Need info on E-mail security

[KEPERRIER@setpoint.com (Kent Perrier)]

I need a some help from all of you crypto-literate people out in
Net.Land.  The company currently employing me has recently opened
several overseas offices.  We have connected ourselves to the Internet
to send e-mail between the Houston office (corperate HQ) the new
overseas offices.  As to be expected, the powers-that-be here gave no 
thought to security for e-mail.  I have brought this to their attention 
about 6 weeks ago and nothing has been done yet.  I know 6 weeks is a 
short period of time but this is still a relatively small company 
(400 people) so something should have happened by now if anything was 
going to happen.

That's the history of the current situation.  I believe I need to provide
some proof as to how easy it is to read unencrypted Internet E-mail. 
Not being an experienced programmer and not knowing how a lot of things
work on the Internet, I do not know how easy it is to scan in-transit 
e-mail for keywords.  Could some kind person please inform me as to 
how easy it is to do this, and, if possible, please direct me to a
place that papers and/or programs have been written on the subject.  I
belive I need to "shock" the higher-ups that this could be a very big
problem if we don't do something now while use of the Internet is light.

Thanks,

Kent Perrier
keperrier@setpoint.com (work)
kperrier@neosoft.com (play)
Corporations don't have opinions, people do.  These are mine.