New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-19

There are hundreds OF codes in existence. A firm
OF locomotive manufacturers has a curious looking
code book. Circles OF different sizes. meant for
wheels. represent the varied styles OF engines
Two or three code words mean order for so
many locomotives Of a certain style 10 be shipped
10 China or Africa by certain route.
private code book Of folio size Tor which the
New York compiler received $1,000 from foreign
banking house tells in four cipher words the fol-
lowing:
The open market rate OF discount Tor three
months bills IS per cent below Bank os England
rate Long exchange, London on Paris. francs
25.f0. Long New York. - 81 Short New York
"a s. Antwerp short. francs 90. Spain or Portu-
gal short Is q 3-l6 Spain or PortlAaal long Is
= less than short Italy long is 30 more tlian
Italy short Paris short is i less than Paris long
Italy short. 10 i5'-and similar quotations on Ant
werp and Hamburg longs and shorts
There are many ways OF turning n rublic into o.
private code. one OF the simplest means is ror tho
correspondents 10 agree 20 code words so many
places ahead Of or behind the words actually meant
The word sent for example. IS six places ahead n.
the word meant, II Nigh; be located twenty or
thirty pages away. This method is used 10 commit
cate some governmental and diplomatic codes II
is also possible 10 enclpher the numbers OF public
codes rs follows:
wAsIIN GTON
The code number % 81 IS thereby turned into the
cipher: ASOGW.
Even in n private code special precautions are
taken regarding the cabling OF money. In Rys-
TEN there is complicated addition. substraction
and multiplication OF the amount. the date and tho
number. 10 obtain the code word calling FOR a paw
ment Of money from 500 up 10 10000 Further
more. a series OF check words. known only 10 n
few high officials Of the bank, used. one check
word IS sent with each code authorization Of pay
ment. and this word IS not used "A second time
Even IL dishonest person got hold Of the secret
list OF check words lie would not know the order
in which II had been agreed 20 use them, and thus
he could not profit from his knowledge
The publisher OF private codes. OF course takes
eli available precautions TO, prevent leaks during
the process OF compilation and printing His en-
ployes known and trustworthy. Everything is
kept under lock and key The printers return
every manuscript and every proof and every
spoiled sheet accounted for.
Code books range IN price from fraction oc a
dollar UP 20 $30eJO which wac the amount recently
paid by a London firm FOR a private compilation
Only a few copies OF such works the latter are
printed-enough to supply the principal correspond
ents OF the house. Each volume Of such a work
is worth much the rarest photographic treas
The wonderful little code book which Is guar
anteed to contain recipe for ten billion vocabIes
consists OF Just three pages OF syllable tables ana
costs s. for two copies. A "leviathan code" con-
tanning 22Go00 words is listed at SIS a copy while
a edition with thrty-sx million words is prom
ised al so a copy. A Wall Street code containing
$4,000 words especially adapted for banking stock