The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-05-13

The story I am about to tell relates
to an incident In the history of Eng
land which is but little known, and
which you will not find in books, but
one which, nevertheless, had a great
effect on her destinies.
About the beginning OF this century.
while the revolutionary wars were
raging, communication in cipher was
very prevalent; and lngenui-
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 If
conventional signs merely were used
the recurrence of the different symbols
gave key easily followed out Some
spirits correspondent by
eference to the pages and lines of par
cular editions of particular books
theirs by an agreed-on vocabulary
Tut these last methods, although they
hight preserve the secret, disclosed,
hat was often quite as dangerous,
nat there was a secret. [ am about to
I'll you Of a plan which for long years
yas not only undetected, but unsus-
ected.
1t was at the time when the first Ma
Joleon had assembled his fleet and
transports at.Brest, with the ostensible.
nd, as generally believed, the real
Jew of making a descent on this isl
nd. The greatest precautions We're
observed by this government in regard
o correspondence from France, and an
mount OF espionage was practiced at
he postOifice which left subsequent
performances in that line fer 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
al the world then knew, high in the
Almirality; and, as it was from him
hat 1 heard this anecdote, its veracity
nay of course be depended on
The dispatches to and from the Ad-
nirality were the subject of the great
est vigilence, and the most stringent
regulations. The clerks were not per
mltted 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 We're frequently opened at
the post-office.
At the time L speak of, the chief
clerk was an elderly man Of the name
of Parker, wizened, wirv, dapper in
divldual, SO imbued with the official
tlncture 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 n mere child.
He had assumed as h s private secre-
tary a young fellow of the name of
Beaumont, who was one of the most
promising subordinates OF the estab-
hshment. He was a modest, unassum-
ing young man, very good looking, with
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 Parliament. He was much liked in
the office, and discharged its 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 Gomez"
"He may hav-. for aught | know. y
said Parker, Things are all wrong,
Sir George,"
"What is wrong?n
rs are wrong. There Is q
.| amaa S. / have known it for
am quite sure; but / can
/ out.
1t on to explain that he had
suspected that some one
communicated their pri-
ton outside. He had re-
precautions; but, more
5" ntirmed in his suspicious,
was entirely batfied in his ATTEMPTS to
detect the culprit
"Bl Parker. said nv uncle.
chow do lou come to be so sure that
your secrets have transpiredl r.
"By the funds, Sir George. They
answer TO the news as surely as the bell
down stairs does to the bell rope. /
find them going up and down as II they
were sitting in the Office, said Parker.
personifying the stock exchange for the
moment
Have all the letters to the clerks
been examined strictly 2"
"Yes j read them all myself"
Find nothing in them ~
" Mighty little Some are from home
and some from friends, and most of
them from sweethearts, said Parker.
twisting his face ito a grim smile
"and rum things they say in tt N.
And the young mems lie 5, are
they rum, too2n
They are more careful like, as thew
know | am to see them; but, Lord save
you, sir, they are all stuff; not ha'-
perth of harm in them
"This matter must be seen to- said
my uncle; 4 have had nv Own mis-
glylngs 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
nave all the rum things to yourself"
So my uncle had the letters for a
week. and found them very much srch
rs Parker had described them.
The suspicious symptoms increased;
he stock exchange responded more
'ensltlvely than ever; but not the
highest ground for suspecaing any one