_ for _no_
or _not_; _w_ for _will_; _td_ for _to-day_; _tm_ for
_to-morrow_; _s_ for _was_; _sh_ for _shall_; _wd_ for
_would_; _sd_ for _should_; _cd_ for _could_; _te_ for _to
the_.
We have here given a few of the various modes, by which a message can
be made so complicated, that no clue will be given that shall enable
the inquisitive to decypher it. Others may be easily devised, and as it
is better that those using the secret alphabet should devise their own
modes of transposition and reversion, none others need be given.
The following is written from the secret alphabet, and afterwards
rendered more obscure by one of the methods laid down above. The key
does not accompany it. Who can decypher it?
zbpvp yslup nbguxpyu zbyi, lovmy-&-yux gxp, zlegvt
lovappai lubyizlvji hozovpsg zplup cbynb zbvloxbgm _the_
jpgvizl nlep ibgm izgua zlnvlvlcu _the_ inypvnp lhlov
xmlvyloi mgua, _the_ pnpuzvyn wmgrhzb gzhmgibpili’pv
_the_ itjcbpu _the_ gypagvlpui _and the_ izlveyi byxbwj
wlma yu & puzyla _and_ iovsguyux ilymulc wlci, giowkpnzl
_the_ bvegu cymicyhzpv zbgu zbloxbz zb’ yuzpurp _and_
iowzmp. Zlal egu’i wyayux hmypi gmlux _the_ cyop. Lmazyep
yinlufopvpa, ayizgunpyi l’ pvbvlcu, _and_ ul&g rpewmy
klyui _the_ zlvyarlup. Hgep ibgmwp byicblip ipgvnbyux eyua
byixy&pu. Zlegu _the_ slcpvzl oip _the_ hyvp _of_ bpg&pu,
_and the_ lmahgwmpi, cbynbyu mpxpuai voulh bgvpiyux
_the_ blvipi _of the_ iou, sppeulc ulhgwmpi, iyunp, elvp
cluavloihgv, bpjltpi _the_ myxbzuyux zlbyi vgsya ngv;
pgepibgmwp byi; _and_ cbpuyu hozovp agji sbymlilsbj
bpveluvepuz ibymgyzp zlzbip cblwlmapiz mgci, luth eigep
zgwmpz cyzblov hvgulmyu’i ugep zbyup, elvip, yuwmgryux
nbgvgnzpvi ibgmhmgep.
The following is from another key.
grvlvhmz agcxv hrvy _all the_ zacyavzwe rexzgvlcekz,
gvmarcyohc gradevn neelz; rmqcyogrvcl cycgcmgvn, grvclredt
dmyokmova ndgrvcl blvxmzeylt, srlcaz, ovexvglt, xvncacyv,
olmxml, rczgelt, _all were_ gmkorgi ndmgcy, _they_ zmcdvn
_in the_ adcknz, bmlmueqv _the_ qkdoml; _and they_ dvgbmd
mgth ekgxezg. Lex grvcl zkudexv umbwa bohnvgmarvn dvmqvz
hrcar xvy _were to_ gmwvks hcgrolvmg lvzsvag, ukghrcar
_they were not_ sulxcgvnt opknov, yehvqvlt greyoi
sarmyovn, ovycqz odelcozi nxmwcyo cyzvdb kynvlzgen _by
the_ xmyt; _and_ mbgvl rmqcyo zemlvn _to the_ vgrvlvmd
lvocyzo fzacvyav _in_ elnvl grvlv _to_ zuciv _the_ glqt
gr _in_ rvlrcorvzg lvglvmgz, _it_ vxsdetz, cgsehvl _in_
mzalgmcycyo _the_ hmtumaw, _to_ vrnlgr _and in_ mslemarcyo
odezvdt _to us_ grmgi txmt zreh _us the_ lekgv _it has_
glmqvdvn, _and the_ zvalvgz _it has_ glmqvdvn, _and the_
zvalvgz _it has_ ncx aeqvlvn, ukg, cbzkar isye hthemdxezg
kycqvlzmd gvynvyat _of the_ rkxmy zaev yavz _it was_
vgvl _the_ nczgcyagcqv armlmayvlczgca _of_ glkv zacvyavz
amynczsvyzv _with the_ svesdv _as the_ svesdv _as the_
svesdv nczsvyzv _with them_; glkvgrvedeotey the aeyglmlt,
rmzyvn _of the_ svezdvmz _the_ svesdv rmqvv frvl zrvokmlnz
grvcl lvdcocey; _and_ grvcl lvdocey, _in_ cgzgklx, okmlnz
rvl _he to_ grvx hrvy grvedeot dmyokczrvz, _and_ nevzyeg
zsvmwtogrvx; _he to_ rvlhrvg _the_ lvdcocey _of the_
arklarvz yvodvag rvl _and_ avmzvz _to_ vzgvoxrvl; hvxkzg
grvyzv _to it_. uegrey rvlmaekyg _and_ eygrvclz, grmgzrv
zsvmwz _to them_ rvmlz _them_ zgkncvz _in_ lvbvlvyav _to
them and_ wvsz grvcl zarcedz esvymz eklgvxsdvz mlv.
Another example of the manner of writing secret correspondence is here
given, and for those to decypher who can.
ibeg pycydc peocyenxez yndexc tcacbp bepkpaetzo
pcpcgkocevd pqzpeuw bpwuaqy iatdd pctpcawu uyyc elgcvkwl
tytp wlwlxgy ppe kepcuwnc ptkeb badokecy in vkqunwac
wuatza qodazw prvsaue tpeoebztqg ckphvkwv epgyecp wzqv
adyge zcgtey eppd wubk prozlwy pwzopwzieydt. tytp wzqv
tytp qznokw ptpcawu yclep tcbbcg epdptp tytzenncyp ywzpw
lccypetglydcn ezwgo eppd igwdc czgt tbzwp lhzuczpowxck,
acktepzgh tvkextpc aeptveg jezpcktncw epcgh gwvcncxc
cgbtpy iatdd pvgcvcw itgzcxch qkcczn zwkkepcpwgc
pzuczpowxck tzckptutzo pwcytmp, eppd ypepcb zoypdt _in_
lceppd pypvw watbc, in tpykpeptwzpkezyvw beyawkcyzwvnczac
jiyzc, in geozwp dkqwy lqphyne txnled ppkeztuyytwz cucye
zoypdt wodpdk ezdpwck tquucn; jeppd etquucn lcqozwtzo
pwvkextpe tzntntxqegy jawzwkpgcn pvkextpc xictyj kypytzpc.
Another plan for sending secret intelligence, is, that of using select
sentences, previously agreed upon by correspondents. In this plan,
the first letter of each word in the sentence, combined, is made the
representative of that sentence, as in the following examples:
iwrom I will return on Monday.
mhii My health is improving.
shf Stocks have fallen.
smtbop Send me ten barrels of pork.
ymir Your message is received.
dygml Did you get my letter?
gmlt Give my love to.
witsotmf What is the state of the market for?
cha Cotton has advanced.
cwycit Call when you come in town.
sosn Sails on Saturday next.
hjaip Has just arrived in port.
hyfmo Have you filled my order?
wmietg When may I expect the goods?
wyegfef Will you exchange gold for eastern funds?
Another arrangement, equally adapted to the same purpose as the last,
is that of taking the first letter of the sentences, then arranging
them in alphabetical order, and numbering them, thus:
a. 1. At five o’clock I leave for home.
a. 2. A thunder storm is rising in the west.
c. 1. Can you send me?
c. 2. Cotton has advanced a little to-day.
h. 1. How much have stocks fallen?
h. 2. Have you received my last package?
h. 3. Has the rain done much damage?
t. 1. The weather is excessively hot.
t. 2. There is no demand for tobacco.
t. 3. Take all they have at that price.
t. 4. The Eliza sails to-morrow with full cargo.
t. 5. The steamer Caledonia has just arrived.
w. 1. What news does she bring?
w. 2. What is the state of the market for sugar?
These two systems have been found to answer in practice, and were much
used in telegraphic business during the last session of Congress.
[From Silliman’s Journal.]
ART. XVI. _Experiments made with one hundred
pairs of Grove’s battery, passing through one
hundred and sixty miles of insulated wire_; in a
letter from Prof. S. F. B. Morse, to the Editors,
dated New York, Sept. 4th, 1843.
Dear Sirs—On the 8th of August, having completed my
preparations of 160 miles of copper wire for the Electro
Magnetic Telegraph, which I am constructing for the
government, I invited several scientific friends to witness
some experiments in verification of the law of Lenz, of
the action of galvanic electricity through wires of great
lengths. I put in action a cup battery of one hundred
pairs, which I had constructed, based on the excellent plan
of Prof. Grove, but with some modifications of my own,
economising the platinum. The wire was reeled upon eighty
reels, containing two miles upon each reel, so that any
length, from two to one hundred and sixty miles, could be
made at pleasure to constitute the circuit. My first trial
of the battery was through the entire length of 160 miles,
making of course a circuit of 80 miles, and the magnetism
induced in my electro magnet,[10] which formed a part of the
circuit, was sufficient to move with great strength, my
telegraphic lever. Even forty-eight cups produced action in
the lever, but not so promptly or surely.
We then commenced a series of experiments upon
decomposition, at various distances. The battery alone (100
pairs) gave, in the measuring gauge in one minute, 5.20
inches of gas. When four miles of wire were interposed, the
result was 1.20 inches; ten miles of wire, .57; 20 miles,
.30 inches; 50 miles, .094. The results obtained from a
battery of 100 pairs are projected in the following curve:
[10] In Prof. Daniel’s, Introduction to the Study of Chemical
Philosophy, 2d edition, 1843, there are these facts to be noticed. In
the preface, there are these words: “It only remains for me now, to
acknowledge my obligations to my friends and colleagues, _Professor
Wheatstone_ and Dr. Todd, for their great kindness in undergoing the
disagreeable labour of revising and correcting the proof sheets. They
have thereby prevented many errors which would have otherwise deformed
the work.”
No statement then of Prof. Daniel’s, particularly in that part of his
work which related especially to Wheatstone’s Telegraph, would be
allowed to pass unnoticed by Mr. Wheatstone and we are authorized in
considering any such statement as having his sanction.
We then find, page 576, the following statement: “Ingenious as Prof.
Wheatstone’s, contrivances are, they would have been of no avail for
telegraphic purposes, without the investigation which he was the first
to make of the laws of electro magnets, when acted on through great
lengths of wire. _Electro magnets of the greatest power, even when the
most energetic batteries are employed, utterly cease to act when they
are connected by considerable lengths of wire with the battery._”
If any thing were needed to show that Prof. Wheatstone was not the
inventor of the _Electro Magnetic Telegraph_, it is this assertion
(under the supervision of Prof. Wheatstone) made by Prof. Daniel. In
1843, Prof. Wheatstone had not made the discovery upon which Prof.
Morse bases his invention, viz. that _Electro Magnets can be made to
act, with an inconsiderable battery too, when the latter is connected
with the former by considerable lengths of wire_: 80 miles may
certainly be considered as of _considerable length_.
[Illustration: FIG. 25.]
_Table constructed from the Curve._
Battery alone 5.20 inches.
1 mile 3.85 “
2 “ 2.62 “
3 “ 1.84 “
4 “ 1.20 “
5 “ 1.05 “
6 “ .92 “
7 “ .80 “
8 “ .71 “
9 “ .64 “
10 “ .57 “
20 “ .30 “
30 “ .20 “
40 “ .14 “
50 “ .094 “
During the previous summer, I made the following
experiments, upon a line of 33 miles, of number 17 copper
wire, with a battery of 50 pairs. In this case, I used a
small steelyard, with weights, with which I was enabled to
weigh, with a good degree of accuracy, the greater magnetic
forces, but not the lesser, yet sufficiently approximating
the recent results to confirm the law in question.
_Table of Results._
50 pairs through 2 miles attracted and raised 9 ozs.
“ 4 “ “ “ 4 “
“ 6 “ “ “ 3 “
“ 8 “ “ “ 2½ “
“ 10 “ “ “ 2¼ “
“ 12 “ “ “ ⅛ “
“ 14 “ “ “ ⅛ “
and each successive addition of two miles, up to 33,
still gave an attractive and lifting power of one-eighth
of an ounce.
_Curve from these Results._
[Illustration: FIG. 26.
A great irregularity is seen between the 10th
and 12th miles, which is due, undoubtedly, to a
deficiency of accuracy in the weighing apparatus.
I take pleasure in sending you the following
calculation of the law of the conducting power of
wires, for which I am indebted to my friend Prof.
Draper, of the New York City University.
_On the Law of the Conducting Power of Wires. By John W. Draper, M. D.
&c. &c._]
It has been objected, that if the conducting power of
wires, for electricity was inversely as their length, and
directly as their section, the transmission of telegraphic
signals, through long wires, could not be carried into
effect, and even the galvanic multiplier, which consists,
essentially, of a wire making several convolutions round a
needle, could have no existence. This last objection was
first brought forward by Prof. Ritchie, of the University
of London, as an absolute proof, that the law referred to
is incorrect. There is, however, an exceedingly simple
method of proving that signals may be despatched through
very long wires, and that the galvanic multiplier, so far
from controverting the law in question, depends for its very
existence upon it.
Assuming the truth of the law of Lenz, the _quantities_ of
electricity which can be urged by a constant electromotoric
source through a series of wires, the lengths of which
constitute an arithmetical ratio, will always be in a
geometrical ratio. Now the curve whose ordinates and
abscissas bear this relation to each other, is the
logarithmic curve whose equation is _aʸ_ = _x_.
1st. If we suppose the base of the system, which the curve
under discussion represents, be greater than unity, the
values of _y_ taken between _x = 0_, and _x = 1_, must be
all negative.
2d. By taking _y = 0_, we find that the curve will
intersect the axis of the _x_’s, at a distance from the
origin, equal to unity.
3d. By making _x = 0_, we find _y_ to be infinite and
negative. Now, these are the properties of the logarithmic
curve, which furnish an explanation of the case in hand.
Assuming that the _x_’s represent the quantities of
electricity, and the _y_’s the lengths of the wires, we
perceive at once, that those parts of the curve which we
have to consider, lie wholly in the fourth quadrant, where
the abscissas are positive and the ordinates negative.
When, therefore, the battery current passes without the
intervention of any obstructing wire, its value is equal to
unity. But, as successive lengths of wire are continually
added, the quantities of electricity passing, undergo a
diminution, at first rapid, and then more and more slow.
And it is not until the wire becomes infinitely long that
it ceases to conduct at all; for the ordinate _y_, when _x
= 0_, is an asymptote to the curve. In point of practice,
therefore, when a certain limit is reached, the diminution
of the intensity of the forces becomes _very small_,
whilst the increase in the lengths of the wire is vastly
great. It is, therefore, possible to conceive a wire to
be a million times as long as another, and yet, the two
shall transmit quantities of electricity not perceptibly
different, when measured by a delicate galvanometer. But,
under these circumstances, if the long wire be coiled, so
as to act as a multiplier, its influence on the needle
will be inexpressibly greater than the one so much shorter
than it. Further, from this we gather that for telegraphic
despatches, with a battery of given electromotoric power,
when a certain distance is reached, the diminution of effect
for an increased distance becomes inappreciable.