NOVE SYSTEM OF CRYPTOGRAPHY
Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No 11 Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for A NOVEL SYSTEM OF CRYPTOGRAPHY and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
-
My invention relates to a novel system of preparing words and sentences in
cypher form for transmitting secret messages, conducting important official and
commercial correspondence and for use as well in all matters where privacy 18
desirable
My improved system consists in a mode of employing and arranging a number
or series of syllables or letters and combination of letters such as are contained in
and are combined to form words of general use, with a similar number or series of
syllables or letters and combination of letters that may or may not be regular
syllables or combinations of letters most generally used in the structure of words
These two series of syllables or letters and combination of letters I have termed
and shall hereinafter at all times refer to as "Word-forms" and "Symbols" or
Cypher-forms."
And in using them for the purposes of my invention I proceed to arrange them
in parallel columns, each column composed of a vertical line of "word-forms" and
a similar line of "cypher-forms or symbols, both lines having an equal number of
items set in regular order
"
With each line of word forms there is placed and associated a line of cypher
forms.
For convenience these associated lines of syllables, words, characters and symbols
are arranged in a number of columns across a page or sheet of paper in the form of
a table, all the columns composed of the same number of horizontal lines, but as
long as equality in the number of items composing the line is preserved, these
columns may be of any desirable length and of any number that will contain and
provide sufficient material for the construction of words and sentences in ordinary
use In the accompanying drawing by means of which I shall hereinafter fully
explain the method of practising my said system of cryptography, there is given
A

page_text: the plan of constructing a set of tables, first and generally for the production of
words in cypher form by employing a symbol for each letter or each syllable of a
word or a symbol for the word itself according to the extent to which the tables
are amplified and second, and specially, for the transmission of sentences through
the medium of a set of word-cyphers or arbitrary combination of letters, which are
employed in connection with a set of phrases arranged and agreed upon between
the parties employing the system, and comprising ready made sentences that
embrace all ordinary matters and transactions in commercial circles The tables 1, 2
and 3 will give a series of word-forms, such as letters of the alphabet, prefixes and
suffixes, syllables that enter into the structure of words, and also a set of such
words that may be most generally called into use in the particular line of the
correspondence to be carried on, all arranged in ten columns, and in alphabetical
order, beginning with the letters and shorter syllables at the top of the columns
and continuing with the syllables and words of three letters and then of four, and
so on increasing to the foot of the column
It is not neccessary to the proper working of my invention that this matter
should be arranged in three separate tables, as represented in Tables 1 2 and 3 but
only as a matter of convenience in use
prefer however to arrange this matter in ten columns, side by side And then
with each column I associate a line of cypher-forms in such manner that each
letter, syllable or word in the word column has a symbol or "cypher form
appropriated to it.
"
These several "word-form" columns are numbered in regular order from 1 to 10
inclusive the numerals being placed at the head of the columns beginning at the
left and reading across the table
This construction 18 followed in the three tables 1, 2 and 3 which are practically
only divisions of a single large table
The several cypher lines, or columns of symbols, are not numbered at the time of
constructing the table, but a blank space X¹ is left over the head of each column
into which a number w¹ is inserted arbitrarily by the person proceeding to make
use of the system
This second series of column numbers is applied irregularly as to order but the
same numbers are employed as are required for the cypher columns w
A line of "word-forms" and a line of "cypher-forms," thus constitutes a column
which is distinguished by a standard or fixed number, w and by a variable or
movable number w¹.
By means of this movable number the table is susceptible of many permutations
and although several different persons are employing the same table in their
correspondence yet as each person will arrange the movable numbers w¹ in any
order to his own caprice there can be no chance of one person being able to
decypher the message of another from his own table
Words are then constructed in cypher form, either by separating a word into
letters, and obtaining a cypher for each letter, or by separating the words into
syllables and using a symbol for each syllable, or where the table affords a word
complete, by taking a single symbol for the entire word.
In this manner words or arbitrary combinations of letters are obtained that
represent in cypher form the message required
In this method of operating with the word form and symbols each line of cypher
forms or symbols 18 associated with any line of word form by placing over the head
of such line of symbols the number of any word column The symbols in column 1
may then be associated with the words, syllables and letters found under column 5
and so on, this coupling together any two of these columns and producing various
combinations at pleasure
The following description fully explains and sets forth the manner of carrying
my improved system into effect.
Figures 1, and 3 are the heads and portions of three tables composed of
successive columns of “word forms" and "cypher forms."

page_text: Figure 41s a table of arbitrary words or combinations of syllables for use in
connection with ready made phrases sentences and messages.
Each column under the fixed numbers 1, 2, 3 &c to 10 consists of the "word
forms" and the columns under the blank spaces are the cypher forms.
In table 1 and its continuation, table 2, I have set ten columns in line across a
page or sheet of paper
Beginning with single letters and small syllables or combinations of letters,
I have produced a word column under the fixed number of any desired length, and
in alphabetical order increasing regularly to greater combinations, and finally at
the lower portion of the table and in the extension (Table 3) providing words of
several syllables.
"
"
Alongside of each vertical line thus arranged are placed the symbols and
cypher-forms' as before described, so that in the several divisions are tables
there is a symbol opposite to each word letter or syllable
This symbol is sometimes a letter or syllable itself and sometimes an arbitrary
symbol without any particular value, or meaning
Where it is a letter or syllable it can be used also as material to form a syllable
or a word and the form set opposite to it in the fixed word column can be taken
for its symbol
This reduces the number of characters and affords condensation of the table as
will be explained afterwards
Such tables being produced from any desired characters and set of words are
printed upon cards or paper of convenient size, and duplicates, after being numbered,
are held by persons who are to exchange cypher messages
As an example in using such system the following sentence can be produced in
cypher form from the portion of tables given in figures 1 and 2 the first figures
representing only the head of the table but the second figure giving the top and
bottom
Sentence We strive for scant gaini
"
The cypher for the first word "We" must be produced from separate letters as
the word itself is not found in any of the word columns
Its first letter "W" is found in column 2 and the cypher for it is "Z" taken
from cypher column marked 2 and is that character on the same horizontal line
this being the cypher column associated beforehand with column 2, by placing such
number in the blank space X¹ at the head
The second letter e found in word column 3 is represented by the character P in
cypher line 3 column 3 and corresponding horizontal line
The two characters "Z" "P," give the required cypher for the word
The second word "strive" is found under column 8 and its cypher is fk found
in cypher column 8 in corresponding horizontal line
.
The third word "
for "
}
is not given in any of the word columns and must
therefore be treated in the same manner as the first word
The letter "F" is not in the word-column but is found in a cypher-column
under number 2 in such case the cypher-column being used as a word-column it is
required to use with it the word column of corresponding numbers therefore the
character to be taken as the cypher for the letter "F" is obtained from the word-
column 2 and will be the letter "C"
The second letter is found in column 8 and is represented by the cypher "D"
found under cypher column 8 and the third letter r found in cypher column 10 is
represented by letter "S" the character in the word column 10
The required cypher 18 "C D. S"
The next word "scant
"
18 found complete in word column 8 and is represented
by the cypher, "db" in cypher column 8
"
And finally the last word "gain' is found in word column and its cypher yk
is obtained in cypher column 4

page_text: To distinguish between cyphers that stand for words and those that are used
separately to spell words, the former are written in condensed form as fk while
the separate letters are spaced at z. p
п
To decypher the message the operation is simply reversed, it being understood
of course that the person receiving the message is provided with a duplicate table
or tables, with the movable numbers in the blank spaces, arranged to correspond
with the table used by the sender
As these numbers are capable of many permutations, it is evident that the same
printed tables can be used without risk by a number of persons, for the possibility
of any two persons placing the movable numbers in exactly the same order in the
blank spaces is exceedingly small
These same tables however are made susceptible of still greater changes or
permutations by providing a column of blank spaces Y in vertical line at the right
of the table and then numbering the horizontal lines of the table on the left hand
side beginning with No 1 at the top line and numbering in regular order In the
blanks at the extreme right, the person preparing the table for his own use will
place in regular order the same numbers found on the left arranging them
arbitrarily so that the number at the left of one horizontal line is found in the
right hand column of spaces Y to represent some other horizontal line in the table
The numbers at the head of the column are discarded when the vertical row of
numbers are used
The double row of blanks provided for the numbers on the right are arranged in
this manner simply to afford space for writing the number
The number for the first line (see table 2) will be placed in the space * and
that for the second line in the space ** and so on.
A single vertical row of spaces would cause the number to be placed too closely
for legibility
The use of vertical numbers in place of the horizontal head-numbers will be
understood from a single illustration by means of table 2, the figures found in
the left-hand column of figures at the top of the table, being inserted in the
spaces Y at the right of the table
To find the cypher for the word "my" line 47, the corresponding number 47 in
the night hand column of numbers 18 referred to and in that horizontal line and in
the cypher column associated with the word column containing the word "my" 18
found the required cypher, in this case it is the symbol 7
The number of figures afforded by this last described method greatly increases
the permutations and thus enlarges the capacity of a small table
And thus printed tables of this construction with the blank spaces X, Y, ready
to be filled in many different forms can be produced and placed on sale for general
as each person using them will place the movable numbers according to his
own fancy
use,
In connection with my said system of tables I provide a cypher table for the
transmission of ready made phrases and messages, previously agreed upon between
parties
Such a table is partly given in figure 4 of the drawing
A number of words either of common use or coined for the purpose, are arranged
in a series of columns and in horizontal row as well, and each row and each
column is distinguished by a number
The person using this table prepares before hand a set of phrases and sentences
to cover all the ordinary items of information and the everyday transactions and
affairs of business that may come into use between himself and his correspondent
Each phrase or sentence is given a number to be found in the table 4 and to
facilitate the use of the table for telegraphing where condensation is a desideratum
I arrange the phrases and sentences into two classes, one consisting of the fixed
phrases regularly used and the other composed of phrases associated and employed
With the set phrases in various order and at different times.

page_text: Thus the set phrases may relate to the description of goods and other matters
while the other phrases may supply the prices, quantities, the state of the market
and other changeable information
These two sets of phrases are then to be numbered in any required manner
using the same numerals given on the table but without repetition
One word of the cypher table 4 serves to represent two sentences or connected
phrases by finding first the number of one phrase in the horizontal row of numbers,
and then the number of the next phrases or part of the message in the vertical row
of figures and taking that cypher word which is found in the table at the
intersection of the two numbers.
This application and use of the table 4 and set of phrases is of value in
communicating by telegraph and telephone, as considerable amount of information
and instruction can be rapidly and secretly transmitted
For telephone purposes it is of great utility
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the Baid
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim 18
1- The manner of combining and arranging columns of "word forms" and
symbols or "cypher forms" in tables with fixed numbers to identify one set, or
column, and movable numbers to associate one column of the one order with any
column of the other order
2-In combination with columns of letters, syllables or word forms and words
and associated column of cypher forms, the use of the fixed numbers to identify one
set or order, and the blank spaces X¹, Y, to receive numbers in arbitrary order to
identify the other column
3-In combination with the columns of word forms and cypher forms constituting
a table or tables as described, the use of the vertical row of numbers at one side of
the table and the blank spaces on the other side of the table to receive the same
numbers in arbitrary order.
4-The manner of combining and arranging cyphers for phrases and sentences
as in table 4