The Dickinson press., 1899-05-06
OPENING LETTERS.

vi I4NlANU LlIl 1lLlCOs
SOME SECRETS OF THE ENGLISH GEN.
ERAL POsToFelcE.
Methods by Which the Oficials Be-
come Acquainted with thu Con-
tents of Suspected Communications.
Private Tests Which Fail.
1t is a somewhat remarkable fact
that the general public of England
knows very little concerning the secret
service of the general postoffice. al
though the service is probably the most
complete Of its kind in the whole world.
To the outsider the secret service ia
known as the postal secret inquiry
branch, and not one in a hundred Of
those in the employ of the p~cstofice
knows the exact workings of the secret
service, as the department has the dis
tinction of being in the charge of Ger
tain permanent officials, under the di-
rection of the home secretary and the
prime minister for the time being.
Once, and once only. in recent years
has a minister of the government allow
ed himself to be drawn into making a
statement which admitted that the SO.
crets Of the pcstofiice were used for po-
litical purposes.
Such an admission was made in the
days of the first dynamite scare, when
an Irish member made a general charge
against the government Of tampcring
with the correspondence Of certain Irish.
men. Lord John Manners, in reply.
evaded the question in an ambiguous
manner, but indiscreetly called atten-
ton to a clause in the postoffice act
which empowers the postal authorities
to open and even confiscate any letter
or package which they might reaso-a-
bly, suspect covered some infringement
of the rules of the department.
The secret service is divided into two
distinct branches, the higher and the
lower, and the duties of tho latter are
brought to the notice of the public very
frequently, as it has to do with the pros
ecution of dishonest men in the en-
ploy Of the postofice. The great bulk of
the robberies committed inside the
walls of the postoffice is attempted by
the younger hands and it is for that
reason that every newcomer is OCCASION
ally subjected to keen watching from a
quarter that he least suspects.
Quite unknown to him, he is kept I'M
der the observation of a keen eyed
watcher, who is securely hidden from
view in a secret alcove. almost within
touch of the sorter, messenger or what
ever the employee may be. Every move-
ment is noted and analysed. and it
would take a very expert man to try on
any underhanded game and escape de-
lection.
On the continent the correspondence
of private individuals is liable to the
scrutiny Of the police or other govern
ment agents, and no secret is made of
the fact; but. on the other hand, our
officials write indignant letters of de-
NAL and reputation, while all the time
they are perfecting the fine art of open
ing letters without leaving any traces
Of the operation.
Like most clever arts, that of opening
a letter without causing suspicion is
simplicity itself. A glance at the quail
ity of the stationery decides the opera
tor on the means to be adopted. Some
kinds of paper will bear the steaming
process without leaving any traces, and
in that event the operation is very
simple. The contents having been g K
amined, and. If necessary, copied, they
are restored to their envelope, which is
regummed, the flap FURNISHED with a
bone instrument.
Contrary to general belief, the sealed
envelope presents nc difficulty to the ex.
pert. A piece Of new bread, kneaded in.
to a firm ball, is pressed on the seal and
the facsimile is obtained. Various othe,
methods have been attempted in taking
the design of seals, but the one we have
quoted has been declared to be far away
the best for the purpose, the bread be
ing clean and less liable to leave any
trace Of tampering behind. This dough
> matrix is hardened as soon as the sea
has been modelled, and when the con
tents Of the letter have been obtained
the envelope is closed and resealed will
the dough mold.
When it is deemed unsafe to moiste,
an envelope, it is cut open. The opera
ton is a delicate one and to any bu
an expert very difficult to perform prop
erly. One end of the envelope is he'll
firmly between two fiat pieces of wood
, the edge Of the paper projecting abou
the twentieth part Of an inch. The ex
pert passes the back Of his knife rapid.
over the end, roughening and fattenin|
, it, while an equally quick pass with tn
, razorlike edge cuts the envelope open
= When the contents are replaced, tn
edges of the envelope are stuck togethe
= with a hairline Of powerful gum, sui
mitted to pressure for a few minutes
, and no one not in the secret woul
/ guess what had been done.
So long as the flap and seal appea
). intact the receiver is invariably satif
a fed. Now and then suspicious CORE
d spondents place sand, powder, hairs {
other minute objects inside the envelol
10 by way of test, but this does not tror
BILE the expert a little bit. he is on tt
lookout for that kind Of dodge, SO
careful to open the envelope over
large sheet of pure white paper. Whe
these ~''tests" fall out, they are careful
ly collected and restored.
# The officials in the detective depar
ment can tell some funny stories
=. their own astuteness. When the char(
Of tampering was made by the Irit
members, one of the Moderate party d
Tended the government and declare
that he had satisfied himself by a seri
10 Of infallible tests that his correspon'
k ence was inviolate. He was blissful
g ignorant Of tho fact, however. that
|" never received a letter that was n,
n previously overhauled by the author
n ties. London Letter.
ID The ancient Egyptians used to Fl.
with cats on the Nile. The ANNA
le were trained to enter the water al
n seize the fish. which were then talk
W away by the fishermen.