The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-02
The CIPHER CODE
OF THE NAVY.

AS many as dozen kinds of cable
and telegraph codes are employed by
the State, War and Navy Departments
and during the past year or so officials
| have had occasion to use them fire.
| quently. It is probable that 10 better
code exists anywhere in the world thar
that used by the Navy Department. II
certainly is far superior to those prac-
! ticed by the State and War Depart
ments. Prior to the adoption Of the
present code the secret messages of the
department were sent by a system that
was very imperfect and which could
easily be deciphered should any per-
son secure a copy of the key book.
To meet the requirements of the SER
vice special board was appointed to
devise some new code which should be
SO complex as to practically prevent
outside parties from arriving at the
meaning of the characters even though
the book were before them. The result
was the formation of the system now in
use, which it is declared no living NOR
tai could ever understand without hav-
ing had special instructions as to its
operation The key to the code is kept
in two big books, which on the outside
resemble school aliases. On looking at
the pages of this document one finds
that each page contains q long row of
words and phrases arranged much after
the fashion OF dictionary. Going out
at right angles from each word is a
heavy black line which goes across the
page in an irregular manner. Some
times the line follows angles until it
IL a n
posite side of the page; then, again, it
may finally point to new word or
phrase at the top or bottom of the page
In this feature the code of the Navy
Department differs from that used by
any other Government or department.
1t is declared that even though per-
son be given a copy of. message
framed in this system, together with one
of the key books. he would be unable
to decipher it properly. Sometimes the
message is to be read by following the
upward course of the black lines; some
times the numeral indicated means an
entirely different word or phrase, and
then it may mean a reference to anoth-
er system. The code is very complex
to the uninitiated, but it is read rap
idly and accurately by the very few at
the uepdIlIHGul, WIZ dlc AdiiiiItii Will
the secret
The cipher is used both as matter of
economy and for secrecy, and is en-
ployed in sending as well as receiving
dispatches. When the Secretary of the
Navy wishes to send a message it is
first written in plain English, each
word being typewriter with great care
and distinctness. 1t is then given to
two officers in the Bureau of Naviga-
ton, who are known as cipher experts.
The cipher book when not in use, is al
ways kept under lock and key and the
chief of the bureau is responsible for its
keeping. It takes either one of the de-
partment's experts, Lieutenant Whittle-
sey or Ensign Ward, but a few mo
ments to put into the proper cipher a
message that is to be sent to naval
commander, although more time is nee
essary in deciphering code commune
cation.
The secret of the code is guarded with
the utmost rigidness, and the giving
out of information regarding it is pun
ishable by .court-martial- Every copy
of the code book issued is recorded in
a record kept at the department, and
under no circumstances is one of them
allowed to go astray. They are issued