972Unsolved Historical Ciphers
1753 → 3571 · 1753 → 7531 · 1753 → 3175 · 1753 → 21753, 17536
“by taking ye Figures of every Cypher backwards …”

The Hague → Mr Jones · cleartext letter about making a cipher · 16 January 1753

Schaeblin to Mr Jones, The Hague, 1753, on a new French cipher

British Library, Add MS 32256 f. 235 (DECODE R9218), catalogued as a two-page numerical nomenclator letter of Mr Jones to Ben. Schaeblin, not deciphered. The two pages are cleartext English, and the letter runs the other way: Schaeblin writes to Jones about the new French cipher he is compiling. There is nothing to decipher; the letter was transcribed in full.

Daniel Bourdeau · posted · updated

Method: not a cipher

Summary. DECODE lists R9218 as a ciphered letter from “Mr. Jones (Hague) to Ben. Schaeblin”, 1753, a numerical nomenclator with no decipherment. The images show no cipher. It is a clear English letter dated at The Hague on 16 January 1753, signed “C. Ben. Schaeblin” and addressed “To Mr Jones”, so DECODE has the sender and receiver swapped. Schaeblin is compiling a new French cipher for the British service on the model of “the English Cypher”: 3000 numbers with blanks, the current ministers of every European court, and the European settlements in Asia, Africa and America. He proposes to disguise it without a second cipher by writing each number backwards, rotating its figures, or adding a dummy figure, each switch signalled by a “Change the Cypher” group. The only numbers on the page are his worked examples on 1753. The whole letter is transcribed; the French cipher itself was not looked for.

01 The document

Lower half of f. 235r: the methods of disguise, 1753 written 3571 and 7531
f. 235r, foot: “by taking ye Figures of every Cypher backwards, E.G. 1753. write 3571 … by putting ye first figure at ye End, E.G. 1753. write 7531.” Image: British Library, Add MS 32256 f. 235r, via DECODE R9218.

One leaf, written on both sides in a clear hand, dated “Hague Janry 16. 1753”, signed “C. Ben. Schaeblin”, with “To Mr Jones.” at the foot of the verso. Add MS 32256 belongs to the Newcastle Papers’ diplomatic correspondence of 1753. DECODE’s tags “nomenclator; numerical” describe the cipher the letter is about.

02 The text

Abbreviations kept (yr = your, ye = the, wch = which).

Sr. — I have yr Honr of sending you inclosed a List of Names of most of the Ministers actually employed by the several Courts of Europe, in publick Affairs, which I intended to insert into the new French Cypher, and beg you will send it me back with the Additions or omissions that may be thought proper; I have added a List of names, that though in the English Cypher are either dead or no more in a publick Capacity, & in regard to wch I beg to be instructed. I did not think it necessary to send you also a List of the Places, Countries &c. I kept all those that are found in the English Cypher, & added many more, particularly ye names of most of the European Settlements in Asia, Africa, & America, as those places will chiefly be ye Subject of French Papers that may be wanted to be put into Cypher. As for ye rest, I shall make it in ye same manner as ye English, with ye same number of Cyphers, viz. 3000. and bring likewise in several Blanks.

In Order to disguise it sometimes, without ye help of a Second Cypher, I propose several Methods, for Instance, by taking ye Figures of every Cypher backwards, E.G. 1753. write 3571. and vice versâ in decyphering it; Item, by putting ye first figure at ye End, E.G. 1753. write 7531. Item by putting ye last figure at ye head, as 1753 write 3175. & both vice versâ in decyphering. Item by adding any indifferent figure at ye head or end of each Cypher, wch is then only to be taken off in decyphering, E.G. 1753. write 21753, or 17536. Each of these Methods might be marked where it begins, by two or three Cyphers like the Change the Cypher in the last English Cyphers; & some other marks, where it changes again into the natural way. To avoid Confusion, I wd add a Note that these different Methods are not to be minded, or to follow one another immediately, without Changing before into ye natural way.

I beg ye favour you will let me know, wch of these several Methods I may make use of, & as soon as I am honoured with yr Answer, I shall only want a week’s Time to put it entirely in order, & transmit a fair Copy of it. I shall do my Utmost Endeavours to make it as compleat as possible, & flatter myself to succeed as far as can be expected. — I have ye Honour &c.   C. Ben. Schaeblin.   To Mr Jones.

03 What remains uncertain

04 Sources

Notes and transcription: jones1753/ in the repository.