The Century of Inventions of the Marquis of Worcester / from the Original MS., with Historical and Explanatory Notes and a Biographical Memoir

by Marquis of Edward Somerset Worcester

No. V.

A way, by a circular motion, either along a rule or ring-wise, to vary any alphabet, even this of points, so that the self same point, individually placed, without the least additional mark or variation of place, shall stand for all the twenty-four letters, and not for the same letter twice in ten sheets writing; yet as easily and certainly read and known, as if it stood but for one and the self same letter constantly signified.

NOTE.

The gauge, in this case, must accompany the letter to be deciphered, and, when circular, made to resemble a map-meter. By noticing the number of lines passed over by this instrument, and comparing the index-hand with the dots, a sufficiently intelligible though certainly complex cipher may be formed.