The instructions I received were general in their nature and in all
specific cases arising, my judgment was to determine, and I want to
remark right here, the rapidity with which those specific cases would
arise was enough to make a man faint. The first rule made was that
cipher messages or those written in a foreign tongue were prohibited
unless sent by a government official on public business. There were a
few exceptions to this rule. For instance; many large business houses
have telegraphic cipher codes for the transaction of business, and it
was not the policy of the government to interfere in any manner with the
commercial affairs of the country, so these messages were allowed to
pass when the code book was presented to the censor and a sworn
translation made in his presence. Spanish messages were transmitted only
after being most carefully scanned and upon proof of the loyalty of the
sender or receiver and a sworn translation. Not a single private message
could be sent by any one, that in any way hinted at the time of the
departure or destination of any ship or body of troops.
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