Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-23

Wouves' table, of course Is the founda-
fion for innumerable secret eiphers 1t is
not in itself, cipher and in it's use it
would be next to impossible for the in
ventor himself to translate a message
that had been written under his method
unless he was in possession of the key,
which was made by the person who
deigned to use 1t. Like all cipher systems
that really are intended to be safe. ii
was very complicated, but it should be
understood that very long messages sell
dom are sent by means of complicated
cipher Wouves explains his table in this
way
1.-The table contains 62 alphabetical
columns, and every numerical column
numbered from one to so answers for two
of the alphabetical ones
The space between the columns and
the initial letters is designed to receive
the hundreds which everyone may choose
TO affiX to each column those hundreds
might be taken out Of any undetermined
number, but without vainly multiplying
the figures. 1t shah soon be made evil
dent that for the safety of the secret, it
is fully sufficient to carry the number
Of those same hundreds to that of the.
columns, that is TO say, from 100 up to-
62e0
THE figures placed above the initial
letters serve 10 indicate the quantum of
each column; so whenever any use Is TO
be made of this table to render into nu-
merical figures any object whatever, it is
preceded by previously inscribng at the
head of every alphabetical column any
one of the aforementioned hundreds.
which may be taken at random, or just
as they present themselves to anybody's
mind So, to give an instance of it. 500
may happen to be placed at the head of
the first column, $500 al the head of the
third and so forth. Supposing, then,
that any word. or any division of a word,
TO be converted into figures. is under the
number of % of the third column, then ii
is to be expressed by 6222, and so of all
the rest, having absolutely no other need
for the expression of any object what
ever. but of the 10 customary eiphers.
When. ON the contrary. any object is
to be deeiRhered. 10 avoid in this 7pstrticu-
lar any research either vague or indeter-
inmate, the progressive list of the hum
dreds purposely placed at the end of the
table ought to be consulted, and success
sively referring every number TO the
hundred, to the column, as well as to the
quantum that corresponds tn 1t. the indi-
Gated object may be. of course. written
above the same number Alongside of
that progressive list of hundreds. n mar
gin or blank has been left so that any
one may affix to il the auantum of the
column that corresponds to each of the
hundreds.
''rhe writing of figures is here accord
ing to the usual manner from the left 20
the right, with this peculiar attention. to
put stop at the end of every number or
numbers representing any word, and that
stop independently of all other points
commas. etc, agreeable to the form or
custom used in every language but when
any word is to be divided into several
parts or numbers, every one of them IS
to be distinguished by hyphen. So sup
posing Il word is to be divided into three
parts. it should stand thus. 5si5 s92S-6222
Besides. the impossihility Of hazard
ing the least plausible conjecture on the
language in which any correspondence Is
carried ON. since this table is composed OF
|62 columns. il is evident that. on all oc-
casions, there is at least GO against one
to lay that no word or portion of word
is to be hit upon or guessed at, but even
admitting such a lucky hit such one
can, at most. carry along With 1t for the
discovery, or for the finding out of any
other, but a kind of Indication as vague
and even more fallaeious than the total
ignorance of the first, the object of Sc
crecy might by that alone be looked upon
as sufficiently attained and fulfilled. ..
/ is obvious that in all cases the eorre-
spending parties ought to be provided
with the same table as well as with the
same hundreds uniformly plaeed at the
head of every column, but hundreds
which every one may, at all times. va
riously dispose for the respective use of
each of his correspondents Y.
Times