Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-05-18
N. o. WALLACE,
the CIPHER CORRESPONDENCE

lo(So W al AuCiuClt III tue u1otOf
of England which is but little
known, and which you will not
find in books, but one which, new.
theless, had a great effect on her
destinies. 80.
About the beginning Of this
century, while the revolutionary
wars were raging, communication
in cipher was generally very pre-
valent; and ingenuity was taxed
to the utmost, on one hand to in
vent, and on the other to detect,
the medium used in secret cores
pnndence. As a rule the deciph-
erer had to beat the cipherer; and
no known method was secure of
detection. If conventional signs
merely were used, the recurrence
of the different symbols gave key
easily followed out. Some inge-
NOUS spirits corresponded by ref.
erence to the pages and lines of
particular editions of particular
books; others by an adgreed-on vo-
cabulary. But these last methods,
although they might preserve the
secret, disclosed, what was often
quite as dangerous, that there was
a secret. am about to tell you
of a plan which for long years was
not only undetected, but unsuspec-
ted.
1t was at the time when the
first Napolean had assembled his
feet and transports at Brest,
with the ostensible, and, as is gen.
orally believed, the real view of
making a descent on this island.
The greatest precautions were OBJ
served by this government in re-
gard to correspondence from
France, and an amount of espion.
age was practiced at the post,ottice
which left subsequent performan-
ceS in that line far behind. The
national excitement was intense,
and the political departments Of
the government were administered
with an iron sway.
My uncle, Sir George Trevor,
was, as all the world then knew,
high in the Admiralty; and as it
from him that / heard this anec-
dote, its yeracity may be of course
depended on.
The dispatches TO and from the
Admiralty were the subject of
the greatest vigilance, and the
most stringent regulations. The
clerks were not permitted to send
or receive any letters whieh were
not first submitted to the chief clerk;
and it was believed that letters
even addressed to their private
residences were frequently opened
at thepost-ofhce. .a!-
At the time speak of, the chief
clerk was an elderly man of the
name of Parker--a wizened, wiry,
dapper individual, so imbued with
the official tincture of Whitehall,
that it had become second nature
to him. He lived aud breathed
and thought and slept solely for
the Admiralty, and knew no 9TH
er pleasure or care. He was.
withal, a genial and kindly soul,
keen and energetic in the affairs
of his Office, and in all others o
mere child.
He had assumed as his private.
secretary a young fellow by the
name of Beaumont, who was one
of the most promising subordl-
mates in the establishment. de
was a modest, unaSsuming man,
very good-looking, with a counte-
nance and air suggestive of de-
pgession and melancholy. He was
evidently of good education, and
probably well born also, for his
manners were easy and indicated
good breeding. He was a native
of Jersey, and had been intro
duced to the notice of the adml-
rally authorities by some induen-
tial member Of Parliament.
He was much liked in the Office,
and discharged its daties to per-
fection.
One morning Parker presented
bimseIf before nay uncle with 8
visage pale with woe, and trem-
ling with excitement.
"Why, what is the matter, Par
ker ? Has Bonaparte come?"
"He may have, for aught [
know" said Parker. "Things are
all wrong, Sir George"
"What is wrong?"
"The letters are wrong. There
is spy among us. ] have known
it for long; now | ana quite sure
but l cannot find him out"
Parker went on to explain that
he had for some time suspected
that some one in the Office COM
municated their private informa-
ton and dispatches outside. He