At a glanceExisting decipherment · 400 of 409 code items
- The telegrams
- Venceslau de Lima, head of the government, to King Manuel II during the King’s state visit of November–December 1909: one to Madrid (12 November) and seven to Paris (27 November – 2 December). Nine telegrams on eleven forms; eight carry code.
- Where
- Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo, Documentos de D. Carlos, D. Amélia e D. Manuel II, maço 9, PT/TT/CAM/M09, 21 images on DigitArq. Catalogue entry 409.
- The cipher
- A Portuguese two-part (randomised) code of five-figure groups, with 06 for the full stop and 04 for the comma. Words not in the book are spelled in syllables: Bri-and, Medi-na, chega-ria.
- How it was deciphered
- The receiver wrote the meaning in pencil above nearly every group. The texts are transcribed from those decodes; a review against the full-resolution scans corrected five readings of the first pass. Pairing the glosses with the groups gives 261 code values.
- What it says
- The return route by night train to Medina del Campo and a special train to Lisbon, to avoid a stop at Luso, “incommoda e de mau effeito”; edits to the King’s toast in Paris; the Legion of Honour; the reception in Lisbon.
- Still open
- Nine code items: three groups with no gloss (two of them garbled), six whose pencil is too faint to read.
- Credit
- Transcription, dating, the code values and the controls by WAINUT (27 October 2026), done with AI language-model agents; the transcriptions were made with a vision-capable model from the DigitArq images and reviewed by a second agent. The decodes are the receiver’s of 1909.
01 The telegrams
Maço 9 holds nine telegrams on eleven forms; the even-numbered images are mostly backs. Two are on Spanish palace forms (“Real Palacio”, Lisbon to Madrid, by hand): m0001, a clear text with four code groups, and m0003–m0004, all in clear. Seven are on French receiving forms with printed strips, Lisbon to Paris, Hotel Bristol; two of them run over two forms (m0011 + m0012, m0018 + m0016).
| images | route and date | code items | state |
|---|---|---|---|
| m0001 | Lisbon → Madrid, no. 6625, 12 Nov 1909 | 4, in a clear text | complete |
| m0011 + m0012 | Lisbon → Paris, no. 105, 27 Nov | 101 | 97 of 101 |
| m0018 + m0016 | Lisbon → Paris, no. 24, 28 Nov | 91 | 90 of 91 |
| m0014 | Lisbon → Paris, no. 25, 28 Nov | 31 | complete |
| m0009 | Lisbon → Paris, no. 141, 30 Nov, via Eastern | 47 | 45 of 47 |
| m0005 | Lisbon → Paris, no. 425, 30 Nov | 30 | complete |
| m0020 | Lisbon → Paris, no. 325, 30 Nov | 65 | 64 of 65 |
| m0007 | Lisbon → Paris, no. 43, 2 Dec, via Eastern | 40, among clear text | 39 of 40 |
The French form says that the first number after the place of origin is the serial number and the second the taxed words, so every Paris strip runs Lisbon to Paris. The year is not on the strips; the stamps read 27 NOV 09, and the dates fit together: m0011 is dated the 27th, a Saturday in 1909; m0009 (30th) complains of no answer to “Saturday’s telegram” and says the King leaves “the day after tomorrow”; m0007 (2 December) thanks him for agreeing.
The word count checks the transcription. On four of the seven Paris forms (m0005, m0007, m0011, m0014), code items + clear words + a constant 9 for the address equal the taxed count of the header. m0020 gives 83, the figure the receiver pencilled over the header’s 93. m0009 is one short, and the office noted “(Correction suivra pour mot qui manque)”; m0018 is one short although its 91 groups were checked one by one.
02 The decodes of 1909
The receiver wrote the meaning above nearly every group, and marked his doubts: a circled group with “(? uma palavra indecifravel)” in m0007, and underlined groups that came through garbled. A reviewing agent re-read six of the eight coded telegrams against the full-resolution scans and corrected five readings of the first pass:
- m0011 opens “Em combinação [?] com o Porto e Serpa assentámos”, not “Em Coimbra, como Porto e Serpa”: the margin gloss “Em combina[ção]” stands over 01748 78853, and 68173 is “com o”.
- m0014: 93186 is “G.C. Legião”.
- m0018: 69958 + 66931 are “tend-” + “-es”, i.e. “tendes feito”, the words of the King’s draft.
- m0020: 51443 is “contar com” and 19864 “isso” (one value, not two); 05068 “inconveniencia” and 19313 “posso” or “pouco” are doubtful.
- m0011: 48696 is “Hen..” (Hendaye?), and 43243 is left open there.
One addition of this pass: 10231 + 01021 are glossed “medi” + “na” and spell Medi-na in both places, so m0011 has “vir até Medina, onde” and “em Medina para o trem especial”.
03 The code
Pairing the glosses with the groups gives 261 distinct groups for 409 code items (groups.py, code_values.tsv). They are words, phrases (“com toda urgencia”, “depois de amanhã”, “dar ordens”, “resposta ao telegramma”), and syllables or endings for words not in the book (insis- / -to, Bri- / -and, estreit- / -amento, chega- / -ria, tornar- / -á).
The code is two-part. Over 227 cleanly glossed groups, the rank correlation between group number and the alphabetical order of the value is 0.068, which 30% of 2000 random shuffles reach, and every first figure carries values from almost the whole alphabet. So an open group cannot be bracketed between its neighbours. Repeated groups agree: seven recur with two forms of one word or phrase (Em/em, teve/tem, terá/teria, comboio/comboios, relação/relações, 1 hora/uma hora). The one exception is 43243, “da” four times but glossed something like “dep..” in m0011.
It is not the code of the neighbouring folders. No group is shared with King Carlos’s code of 1903, the Count of Sabugosa’s, Manuel II’s of August 1910 or Hintze Ribeiro’s of 1903. In this unit 38% of a telegram’s groups recur in the other seven, so a telegram of 54–106 groups in the same code would share some by chance; the chance of sharing none is below 2×10−6 for each folder.
04 What they say
Telegram no. 105 of 27 November (m0011 + m0012), in the receiver’s decode; [?] marks a group not read or doubtful:
Em combinação [?] com o Porto e Serpa assentámos que o mais conveniente seria tomar ahi o [?] da noite, 7 horas 40 minutos, com toda commodidade, tam bem ou melhor que [o] Sud-Express, e vir até Medina, onde teria comboio especial que chegaria a Lisbôa ás 11 horas [da] manhã ou mais tarde, se assim convier. Supprimia-se d’esta forma [a] paragem no caminho em Luso, incommoda e de mau effeito. […] Aguardando [?] Vossa Magestade para dar ordens, que são urgentes. W. de Lima.
“In agreement with Porto and Serpa we settled that the best course would be to take there the [?] night train at 7.40 pm, in full comfort, as well as or better than the Sud-Express, and come as far as Medina [del Campo], where a special train would wait that would reach Lisbon at 11 in the morning, or later if preferred. This would cut out the stop on the way at Luso, which is awkward and makes a bad impression.”
The other seven:
- m0001 (12 November, to Madrid): thanks for the welcome in Spain; “Tudo continua sem novidade. Escrevo Windsor.”
- m0018 (28 November): Lima edits the King’s reply toast for the President’s dinner: “e amizade” after “sympathia”, thanks for the welcome “na sua intellectual Paris”, “maior estreitamento das suas relações”.
- m0014 (28 November): since the President has given the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour to Bocage, the King should be friendly to Briand, with no inequality against what was done in England and Spain.
- m0009 and m0005 (30 November): no answer yet about the return trains; departure is the day after tomorrow; a stop at Bussaco would be awkward; Vasconcellos Porto presses for an answer.
- m0020 (30 November): the King should go only to São Carlos on the evening of his arrival and receive at the station.
- m0007 (2 December): arrival in Lisbon at 1.15 pm; greetings at Vilar Formoso; lunch between Santarém and Lisbon.
05 What remains uncertain
Nine of 409 code items are open; each telegram is at 95.7% or above.
- m0007: 50667, circled by the receiver, who wrote “uma palavra indecifravel”. One occurrence, and a two-part code cannot be bracketed.
- m0011: 595191, a garbled six-figure group, underlined, with no gloss.
- m0018: 33125, underlined, no gloss, one occurrence.
- m0011, line 7: 85178 and 70706 (“Tratando”, “rendoso” [?]) and the gloss of 43243 (“dep..” [?]): the pencil is too faint on the scan. 48696 “Hen..” (Hendaye?) is doubtful.
- m0009: 18703 and 10586, faint pencil (“comp..são”, “Th..” [?]).
- m0020: 83636, gloss “o Rojo”, “o Rozo” or “o Bojo”; 05068 and 19313 doubtful.
- m0001 and m0007 have had one reading only; the other six were re-read against the scans.
- The word counts of m0009 and m0018 are each one short; m0009’s word was probably lost in transmission, m0018’s is not found.
Full texts
The transcription and the decryption of every document on this page, so that the reading can be used and checked. Short files are shown here; all are in the repository.
m0001, Lisbon -> Madrid (Palacio Real), 12 Nov 1909
At the start of the King's state visit, Lima repeats his congratulations on the welcome in Madrid; coded: all continues without news, he is writing to Windsor.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, image m0001 (back m0002). Spanish palace telegraph form "Real Palacio", by hand. # Despacho de Lisboa, Num. 6625; Expedido el 12 a las 2.50 t[arde]; Recibido el 12 de N[oviem]bre a las 4.20 t [?]. # Address: Sua Magestade el Rei de Portugal - Palacio Real Madrid. The year (1909) is not on the form; it follows # from the content and the other telegrams of the unit. # The text is in clear; four code groups stand before the closing, each with a pencil gloss above it (decode of the # time). Accents as far as legible; "amais" as written. Reitero minhas felicitações á Vossa Magestade pelo caloroso acolhimento ahi recebido e que entre nos tem produzido os amais grata impressão 05764 21269 80054 99924 beijo as mãos a Vossa Magestade. Wenceslau de Lima.
Decryption
# m0001: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Madrid, 12 Nov 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. (clear) Reitero minhas felicitações á Vossa Magestade pelo caloroso acolhimento ahi recebido e que entre nos tem produzido os amais grata impressão 05764 Tudo ? [first figure may be read s or 0] 21269 continua sem novidade 80054 Escrevo ? [fourth figure unclear] 99924 Windsor (clear) beijo as mãos a Vossa Magestade. Wenceslau de Lima.
Reading
# m0001: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Madrid (Palacio Real), 12 Nov 1909 Reitero minhas felicitações a Vossa Magestade pelo caloroso acolhimento ahi recebido e que entre nós tem produzido a mais grata impressão. Tudo continua sem novidade. Escrevo [para] Windsor. Beijo as mãos a Vossa Magestade. Wenceslau de Lima.
Translation
# m0001: English translation I again congratulate Your Majesty on the warm welcome received there, which has made the happiest impression among us. Everything continues without news. I am writing to Windsor. I kiss Your Majesty's hands. Wenceslau de Lima. Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. Only "Tudo continua sem novidade. Escrevo Windsor" is coded (four groups); the rest is in clear on the form. The King was in Madrid on the first leg of his state visit of November 1909 (Madrid, Paris, London); Windsor is a later stop. The first figure of 05764 and the fourth of 80054 are not sure; the glosses are clear.
m0005, Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909
Confidential: a stop at Bussaco would be awkward, so the King should come straight by the night express; Vasconcellos Porto presses for an answer.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, image m0005 (back m0006). French receiving form; printed strips. # Header strip: LISBCA 425,-48 30 12.30 M .= (origin Lisboa, no. 425, 48 taxed words, day 30, 12.30 am). # Stamp CENTRAL PARIS with day 30 (month and year faint). Pencil gloss above every group (decode of the time). # The last group of line 1 is cut at the strip edge (781..); the third figure of 94794 is overwritten. # The closing strip ends at DE; LIMA is not on it (torn or cut), restored as [LIMA]: with it the word count fits. =33453 10887 63900 40848 41024 04 10353 52854 98828 94794 57624 50808 66266 781?? 94243 36467 41966 43243 42277 06 89274 45433 01794 46523 79456 28573 99211 75137 00327 25584 BEIJO AS MAOS DE VOSSA NAGESTADE .= WENCESLAU DE [LIMA]
Decryption
# m0005: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. 33453 Confidencial 10887 paragem 63900 Bussaco 40848 teve 41024 inconveniente 04 , 10353 por isso 52854 insis- 98828 -to 94794 vantagem ? [third figure overwritten] 57624 vinda 50808 directa 66266 sah- 781?? -indo ? [group cut at the strip edge] 94243 d'ahi 36467 no 41966 rapido 43243 da 42277 noite 06 . 89274 Vasconcellos 45433 Porto 01794 insta 46523 pela 79456 resposta 28573 que 99211 muito 75137 peço 00327 a 25584 V. M. (clear) BEIJO AS MAOS DE VOSSA NAGESTADE .= WENCESLAU DE [LIMA]
Reading
# m0005: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909, 12.30 am Confidencial. Paragem Bussaco teve inconveniente, por isso insisto [na] vantagem [da] vinda directa, sahindo d'ahi no rapido da noite. Vasconcellos Porto insta pela resposta, que muito peço a Vossa Magestade Beijo as mãos de Vossa Magestade. Wenceslau de [Lima].
Translation
# m0005: English translation Confidential. A stop at Bussaco would have been awkward, so I insist on the advantage of coming straight through, leaving there [Paris] by the night express. Vasconcellos Porto is pressing for the answer, which I earnestly ask of Your Majesty. I kiss Your Majesty's hands. Wenceslau de [Lima]. Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. "teve" (had) is the gloss; the sense is conditional. Vasconcellos Porto is presumably the minister in charge of the King's return journey [our identification, not checked].
m0007, Lisbon -> Paris, 2 Dec 1909
The return journey settled: arrival in Lisbon at 1.15 pm, greetings at Vilar Formoso, rest as far as Pampilhosa, lunch between Santarém and Lisbon.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, image m0007 (back m0008). French receiving form; printed strips. # Header strip: SSS LISBOA 43 122 2 12.55 M = EASTERN = (no. 43, 122 taxed words, day 2 [Dec], 12.55 am, via Eastern). # Pencil gloss above the groups (decode of the time), a lighter hand over line 3. The receiver circled 50667 and # wrote under the strips "(? uma palavra indecifravel)". The first letter of line 5 is torn: [M]E. = AGRADECO O TELEGRAMMA DE VOSSA MAJESTADE E SUA CONCORDANCIA COM OS ALVITRES PROPOSTOS 70606 28140 91731 80124 93148 64124 82633 43243 11598 06 03481 34878 41024 46523 73027 01748 06777 93148 49113 49600 05123 99251 06 20481 58538 28787 47841 41024 67031 35184 06 MUITO AGRADECERIA VOSSA MAJESTADE [M]E DISSESSE SE SE DIGNA RECEBER COMPRIMENTOS A ENTRADA EM PORTUGAL EM VILLAR FORMOSO ONDE MUITO DESEJAM PRESTAR LH OS DEPOIS NENHUNS OUTROS TERA POR SER DE NOITE E PARA PODER DESCANCAR ATE A PAMPILHOSA ONDE CHEGA AS 8 HORAS DA MANHA ALMOCO ENTRE SANTAREM E LISBOA 02183 50667 93148 87231 18507 80124 93148 64124 82633 BEIJO AS MAOS DE VOSSA MAGESTADE = WENCESLAU DE LIMA
Decryption
# m0007: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Paris, 2 Dec 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. (clear) = AGRADECO O TELEGRAMMA DE VOSSA MAJESTADE E SUA CONCORDANCIA COM (clear) OS ALVITRES PROPOSTOS 70606 hora 28140 chegada 91731 Lisbôa 80124 1 hora 93148 e 64124 um 82633 quarto 43243 da 11598 tarde 06 . 03481 mais cêdo ? [light pencil] 34878 terá [light pencil] 41024 inconveniente [light pencil] 46523 pela 73027 passagem 01748 em 06777 Pampilhosa 93148 e 49113 Coimbra 49600 cêdo 05123 de 99251 mais 06 . 20481 mais tarde 58538 torna- [gloss 'tornaria' spans 58538 and 28787] 28787 -ria [same split as chega-ria in m0011] 47841 a marcha 41024 inconveniente- 67031 -mente 35184 lenta 06 . (clear) MUITO AGRADECERIA VOSSA MAJESTADE (clear) [M]E DISSESSE SE SE DIGNA RECEBER COMPRIMENTOS A ENTRADA EM PORTUGAL EM VILLAR (clear) FORMOSO ONDE MUITO DESEJAM PRESTAR LH OS DEPOIS NENHUNS OUTROS TERA POR SER DE (clear) NOITE E PARA PODER DESCANCAR ATE A PAMPILHOSA ONDE CHEGA AS 8 HORAS DA MANHA (clear) ALMOCO ENTRE SANTAREM E LISBOA 02183 Das 50667 [?] [circled; the receiver wrote '(? uma palavra indecifravel)'] 93148 e 87231 meia 18507 ás 80124 uma hora 93148 e 64124 um 82633 quarto (clear) BEIJO AS MAOS DE VOSSA MAGESTADE = WENCESLAU DE LIMA
Reading
# m0007: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Paris, 2 Dec 1909, 12.55 am Agradeço o telegramma de Vossa Majestade e sua concordancia com os alvitres propostos. Hora [de] chegada [a] Lisbôa 1 hora e um quarto da tarde. Mais cêdo terá inconveniente pela passagem em Pampilhosa e Coimbra cêdo de mais; mais tarde tornaria a marcha inconvenientemente lenta. Muito agradeceria Vossa Majestade me dissesse se se digna receber comprimentos á entrada em Portugal em Villar Formoso, onde muito desejam prestar-lh'os. Depois nenhuns outros terá, por ser de noite e para poder descançar até á Pampilhosa, onde chega ás 8 horas da manhã. Almoço entre Santarem e Lisboa, das [?] e meia ás uma hora e um quarto. Beijo as mãos de Vossa Magestade. Wenceslau de Lima.
Translation
# m0007: English translation I thank Your Majesty for your telegram and for agreeing to the proposals. Arrival time in Lisbon a quarter past one in the afternoon. Any earlier would be awkward, because the train would pass Pampilhosa and Coimbra too early; any later would make the journey needlessly slow. I should be most grateful if Your Majesty would tell me whether you will receive greetings on entering Portugal at Vilar Formoso, where they very much wish to offer them. After that there will be none, because it will be night, so that you can rest as far as Pampilhosa, which you reach at 8 in the morning. Lunch between Santarém and Lisbon, from half past [?] to a quarter past one. I kiss Your Majesty's hands. Wenceslau de Lima. Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. Mostly in clear. 50667 is circled on the form; the receiver wrote "uma palavra indecifravel" (one undecipherable word), so the hole is his as well as ours. The decoder wrote "tornaria" over 58538 28787; 28787 is "-ria" also in "chega-ria" (m0011).
m0009, Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909
No answer yet to Saturday's telegram about the return trains; the departure is the day after tomorrow and nothing is fixed; Lima asks for a decision most urgently.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, image m0009 (back m0010). French receiving form; printed strips. # Header strip: SS LISBON 141 68 30 10H30 M VOIE EASTERN = (no. 141, 68 taxed words, day 30, 10.30 am, via Eastern). # Pencil gloss above the groups (decode of the time). The office added after the signature # "(Correction suivra pour mot qui manque)". BEIJM for BEIJO as printed. 13341 84456 05123 19586 84656 86853 05123 22596 68520 48367 63178 04184 28573 01953 07658 25367 20768 43243 88117 05123 25584 93148 62021 94201 56911 70283 10341 60201 76224 28573 99211 75137 45853 06 89274 45433 40848 02848 18703 10586 01021 24686 41966 24357 15771 10341 91033 DE VOSSA MAGESTADE A QUEM BEIJM AS MAOS .= WENCESLAU DE LIMA .=
Decryption
# m0009: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. 13341 Falta de ? [perhaps a garbled 10341 falta] 84456 resposta ao telegramma 05123 de 19586 sabbado 84656 relativo 86853 comboios 05123 de 22596 regresso 68520 causa 48367 o maior 63178 transtorno 04184 Lembro 28573 que 01953 depois de amanhã 07658 é 25367 o 20768 dia 43243 da 88117 partida 05123 de 25584 V. M. 93148 e 62021 nada 94201 está 56911 fixado 70283 por ? 10341 falta 60201 essa 76224 indicação 28573 que 99211 muito 75137 peço 45853 com toda urgencia 06 . 89274 Vasconcellos 45433 Porto 40848 tem 02848 telegraphado 18703 [comp..são?] [gloss unclear] 10586 [Th..?] [gloss unclear] 01021 na 24686 hypothese 41966 rapido 24357 Norte 15771 mas ? 10341 falta 91033 decisão (clear) DE VOSSA MAGESTADE A (clear) QUEM BEIJM AS MAOS .= WENCESLAU DE LIMA .=
Reading
# m0009: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909, 10.30 am Falta de resposta ao telegramma de sabbado relativo [a] comboios de regresso causa o maior transtorno. Lembro que depois de amanhã é o dia da partida de Vossa Magestade e nada está fixado por falta [d']essa indicação, que muito peço com toda urgencia. Vasconcellos Porto tem telegraphado [?] [?]. Na hypothese [do] rapido Norte, mas falta decisão de Vossa Magestade, a quem beijo as mãos. Wenceslau de Lima.
Translation
# m0009: English translation
The lack of an answer to Saturday's telegram about the return trains is causing the greatest trouble. I remind you
that the day after tomorrow is the day of Your Majesty's departure, and nothing is fixed for want of that instruction,
which I ask for most urgently. Vasconcellos Porto has telegraphed [two groups unread]. [We are working] on the
assumption of the Northern express, but Your Majesty's decision is missing. I kiss Your Majesty's hands. Wenceslau de
Lima.
Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. "Saturday's telegram" is m0011 of 27 Nov 1909, a Saturday. The glosses over 18703 and 10586 are too faint to read
("comp..são", "Th.." [?]). The office noted that a correction would follow for a missing word; the word count is one
short.m0011, Lisbon -> Paris, 27 Nov 1909
Lima proposes the return route: the 7.40 pm night train from Paris to Medina del Campo and a special train to Lisbon, cutting out the stop at Luso.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, images m0011 (lines 1-3) and m0012 (lines 4-9, stamp CENTRAL PARIS 27 NOV 09).
# French receiving forms; printed strips. Header strip: S PARIS LISBOA 105 113 27 5.25 SR = (destination Paris,
# origin Lisboa, no. 105, 113 taxed words, day 27, 5.25 pm). Pencil gloss above the groups (decode of the time);
# the gloss of line 1 starts in the left margin ("Em combina[ção]"). 595191 (six figures) and 9581 (four figures)
# are underlined by the receiver.
# m0011
01748 78853 68173 45433 93148 65048 01287 83437 29573 04481 40048 64708 55977
25367 595191 53243 67218 50633 53561 47853 50763 23628 26430 11847 32101
28573 24928 93148 55504 61407 10231 01021 70007 34878 86853 9581
# m0012
28573 26140 28787 00327 91731 36347 50167 87311 11847 20481 70836 22503
06 53558 18166 61836 32288 91941 10887 36467 34470 01748 30301
87054 93148 05123 38951 06 93048 46523 9194? 28573 95224 99251 26430 79853
06 85178 70706 52763 01748 48696 43243 95940 36347 79057 93148 64628 93148
01748 10231 01021 45967 75098 95181 73693 67218 53243 06 19977 25584
76777 80063 74573 93094 = W . DE LIMA ,-Decryption
# m0011: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Paris, 27 Nov 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. 01748 Em ? [margin gloss 'Em combina[ção]' over 01748 and 78853] 78853 combinação ? [end of the margin gloss faint] 68173 com o 45433 Porto 93148 e 65048 Serpa 01287 assent- 83437 -ámos 29573 que o ? [28573 que, garbled?] 04481 mais conveniente ? 40048 seria 64708 tomar 55977 ahi 25367 o 595191 [?] [six figures, underlined, no gloss: garbled] 53243 da noite 67218 7 horas 50633 40 53561 minutos 47853 com toda 50763 commodidade 23628 tam 26430 bem 11847 ou 32101 melhor 28573 que 24928 Sud-Express 93148 e 55504 vir 61407 até 10231 Medi- [gloss 'medi'] 01021 -na [gloss 'na': Medi-na] 70007 onde 34878 teria 86853 comboio 9581 especial ? [four figures, underlined: 95181 mutilated] 28573 que 26140 chega- 28787 -ria 00327 a 91731 Lisbôa 36347 ás 50167 11 horas 87311 manhã 11847 ou 20481 mais tarde 70836 se assim 22503 convier 06 . 53558 Supprim- 18166 -ia 61836 se 32288 d'esta 91941 forma 10887 paragem 36467 no 34470 caminho 01748 em 30301 Luso 87054 incommoda 93148 e 05123 de 38951 mau effeito 06 . 93048 serviço 46523 pela 9194? forma ? [last figure under a struck gloss; 91941?] 28573 que 95224 indico 99251 mais 26430 bem 79853 combinado 06 . 85178 [Tratando?] [gloss faint] 70706 [rendoso?] [gloss faint] 52763 commodo 01748 em 48696 Hen[daya?] ? [gloss 'Hen..', most likely Hendaye on the Paris-Medina line] 43243 [dep..?] [gloss looks like 'dep..'; 43243 is 'da' four times elsewhere] 95940 já 36347 ás 79057 8 horas 93148 e 64628 tanto ? 93148 e 01748 em 10231 Medi- 01021 -na 45967 para o 75098 trem 95181 especial 73693 perto 67218 7 horas 53243 da noite 06 . 19977 aguardando ? [gloss partly faint] 25584 V. M. 76777 para 80063 dar ordens 74573 que são 93094 urgentes (clear) = W . DE LIMA ,-
Reading
# m0011: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Paris, 27 Nov 1909, 5.25 pm Em combinação [?] com o Porto e Serpa assentámos que o mais conveniente seria tomar ahi o [?] da noite, 7 horas 40 minutos, com toda commodidade, tam bem ou melhor que [o] Sud-Express, e vir até Medina, onde teria comboio especial que chegaria a Lisbôa ás 11 horas [da] manhã ou mais tarde, se assim convier. Supprimia-se d'esta forma [a] paragem no caminho em Luso, incommoda e de mau effeito. Serviço pela forma que indico mais bem combinado. [?] [?] commodo em Hen[daya?] [?] já ás 8 horas e tanto, e em Medina para o trem especial perto [das] 7 horas da noite. Aguardando [?] Vossa Magestade para dar ordens, que são urgentes. W. de Lima.
Translation
# m0011: English translation
In agreement [?] with Porto and Serpa we settled that the best course would be to take there [in Paris] the [?] night
[train] at 7.40 pm, in full comfort, as well as or better than the Sud-Express, and come as far as Medina [del Campo],
where a special train would wait that would reach Lisbon at 11 in the morning, or later if preferred. This would cut
out the stop on the way at Luso, which is awkward and makes a bad impression. The service is better arranged in the
way I indicate. [...] comfortable at Hen[daye?] [...] already at 8-something, and at Medina for the special train at
about 7 in the evening. Awaiting [the orders of] Your Majesty, so as to give the orders, which are urgent. W. de Lima.
Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. The first pass read the margin gloss as "Em Coimbra"; it reads "Em combina[ção]" over 01748 78853, and 68173 is
"com o", so the opening is "In agreement with Porto and Serpa". 10231 is glossed "medi" and 01021 "na" (01021 is "na"
everywhere), so the two groups spell Medi-na: our split. 595191 is a garbled six-figure group with no gloss; m0005 calls
this train "o rapido da noite". In line 7, 85178 and 70706 are faint ("Tratando", "rendoso" [?]); 48696 reads "Hen.."
(Hendaye, the frontier station on the Paris-Medina line [?]); 43243, "da" four times elsewhere, here looks glossed
"dep.." and is left open.m0014, Lisbon -> Paris, 28 Nov 1909
Since the French President has given the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour to Bocage, the King should be friendly to Briand, with no inequality against England and Spain.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, image m0014 (back m0015). French receiving form; printed strips. # Header strip: S PARIS LISBOA 25,-49-28-12./30 SR (destination Paris, origin Lisboa, no. 25, 49 taxed words, # day 28, 12.30 pm). Stamp CENTRAL PARIS. Pencil gloss above every group (decode of the time). VCSSA as printed. =04184 00327 25584 28573 76958 19073 85243 93186 00327 35530 64156 31158 48627 86083 06930 88667 93148 29153 82291 28428 71171 14478 01748 62656 28997 61836 96791 01748 15164 93148 14556 BEIJO AS MAOS DE VCSSA MAGESTADE . = WENCESLAU DE LIMA
Decryption
# m0014: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Paris, 28 Nov 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. 04184 Lembro 00327 a 25584 V. M. 28573 que 76958 tendo 19073 Pres. Republica 85243 dado 93186 G. C. Legião [Grã-Cruz da Legião [de Honra]] 00327 a 35530 Bocage 64156 importar 31158 ser 48627 amavel 86083 com 06930 Bri- 88667 -and 93148 e 29153 não deixar 82291 má impressão 28428 sobretudo [gloss 'sobre tudo'] 71171 não haver 14478 desigualdade 01748 em 62656 relação 28997 ao que 61836 se 96791 fez 01748 em 15164 Inglaterra 93148 e 14556 Hespanha (clear) BEIJO AS MAOS DE VCSSA MAGESTADE (clear) . = WENCESLAU DE LIMA
Reading
# m0014: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Paris, 28 Nov 1909, 12.30 pm Lembro a Vossa Magestade que, tendo [o] Pres[idente da] Republica dado [a] G[rã-]C[ruz da] Legião [de Honra] a Bocage, importa ser amavel com Briand e não deixar má impressão, sobretudo não haver desigualdade em relação ao que se fez em Inglaterra e Hespanha. Beijo as mãos de Vossa Magestade. Wenceslau de Lima.
Translation
# m0014: English translation I remind Your Majesty that, since the President of the Republic has given the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour to Bocage, it matters to be friendly to Briand and leave no bad impression; above all there must be no inequality with what was done in England and Spain. I kiss Your Majesty's hands. Wenceslau de Lima. Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. Bocage is presumably Carlos du Bocage, Portuguese foreign minister in 1909, and Briand the French premier [our identifications, not checked]. The point is a Portuguese decoration for Briand in return. 93186 is glossed "G.C. Legião" (the first pass had "a decoration, gloss unclear").
m0018, Lisbon -> Paris, 28 Nov 1909
Lima edits the King's reply toast for the President's dinner, adding friendship, thanks for the welcome in "intellectual Paris" and the tightening of relations.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, images m0018 (lines 1-5) and m0016 (lines 6-8 and the signature strip). # French receiving forms; printed strips. Header strip: S S DE LISBOA 24,-110-28-12./25 SR (origin Lisboa, no. 24, # 110 taxed words, day 28, 12.25 pm). Pencil gloss above the groups (decode of the time); 62656 and 33125 # underlined by the receiver, 33125 without a gloss. # m0018 =81958 76628 45187 76204 93397 01748 75896 55887 52483 65538 45930 21344 99251 47050 06 29967 79373 36467 88163 23553 00327 38806 00327 37608 34737 93148 38437 36467 70806 23553 00327 38806 00327 69958 66931 78401 44118 95523 93397 63573 72998 00327 36021 78896 01021 84798 02256 93148 11430 32410 01021 84798 55974 96887 06 96047 18878 23553 00327 38806 # m0016 14761 67433 93148 00327 75896 90974 93148 90977 95523 76251 33511 05437 19183 62656 87836 36467 45930 19073 14723 95583 95181 82381 01021 79456 00327 12838 62587 33125 39998 93148 18803 BEIJO AS MAOS DE VOSSA MAJESTADE = WENCESLAU DE LIMA ,-
Decryption
# m0018: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Paris, 28 Nov 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. 81958 Tendo sido 76628 tão 45187 affect[uoso] 76204 nosso 93397 acolhimento 01748 em 75896 França 55887 parece 52483 conveniente 65538 tornar 45930 brinde 21344 jantar ? [gloss unclear] 99251 mais 47050 caloroso 06 . 29967 Por isso 79373 convem 36467 no 88163 primeiro 23553 periodo 00327 a 38806 seguir 00327 a 37608 sympathia 34737 accrescentar 93148 e 38437 amizade 36467 no 70806 segundo 23553 periodo 00327 a 38806 seguir 00327 a 69958 tend- [gloss 'tend'] 66931 -es [gloss 'es'] 78401 feito 44118 dizer 95523 pelo 93397 acolhimento 63573 que nos 72998 dispensa 00327 a 36021 nação 78896 franceza 01021 na 84798 sua 02256 grande 93148 e 11430 bella 32410 capital 01021 na 84798 sua 55974 intellectual 96887 Paris 06 . 96047 ao 18878 3º 23553 periodo 00327 a 38806 seguir 14761 entre 67433 Portugal 93148 e 00327 a 75896 França 90974 intercalar 93148 e 90977 ainda 95523 pelo 76251 maior 33511 estreit- 05437 -amento 19183 das suas 62656 relações 87836 se houver 36467 no 45930 brinde 19073 do P. Republica 14723 qualquer 95583 cousa 95181 especial 82381 fazer 01021 na 79456 resposta 00327 a 12838 devida 62587 allusão 33125 [?] [underlined, no gloss] 39998 discreta 93148 e 18803 prudente (clear) BEIJO AS MAOS DE VOSSA MAJESTADE (clear) = WENCESLAU DE LIMA ,-
Reading
# m0018: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Paris, 28 Nov 1909, 12.25 pm Tendo sido tão affectuoso nosso acolhimento em França, parece conveniente tornar [o] brinde [do] jantar [?] mais caloroso. Por isso convem no primeiro periodo, a seguir a "sympathia", accrescentar "e amizade"; no segundo periodo, a seguir a "tendes feito", dizer "pelo acolhimento que nos dispensa a nação franceza na sua grande e bella capital, na sua intellectual Paris". Ao 3º periodo, a seguir [a] "entre Portugal e a França", intercalar "e ainda pelo maior estreitamento das suas relações". Se houver no brinde do P[residente da] Republica qualquer cousa especial, fazer na resposta a devida allusão [?] discreta e prudente. Beijo as mãos de Vossa Majestade. Wenceslau de Lima.
Translation
# m0018: English translation Since our welcome in France has been so affectionate, it seems right to make the [dinner?] toast warmer. In the first section, after "sympathy", add "and friendship"; in the second, after "you have done", say "for the welcome the French nation gives us in its great and beautiful capital, its intellectual Paris". In the third section, after "between Portugal and France", insert "and also for the closer tightening of their relations". If the President of the Republic's toast contains anything special, make the due allusion in the reply, [?] discreet and prudent. I kiss Your Majesty's hands. Wenceslau de Lima. Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. The minister edits the King's reply toast for the dinner given by the President of the Republic. 69958 and 66931 are glossed "tend" and "es": "tendes feito", the words of the King's draft. 33125 is underlined and not glossed; 21344 "jantar" is a faint gloss [?].
m0020, Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909
Confidential: the King should go only to São Carlos on the night of his arrival and hold the reception at the station; Lima asks for an answer.
Transcription
# ANTT PT/TT/CAM/M09, image m0020 (back m0021). French receiving form; printed strips. # Header strip: SS DE LISBOA 325,-93,-30-12./30 M (origin Lisboa, no. 325, 93 taxed words, day 30, 12.30 pm); # the receiver pencilled "83" above the 93. Pencil gloss above every group (decode of the time); "conveniente" # of the first line is written in the margin above. VCSSA as printed. =33453 57887 28573 25584 97904 00327 08396 50380 01021 42277 00228 43243 29140 06 83636 71881 86898 05068 19313 51443 19864 06 28628 55887 99251 02274 28573 25584 84123 12036 01021 84161 55967 72296 07486 68483 07053 19864 65538 40817 12036 99251 66271 93148 32101 93148 55478 40817 93048 29140 01021 04053 10977 45418 25584 99211 75137 25584 84798 79456 46523 84727 05123 70857 93048 BEIJO AS MAOS DE VCSSA MAGESTADE .= WENCESLAU DE LIMA +
Decryption
# m0020: group by group with the pencil gloss of the time (Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909). # Code groups with the gloss written above them; clear words of the telegram in capitals as (clear). # Hyphens mark our split of one glossed word over two groups. [?] = no usable gloss; ? = doubtful. # Notes in brackets are ours. 33453 Confidencial 57887 Parece conveniente ? ['conveniente' in the margin; 55887 = parece] 28573 que 25584 V. M. 97904 só 00327 a 08396 São 50380 Carlos 01021 na 42277 noite 00228 do dia 43243 da 29140 chegada [28140 chegada in m0007] 06 . 83636 [o Rojo?] [gloss read 'o Rojo', 'o Rozo' or 'o Bojo'] 71881 me 86898 disse se 05068 inconveniencia ? [gloss faint] 19313 posso ? [gloss 'posso' or 'pouco'] 51443 contar com 19864 isso 06 . 28628 Tambem 55887 parece 99251 mais 02274 vantajoso ? 28573 que 25584 V. M. 84123 dê 12036 recepção 01021 na 84161 estação 55967 para o que 72296 haverá 07486 sala 68483 conveniente- 07053 preparada [gloss 'convenientemente preparada' over 68483 07053] 19864 isso 65538 tornar- 40817 -á 12036 recepção 99251 mais 66271 facil 93148 e 32101 melhor 93148 e 55478 desembaraçar- 40817 -á 93048 serviço 29140 chegada 01021 na 04053 preparação 10977 Aguardo ? [19977 aguardando in m0011?] 45418 determinação ? 25584 V. M. 99211 muito 75137 peço 25584 V. M. 84798 sua 79456 resposta 46523 pela 84727 necessidade 05123 de 70857 ordenar 93048 serviço (clear) BEIJO AS MAOS DE VCSSA MAGESTADE .= WENCESLAU DE LIMA +
Reading
# m0020: Venceslau de Lima to King Manuel II, Lisbon -> Paris, 30 Nov 1909, 12.30 pm Confidencial. Parece conveniente que Vossa Magestade só [vá] a São Carlos na noite do dia da chegada. [?] me disse se inconveniencia [?] posso [?] contar com isso. Tambem parece mais vantajoso que Vossa Magestade dê [a] recepção na estação, para o que haverá sala convenientemente preparada. Isso tornará [a] recepção mais facil e melhor e desembaraçará [o] serviço [da] chegada na preparação. Aguardo determinação [de] Vossa Magestade Muito peço [a] Vossa Magestade sua resposta pela necessidade de ordenar [o] serviço. Beijo as mãos de Vossa Magestade. Wenceslau de Lima.
Translation
# m0020: English translation Confidential. It seems best that Your Majesty go only to [the theatre of] São Carlos on the night of the day of arrival. [Someone] told me whether [...] I can count on that [the clause is not clear]. It also seems better that Your Majesty hold the reception at the station, where a suitably prepared room will be ready. That will make the reception easier and better and will free the arrival arrangements in the preparation. I await Your Majesty's decision. I earnestly ask Your Majesty for an answer, because the arrangements have to be ordered. I kiss Your Majesty's hands. Wenceslau de Lima. Notes. From the pencil decode of the time above the groups; in the reading [ ] marks our addition and [?] a group not read or doubtful. Line 2 is read with the corrected glosses: 51443 "contar com", 19864 "isso" (as in line 3), 05068 "inconveniencia" [?], 19313 "posso" or "pouco" [?]. 83636 is glossed "o Rojo", "o Rozo" or "o Bojo" and is not identified. The header says 93 words; the receiver pencilled 83, which is the count of the strips.
Key: code_values.tsv
06 Sources
- Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo, Documentos de D. Carlos, D. Amélia e D. Manuel II, maço 9, PT/TT/CAM/M09, DigitArq record, 21 images (m0001–m0021).
- No printed decipherment was found in one web search; the published papers of Manuel II and of Venceslau de Lima were not searched. The decodes on the forms are the receiver’s; what is new is the transcription, the dating and direction, the word-count check, the 261 code values and the corrected readings.
Files: targets/lima1909/ (notes, transcriptions, group-by-group decryptions, readings and translations, groups.py with its output, code_values.tsv). Contributed by WAINUT; reviewed for the site on 27 October 2026.