Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-05-03

THE CIPHER CORRESPONDENCE.
The story I am about to tell relate
to an incident in the history of y Eng
land which is but little known ant
which you will not find in books, bu
one which, nevertheless, had a grea
effect on her destinies
About the beginning OF this century
while the revolutionary wars were
raging, communication in cipher was
naturally very prevalent and ingenui-
ty was taxed to the utmost, one hand
to invent, and on the other to detect,
the medium used in secret correspond.
ence. AS rule the decipherer had
beaten the cipherer; and no known
method was secure of detection. II
conventional signs merely were used,
the recurrence of the different symbols
gave key easily followed out. Some
ingenious spirits corresponded by
reference to the pages and lines of par
t,cular editions of particular books
others by an agreed-on vocabulary.
But these last methods, although they
might preserve the secret, disclosed,
what was often quite as dangerous,
that there was secret. [ am about to
tell you of a plan which for long years
was not only undetected, but unsus-
pected.
1t was at the time when the first Ma
poleon had assembled his feet and
transports at Brest, with the ostensible,
and, as generally believed, the real
view of making descent on this ISL
and. The greatest precautions were
observed by this government in regard
to correspondence from France, and an
amount of espionage was practiced at
the postoffice which left subsequent
performances in that line far behind.
The national excitement was intense,
and the political departments of the
government were administered with an
ron sway.
My uncle, Sir George Treyor, was, as
all the world then knew, high in the
Admiralty; and, as it was from him
that / heard this anecdote, its veracity
may of course be depended on.
The dispatches to and from the Ad-
mirailty were the subject of the great
est vigilence, and the most stringent
regulations. The clerks were not per-
mitted to send or receive any letters
which were not first submitted to the
chief clerk; and it was believed that
letters addressed even to their private
residences were frequently opened at
the post-office.
At the time I speak of, the chief
clerk was an elderly man of the name
of Parker, wizened, wiry, dapper in
dividual, so imbued with the official
tineture of Whitehall that it had be-
come second nature to him. He lived
and breathed, and thought and slept
solely for. the Admiralty, and knew no
other pleasure or care. He was withal
a genial and kindly soul, keen and en-
ergetic in the affairs of his office, and
to all others mere child.
He had assumed as his private secre-
tary young fellow of the name of
Beaumont, who was one of the most
promising subordinates of the estab-
lishment. He was modest, unassum-
ing young man, very good looking, with
a countenance and air suggestive of
depression and melancholy. He was
evidently of good education, and prob
ably well born also, for his manners
were easy and indicated good breeding.
He was a native of Jersey, and had
been introduced to the notice of the
Admiralty by some influential member
of Parh ament. He was much liked in
the Office, and discharged it's duties to
perfection.
One morning Parker presented him
self before my uncle with visage pale
with woe and trembling with excite
ment.
"Why, what is the matter, Parker
Has Bonaparte come 2"
"He may have, for aught I know, u
said Parker, "Things are all wrong,
Sir George!"
What Is wrong 2"
''The letters are wrong. There is q
spy among us. I have known it fo1
long; now l am quite sure; but I can
not find him out
Parker went on to explain that he had
for some time suspected that some one
IN the Office communicated their pri
vate information outside. He had re-
doubled his precautions; but, more
than ever confirmed in his suspicious
was entirely baffied in his attempts tt
detect the culprit.
tBut, Parker" said my uncle
chow do you come to be SO sure tina
your secrets have transpired q"
''By the funds, Sir George. The,
answer to the news as surely as the bel
down stairs does to the bell rope.
find them going up and down as if the,
were sitting in the Office, F." said Parker
personifying the stock exchange for tn,
Loment.
"Have all the letters to the clerks
been examined strictly 2"
''Yes; read them all myself
1sFind nothing in than 2,i
" Mighty little Some are from home
and some from friends, and most O
them from sweethearts," said Parker
twisting his face into a grim smile
Hand rum things they say In th M.
" And the young mems letters, are
they rum, too2"
''They are more careful like, as they
know / am to see them; but, Lord save
you, sir, they are all stuff; not ha'
porth of harm in themn
"This matter must be seen to-" said
my uncle; :" / have had my OWE mis-
glvlngs on the same subject. Bring me
all the letters which come to and are
sent by the clerks for the next week.
There is no reason why you should
have all the rum things to yourself" f"
So my uncle had the letters for 6
week. and found them very much such
as Parker had described them.
The suspicious symptoms increased
the stock exchange responded more
sensitively than ever; but not tn,
slightest ground for suspecting any on,
transpired. My uncle was bewildered
and Parker was rapidly verging to in
sanity.
cit is certainly not the clerks" saic
my uncle. "There is no treason there,
said he, pushing back the letters of th
day. "By the way, how does youn.
Beaumont get on2 She seems a MIC
creature, that sister of his, to Judge b,
her letters.
i" He is the best hand in the office.
long sight; and his sister is yer,
sweet, ladylike creature. They are or
phans, poor things; and he support
her out of his salary. She called at = +.
office two months ago, and I gave hin