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TELEGRAPH CODE
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LARRABEE'S CIPHER
AXD
SECRET LETTER AND TELEGRAPH CODE,
WITH HOGG'S IMPROVEMENTS.
THE MOST PERFRCT SECRET CODE EVER INVESTED OR DISCOVERED.
IMPOSSIBLE TO BE READ WITHOUT THE KEY. INVA.LCABLE FOR SECRET. MILITARY, NAVAL, AND
DIPLOMATIC SERVICES, AS WELL AS FOR BROKERS. BANKERS, AND MERCHANTS.
By
CHARLES
S.
LARRABEE,
THE ORIGINAL I.VTENTOR OF THE SYSTEM.
PATENTED AMD COPYRIGHT SECURED.
SECOND EDITION.
NEW YORK:
D.
VAN NOSTKAND. PUBLISHEE,
2.3
MURRAY AND
1884.
iJT
WARREN STREET.
PREFACE
My
attention
upon some
I
to
first
called to the importance of Secret Cipher writing while
Government
employed
in 1863.
very soon discovered the imperfect character of the then existing systems, and set myself
work
I hit
was
special service for the U. S.
After a great deal of labor and
to devise a better.
upon
compelled
this system, the idea first striking
me
me from
to temporarily defer the publication,
perfect the code
which
I
and not
many
unsatisfactory experiments,
"Key-word Lock."
Pending arrangements
for
he very honorably acknowledged
the part relating to figures
its
publication,
my right
my
I
learned, that
own.
to the
was unquestionably
After
main
his.
Mr.
G.
Hogg, of London, had
some correspondence on the
YouK.Jantcary
subject^
features of the code, while I admitted that
1 claim to
be the original discoverer of this
"Key-word System."
CHARLES
New
Other occupations
until the winter of 1869-70 did I fully
herewith present to the American public.
published a code almost identical with
system, which I call the
the
S.
LAKRABEE.
1st, 1871.
Entered, ftccording to Act of Congress, tu the year ISTO, by C.
S.
LARKABEE,
in the Offlce of the Librarian or Congress at
Washington.
INTRODUCTION
This Secret Code
it
may
be used by any oue.
It is so perfect
that
no message written by
can possibly be read without knowing the particular kej--word us3d.
In most of the Cipher sj'stems a mere changing of the order of the alphabet, or certain
signs
for
certain letters, has been used,
and in consequence
of the
same
represented by the same cipher, an expert could easily read any message.
letter
being always
In this system the
constant change ot cipher for every letter makes the message perfectly secret.
By
its
use any number ot persons
save for those intended.
or misunderstanding.
may
write the
It is very simple,
same message, and each be
unintelligible
and with ordinary care there can be no mistake
Your message can be written in any language.
3
I lY
ST
RUCT
I
N
S
Fix upon a key-word which cominuuicate to your correspondent any word may be adopted,
care must be taken
it is judicious to select one that can be remembered by both parties
;
and
that
;
it in
spelled alike
by both,
else the
message could not be read as intended.
—
and
To Convert a Message into Cipher. A key-word having been arranged between
receiver, first write down plainly and distinctly the message to be sent
then
;
key-word over
(he message,
repeating
it
as often as
yourself
lorite
necessary to the end of the message.
the
Find
of the kej'- word and the first letter of the message and find
The letter underneath is the first
same position in Table I.
cipher.
Repeat this jirocess with all the letters, taking the second letter of kej-word and the
second letter of the message, the third letter of key-word and the third letter of the message,
and so on to the conclusion.
the ciphers thus:
Take the
the same letters in
first letter
exactly
the
To Convert Ciphers into the Message. — First
write over them the
particular key-word
write
down
the ciphers as received,
between yourself and correspondent, repeating
it
as necessary
then
as often
till each cipher hc^ a letter of the key-word over it : take the first letter of the key-word
and the first cipher, and find the fame letters in exactly the same position
Table II. the letter
which is under them is the first letter of the message. Repeat this process with all the others,
taking second letter of key-word and second cij^her, and finding second letter of message, and
so on till the ciphers are all translated.
m
4
;
'
EXAMPLES
I.
A MESSAGE CONVEETED INTO CIPHERS.
Key-word,
"Jove."
JOVE JO'VE.TOV EJ OVEJO
IN FORCE
Key-word
Message
MOVE FORWARD
to be sent
VCQ
Cipher to be sent
I
OC
MA
J
FY
MW
TJ VL
S
II.
Key-word, "Hope."
HOPE II O P E H O P E H O
.....SELL E V E R Y T H I KG
Z S A P L J T V F HWMUU
Key-word
Message
Cipher to be sent
'.
.
1
.
.
.
II.
CIPHEKS CONVEETED INTO A MESSAGE.
Key-iwrd,
Key-word..,..
Ciphers received
Message reads
'
'
Decatur.
'
D ECATUR DECATUR D
V E R L BG D H H K AMY C B
S A I L I MM E D I A T E L Y
'
IV.
Key- word,
' '
LoclL
'
LOD ILODILODI LODILODI
EVH XCSVQOSQB ZFGMCG LB
THE PRESIDENT OKDERS IT
Keyword
Ciphers received
Message reads
Instructions for 3fessages containing Figures.
A B C D E F <}
Let the letters
Stand for the figures
IJ
II
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
When writing your message down first on paper, substitute
A H G A for 1871. But prefix such letters by the letter Q, and
the above letters for
such other letter from
as shall indicate the number of letters following, which are to be read -as figures.
Thu
as
QAF
A
to I
:
6
Q B IJ
QCBC D
QE AE
figures,
E
90
234
J.J
Having written down your message as
15500
directed, proceed to convert the lohole of
it
into ciphers
in the usual way.
(The
letter
it is
Q
is
never found in any part of a word unless in conjunction witli
the only letter that can be selected as a sign.)
6
tlie letter
U, and therefore
Examples
relating to Messages containing Figures.
I.
A
MESSAGE CONVEETED INTO CIPHERS.
Remit 3750 dollar?.
Remit Q D C G E J
Original Messas^e
To be written thns
dollars.
Key-word, "Hanover"
Key-word.
Message
.
.
H A N O V £ R H A N O V E R II A N O
.•
R E :M
I
T QD CG E
YEZ WOUU
Ciphere
J
J
DO
L
J.
AR S
GRXY S C S AEG
II.
TO CONVERT CIPHER INTO MESSAGE.
Key-ioord, "Hero."
HEROHEROHE
Key-word
Ciphers received
Message reads
first
V R C M X fl S S Q N
Only Q I) C E J J
or,
'Only
2,500."
TABLE
Letter of
Key-word
Letter of Message
I.
Lelter of
Key- word
TABLE
Letter of
Key-word
I.-Continued.
Letter of Ke'^'-word
TABLE
Letter of
Kev-word
II,
.
Letter of
Cipher
Key-word
.
.
..
.
.
,
TABLE
NN NN N N NNNN N NNN NNNNN N N N N N N N
A B C D E F G H I J K L N O P Q R S T U VWX Y Z
Letter of Ko}--\\or(l
Cipher
]S[
Letter of Message
.
N
.
Letter of Key-word
Cipher
Letter of Messa<;e
.
Letter of Ke^'-wonl
Cipher
Letter of Message.
I^etter of
.
Key-word
Q
!
Cipher
I
Letter of Message
Letter of
II.- Continued.
Key- word
.
'
('iplier
j
Letter of Message
i
Letter of Key-word
Cipher
Letter of Message.
.
•
K
P Q R S T U V
WX
Y
Letter of
Key-word
•COO
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