New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-19
TO REVISE CODE BOOKS
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM
CABLE COMPANIES.
Stringent Regulations ,NoSc To BE
Enforced adopted at Lisbon.
Contention Last Year.

Makers and users OF codes have been much dis
,urbed in the last few weeks by the announcement
from the cable companies THAI they really must
cut out the strange and barbarOus pOtpOurris OF
1..ters ruasouerading as pronounceable words or
nav for them the expensive cipher rate. The
e,ser means a revision OF code books which have
cost anywhere from $50 20 $4,000 The time and
.,,ense involved might be compared with the
sspsformation Of large part OF English literature
into siuplihed spelling While the American cable
coupanies generally blamed for the situation IL
IS pointed that they cannot be held responsible
For regulations by the International Telegraph con-
vention in which they have part. owing 10 their
non-government char3 cter. The convention lays
Gown the law for the telegraphic world. and the
American companies. though not represented must
obey the edict. Stringent regulations. which are
now 20 he enforced. were adopted al the Lisbon
convention last year.
At the London convention OF 1905. code makers
were enfranchiseo from the use Of real words IN
eight languages, ard were permitted 10 invent pro-
rounceable words CT ten letters. The inventors
kept making and more remarkable words.
which harassed the cable operators and cut down
the incomes OF the cable companies. German
genius slipped in 'ch. - 'ae" and ue single let
tiers, Gaping the climax with behemoth words like
''Chaechtuempchueo Such pieces Of language
caused the operators hair white. and
prompted the authc rites 10 curb riotous invention
A cable message is represented merely by a WaNy
lire and il is easy 10 make mistakes both IN trans
hitting and receiving. There are more trouble ana
chance OF error with cipher cipher-like words
than with the other kind OF course. the recently
promulgated regulations not due entirely 10
socitude The operators. since cipheTs will con
tinue 10 be used double rates. but with the elm
anation cipher forms from codes the larger pro-
portion OF messages will be more easily handled
Codes and cip-hers are closely allied. The former
Mind OF secret language might be termed a fixed
cipher. Every code word number has in
variable meaning; 81 is a fixed symbol. like
Chinese character. and. since could keep in
mind the innumerable symbols used, II IS neces-
gary 20 have a code dictionary. Thus. while a
cipher be manipulated with paper and pencil.
the code requires a printed vocabulary OF large
dimensions The two systems may be used in con
junction Generally speaking the ordinary cipher. |
which fascinated the necromantic minds OF the
Middle Ages, has become obsolete, while its
progeny, the code. has developed into an astonish-
ing and indispensable adjunct OF modern business. /
International commerce could scarcely be carried
on without tho code, which mutiples the capacity
az cable and telegraph lines from four TO twenty
times BY this invention. three sitting ia their
Offices in New York Melbourne and Hong Kong
can hold an extended business conference. quote
prices, bargain terms and discuss small details
with almost as much economy and dispatch, and
quite much secrecy. as II they were sitting TO-
Eether in one room. While the ordinary cipaer or
eryptograIn saves not a letter the code packs
sentences into a single word
MILLIONS OF WORDS IN CODE BOOKS.
Those who speculate the language OF the
fuzre are doubtless unaware that this language
already exists in code form and has vocabulary
larger than al the common tongues Of man. The
few hundred thousand words in English pale be
fore the collections OF millions OF words in single
code books. A new vocabulary advertised by
London publisher viii contain 100000 words. OF
which 100000 viii represent useful phrases and
the rest will reserved for private use another
work gotten out by John u. fairfield, Of this city.
cou1alns syllable tables FOR the manufacture o.
5000 O00OOO words. Zen billions is large number
and perhaps Will care 20 spend lifetime IN
NrrHT he ina Ia
Courpared with The code maker the most inveterate
literary coiner OF words has an insignificant prod
net As for meaning. the longest German phho-
souhsai word and the most senteniious Chinese |
symbol cannot cosnpete with the code.
Take the following: "Acechais." It means DO
not know OF any one can recommend as agent
a. - but viii inquire among our friends and ad-
wise 50 due course" This message. sent In fuil TO
China at 8 p word. would cost SO 81. or II sent
10 points IN West Africa 81 Q word. would cost
ne o. .Acechas' does the business at one-tWenfy-
second OF the cost for plain language II repeated
TO insure accuracys the additional charge Is one
quarter the rate 30 cents in one case and y o.
in the other II IS understandable why firms which
do large foreign business and have daily recourse
20 the cable willing 20 spend large sums for
code books.
The FIRST codes were made up OF genuine diction-
sry words, like advisable" ami accomplish" II
was then seen that the supply OF short and differ
entiated words IN one language was limited and
the privilege given OF ransacktng the dction-
Hr1ee OK btrnlhn, EnglS11s 5panlbn, FRENCH DuIcn
italian. Portuguese and Latin. The next step was
20 invent and artificial words capable Of pro-
nuncsston according 20 the usage OF one OF the
languages named. The capacity 10 pronounce be-
rather Jest among code makers. who cheer
fully turned olH such combinations 'BOdizycolk'
and "5scoygaGzi" word IN plain language IS LIN
tied % fifteen letters; code word may have only
letters, while each cipher group OF Ave figures
or letters must be paid for word. The cable
companies define plain language as that which
oners an inteEizibls IN one OF more OF the
eight languages mentioned above code language
S. non-ntellis1ble but pronounceable while cipher
neither makes sense can be pronounced. Exam
pies OF cipher are Cbrmk and Gg9sl. A few coup-
tr1es. like Turkey, Russia, Persia, Bulgaria and
6ervia, prohibit ciphers codes. both. Russia /
demands censorship OF the code. But II IS evil
dent that no government prohibition can prevent |
secret communication through the medium OF os- |
tensibly plain language Father sick" Send
money" ship sewing machines Write soon"
and other casual expressions may as the basis
Of a code well artificial words or dictionary
words strung together. Father sick" carries one |
phrase and by the time the sickness has been
extended 20 cousins sisters and aunts a great many
code meanings are obtained. second round az
richness may be qualified by the word very" ana |
after that 81 70 1n order 20 Indicate the multiplied
ffaSes OF convabsscence.
The maker OF a code generally manufactures his /
words first and attaches the meanings afterward |
lie sndesvoFs 20 have each word at least two let
tsrs different from other that there will /
be less chance OF a mistake in telegraphinr
Words arranged alphabetically are also /
numbered so as 20 facilitate turning public /
code into q private code or into cipher The /
numbers commence at OoJol and may run up 20 /
k@H which is the limit in length OF cipher /
group chargsabls one word A clever device /
~ f1a AZ youkre % hQat she mic