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    The Copyright Laws.—The members of the \...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    If Members Of Parliamentary To Be Permit...

    supply of new books are most-ample , and are always used for the best advantage of the

    public . It is not our intention to analyse 90 Mr .

    O'Connor ' s reason for making this attack , but we cannot help regretting that the private

    business affairs of honourable members should be made a subject of inquisitive treatment for

    party purposes . ¦ I O » ¦ ¦

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    ¦¦ '¦¦¦ '" ¦ - ¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦ -- - " - ¦¦• ¦¦ - ¦ " """" - - ^ - . ¦ - : " i ^ F

    April i , 1886 The Publishers' Circular , 3 ,

    The Copyright Laws.—The Members Of The \...

    The Copyright Laws . —The members of the dramatists deputation and , representing publishers l who authors -- had , artists an in- ,

    terview \ Jl J . IViAAUlVAM v with ^ # B , « sbb - * wsv _ Mr sbbb « ' ** - ss . ^ - r *_« Mundella . bibb . ~ ** sbbj ' 4 b-V «* -. _ , _ - ^^& *** & , % at wr - * J ^ the ¦ ' AAUfM Board _^^_ (« 1 A X ^ of A Trade ^ sBk * s ^ ™ bi — on — Monday — — — — m , ^ m March — ^^ r ^—— ^ b " 1 ¦— 16 - ¦ ~ ~^» - , ^ h to - — »* - urge ^ wbibi ^ ^^ sm ¦ " ^^ upon ^^ ^ -p " ^ sw ^^ v

    a the measure Government for codif the y necessity ing and of amending introducing the law of copyri ¦¦¦— ¦¦ f —» sb ht sb were Mr . E . Ashdown iMbb Mr

    sUl Walter 'V - 1 V ^ bi ¦* - *¦* . Besant 0 BBP •« | i ^ , g — , — - . , Dr SlSJBBb , I . . ^^ William ^ SB *^ ^ ^ > SBh _ s * » T ^»» ss ¦ V ¦ —_•_ Henry aa ^ M , — ~_ RhSsBB ¦ > sWX a _ i » V ^ * Besan ^^^^___ «" b . sb > , A' «>« t . , Mr . K . Courthope Bowen , Mr . Comyns Carr

    Mr . FOyly Carte , Mr . F . R . Daldy , Mr . Basil , Field , Mr . William Forsyth , Q . C ., Mr . A .

    Egmorit G - ^^» . V ^ Lelan V ^ H w ^ " » ™ B Hake — d " * ™ ¦ Sir V -bb- , sbp ^^ ¦ Mr James ^ v . bj ^^ ss Hollingshead ^ s > Bfr nfr bjbbmvsb Linton ss > sm > W bb , P . b Mr . m R «* bbi ^ V . . V I ss » . Charles V « ^ Mr BbBs * b > s ^ . W ^ bb » ' bbh * _ , " * " * s ) . sF ™ ta . JBsB >* BB > aBB ^^ sssi ^* , sbs * ' a ""^ ^ bk , sbb s »« sm ^" * s

    James ] " ST" ^ . Longman ' ¦ ^^~ " ¦ " M D . . JLintoa ~ , ^ W Rev """" "" . , James Rev ™~ — — - ^^ - ^— ^^ BB" . W ^ Martineau ^^— ^^^ BJ BB . ' ^ WBl J . ^ ^ B > bBB ¦ ^ Loftie ^ ^^ F' Bl ^^ v Btf . , BH SB Professor ^^^ , ^^ Mr ^^ F- ^^ V - ^^ . V ^ BF »^ SB T " ^» - ^^ .

    Parkinson Max Miiller Frederick , Mr . John Pollock Murray Henry , Mr . Reeve J . C .

    C y"N . B . Mr ~» > T . , A . G y * N . Ross TT % Dr TT * V . William TfTT , * 1 1 * Smith /^ 4 i ^ , JJr Dr . . U C , . Villiers Villiers tttantord Stanford , . Mr . . K E . M . . TJnder Under-- ,

    downMr . H . T . Wells Mr . Westlake . The deputation , was introduced , by Mr . Plunket

    M . P . Mr . Mundella , in reply to the repre- , sentations of the speakers . A . , said he thougt ? ht that

    a difficult question like this should be threshed out in . the Lordsand nothing would give the

    Government greater , satisfaction than to have the law of copyri JL 4 / g _* m ht consolidated — — . The — Board

    of Trade and the Colonial Office were now dealing with international copyright and the

    protection would consult of the colonial Lord Chancellor copyright , as and to what they

    could "be done in the House of Lords . Mb . W . S . Gilbert and Messrs . Harper

    Brothers . —Most of our readers will remember the peculiar letter of Mr . W . S . Gilbert

    respecting a remittance of £ 10 which Messrs . Harper sent to Mr . Gilbert in consideration

    The of their following reprinti lette ng his r from * Orig M inal essrs Comic . Harper Operas , in . '

    reply-to Mr . Gilbert , has been published : — * Pranklin Square , Now York , February lo ,

    1886 . D ^ ar Sir , —Your letter of the 31 st ult . has just arrived . It had already reached us indirectly throug-h the press about a fortnight ago , having

    been cabled to New York as it appeared in the London Times of the 2 nd inst ., to which you seem to have furnished Kl « for publication W »«*»¦ - m a kIB copy of it and »* w n- « of

    — - ^ *»* ^ m § f ^^^ t ^ ««^ ^^ ^ P ^^ rf ^ JB ^^ ' ^ ^^ ^™ ^ " ** *¦• ^ »^» - — - ^ ^^^ - *^ ^^ W ** - » " *^ ^ ^ " ^ * w ^ - ^ * m . our letter to you of the 15 th ult . Your letter to makes it in necessary acknowled to gment explain for reprinting that our L . 1 remittance " Original

    Comic W you JUU 111 Operas O . C 1 WHVJ " in AO » - « our gIllCJUL cheap » XKJL X K ) M ^ JL Franklin I * IJ ^ V ^ S * quare fi , 11 J <* JL Library" was made in pursuance of our custom of

    paying an honorarium for all books by English authors in the present republished anomalous . by us condition ; althoug of h , the unfo publishing rtunately ,

    business in this country such acknowledgments are now necessarily made on a much lower scale than

    fe ~ lormerly . We ! ¦ will send you a iurther remittances "

    ¦ MMK- ' PW ^^ BIVWI ^ MM ^ W ^ a ^ MlNMMMa ^^ l ^ MMBPai ^ D ^ mMMa ^ VMMWM ^ . la ^ MNai ^ WMMH ^ Maa ^^ MMM ^^! '• \ . should We have the been sales interested of the book in your justif statement y our doing ofj the Ss 6 . [ I

    reasons which prompted your gift to the public institution you mention . Doubtless since you !; decided to expend in the cause of charity i the i ? 10

    ^^— - ^ ^^^ — »^ - ^^ —^ ^ - ^^ ^^ - ^— - »* ^^ ^^ ¦ ' — ^ ^ ^ ^ V ^^«^^^ ^^ T ^ to ^ HW *^ ^^ ^^ ^"" ^^^ jM ^ . ^^^^ ¦ W W If ^ p ^ ^^ . J ^ B ^^ ^ B ^^ which i i . you kindl if y accepted « i from rf % . us you could . * ¦« npt - *« have ' ' s made ¦ - ^ — a — more ' — - ^ proper ^^» - ^ — » w ' ^ F- ^^ disposition ^ WV ^^ w ^^ ~ r ^^ I ^ ^ " ^^^ ^» ^^ ^^^^ of ^^ ^ IV the ^ V ^ . W money - ~~^»^™ ^^ ^ P ^ ' ^ f ¦ W than ^^ «^^^ ^ V ^ F ^ H ^^

    to the Victoria Hospital for Children . And wo venture to express the hope that if your generosity ¦ on » this occasion - ¦ - indicates a ¦ on part ;

    to appropriate — ' — ^^ — — — — systematicall — —^ ^ ^ ^^—— ^^ ~^^ ^ ^ " »~ ^ " ^ " ^ ^»^^ y purpose at to ^^^ v ^ M bv the ^ i ^^ ^^ l » ^^ hospital ^^^ ^^^^» your ^^^ ^^ " ^» i *^ your B ^ r ^ . *^^^ ^^^ revenue from the United States its funds will not ¦ ^ lon ^— ~ g ^ V ^^ B be ' ~—~ " in ^^^ - ^ ' ^ ¦ the — ^^ need ^^ - ^ i " ^^ ^ — y m condi ~^^ r - ^^ ^^^^^ " ™ ^^» tion ^^ ^ P ^ ^^^ ^^*^»« which ^ » ^^^»^^^ ^^ - ^^^ - ^^^^^ m you w ¦¦ " ^^ p ^^ describe ^^ F ^ B ¦ ^^^ ¦ ^ l ^ p - ^ b ^ ^ BB " ^ B ^ ^ B . * b >

    You grant us permission to " make any public use of your letter , " and we are obliged to you for the implied compliment of your confidence that we would

    not make any public use of it without your consent . Keciprocal permission from us seems in the circumstances BB to be i . Your obedient

    servants - ^ BT W - ^ ^ - ~ * BI— , ^ B * ^ Haepe " ^ BF" ^ - ^ b ^ BB' — Brothers unnecessary W « BJ « B > BMI ¦ ** - ^ hB * ¦* ^ B- ¦ ¦ B ^ b / * bTbb 1 W ^ BB * ^^ ^»» *^ ^ B » " ^ ^ pP > ^ bVA > * W > ^ bP «¦¦> B « BCopyright in | BBB Canada . —Mr BBlV bWBbB . Samuel « V ^»^ B E .

    ^ B * V ^^ ^ B . B B ^ # BB ¦ » W ^ Bj ^ « BBJ « BBB ^ BB » ^« J ^^ ^ B >^^^ ^ Bl * Bv * B SHBB' bBV ^ BBI V | ^ B ~ ^^ B ^ ^ BTBJK VJpV ^ BB bBBBBBV ^ P Da to Messrs wson , of . Harper Montreal Brothers , has written ^ New York a long show letter

    ing the . ^_ conditions ^ Bl Bfe ~ ^ under ^ which ^ H , ^ H ^ BB copyri ght ^ , may be VBT m obtained B ^ BT BJ *~ Wf ¦ Bfc ^ PBBB * ^ BB > ^ BT BBJ in IBi ^ BB Canada V ^ B ^ B ^ BHBs ^ V B * Bj » BJfW . Bf Mr « Bft «« a | . BJ Dawson bBBBbBP' 1 V V T ^ 1 ^ SbVBBB ' s BBjB- known BH ^ BB ^ "W «/ « f bBbbBP ^^^^^*^ *^* ^^ ^ ^^ ^^*^ " ^ *^

    experience and minute acquaintance with the subject gives more than ordinary value to this

    expression of opinion upon a very intricate ¦ ¦ question ^« fB | ««¦ ^ B" n ^ BJ ^^ B * ^^ ^ SB * . BT ¦¦ Canadian ^ VT Bl B B » JBf BJ ^»¦ 'V £ > BJBJ Vb ^ BAT ^ B > aVU ^ law B » Bjb *« b * T ^ as W *^ B ^^ gBAk it * 4 V now BflB > BBl ^ B ^ V « T stands Wj ^ T W « J * VBJ | BB ^ WAl D ^ ^ is k ^ V ^

    thus condensed by Mr . Dawson : — 1 . — ' No American author has any legal status ¦ ¦

    BB B ) T ¦¦ ~ ^^ v BB ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ HB ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ p ¦¦ " ^ m ^^ ^ ^^ ^*^ m ^ IB * ^^^^ v ^^^ ^ B * BV ¦¦ ^^ ^ i BV ^^^ F ^^^^^ ^ B ^> ^ ¦ ^^^ BBK ^ ^^^^ *^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^ ^ BBIP in Canada ; nor can he , by any means , convey any riht to Caadian under Canadian law

    j . igu g i » iu a a- \^ > a . n iiCLKJ-iaiL uuuot v ^ txjiti /^ iau law . . 2 . — ' But anT American , by first publishing in Grpfit Great . Britain Rrifcain . can can conTey o . nmrev to to a a British JRritish house house the the

    ,, fall rights of copyright under British law * 3 . — A British house which is possessed of a

    copyright ( no matter how ) , can , by reprinting in Canada , hold that copyright under Canadian law , or it can authorise BB *« Canadian to do so .

    " b ^ B ^ m V ^ ^ B * «* W * lBm * ** ir *»*«> *¦> * ^ * «** «* p ^ - any * ^^ W ^^ B ^ , BJ > — , ¦ B ^^ B ^^ b ^ B ^ Vf ^ W BhSBfe VV ^ B ^ ^^ V * ^*^ W **¦** B ^ T 'If you follow these propositions , ' continues the ¦¦ writer B ^ B ^ B ^ b ^ B B ^ f ^^ MBj , ' you BV ¦ ~ fc , i— ^ B ^ B" will * B ^ ^¦^^ B ^ B * see ^^^ ^^ ^ Bl ^ that ^ B * BB SB * ^¦^ BB' ^* they ^^ v ^*^ ^ B > ^ m ^ are V ^^ ' ^ ^ B * not ^ B * B ^ ^ v ^ BF contradictory ^^ v ^^^ ^^ ' ^^ ^^^ ^** ^ IB ^ B * ^ B ^ B B > ^ BBF B ^ ^ B ^ VBB W . bV Si ¦«>« _« A * BkA ^ mt Sh A « Bk «¦ ^ * ¦ > « B 1

    And you will see that while I could legally-hold this market , if authorised thereto by the British copyri ***¦ ht holder B *«« neither ibBI l si you nor SJHV V any BjTT BIBi American BMt * BJ ) ¦ « ¦

    author B ^^ * ^^ H ^ Y ^ g 9 * % has ^* ^^ ^ any B * I * BTB ^ b * « B « , B status | BB- 'Bjb * Bt B ^ S | ^ T in SBJ . regard m ~^^ ^/^ « a * SB to me H , nor ^ IB * SB S any * V ^^ * rf « «» h ^ B ri being g t sfe ht you greater can g than BJS ive me its . parts This instance arises from of the the whole fact BftrfBT

    Bb ^ ^ fSBS » B ^ BK b" % ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ' ^ " ^ V ^ ^ sP * ^* ^ B HT ^ » ^^ ^ BF »^ BB ^ " — ¦ I ^ - —^ B » ^ " ^ ^ ™ ^ I ^^^ ^ BTSBI ^ B ^ WBI ^| p W that our courts cannot look behind the entry at Stationers' Hall , or inquire into the validity of the British SI WfSI BBJ copyri BBJb htbecause Bi Bl 1 they cannot revise Bt the hS

    decisions SWMT SB S ^ V ** ^ BB * ^ B of » «* " W B the » " P ^ g ^ B »«^ House ^^ , V * ^ B » - ^ B ^ I of - »— BV ^ - ~ Lord ^~ - ^~ w - ^ s the - ^ B' ^ - ^^ ¦ ultimate I ^» ¦ — ¦ I ^» ^ « B ^ B' W court " ^ BBS * - ^ - of appeal in British law cases . , 'At the risk of spoiling the sale of a of Mark

    copy Twain ' s book , I send you a copy by post of his " Life on ^^ T B **^ BV the *^^ B * SB . ^ B * Mississi I .. BJ V « BBJBb Bh B ^ B * B ^ iS' *^ ^^ B ^ BtS" B" ^ pp B ^^ V BJ ^^^ i <^ . ST " ^ Please BBl BBS ^^ ^^ " ^^ B ^ B' ^^ B ^ B lo >^ ^ B' ok V ^ ^^ ' ^^ ¦ at ^ ^ BF the ^ T ^^ ^^ ^^^ title ^ P ^¦^ ^ B ^ S . ^ B - ^ page BB ^ B ^ ^ ^^ | H ^ ^^ ' ^

    and the back of the title-page *— -You see only ourselves , the printers ( who are Canadians ) , and SV Andrew < SBs » S > ' !¦ Bfc sb ta • Chatto T BBB ^ - ^ V ^ B' ~*^ M who W » »«^ B > " ^ S- lives SB > ^ BT 1 * Br ¦ ¦ I in SJB B » ~^ " London JB » " ^ ^ »^ ¦ ™ - ^ »^—^ and » ™ ^—— ^ " who T B *¦¦ bT owns B »¦ Bk P « bT * ^^ ^^ " , ^^^

    the copyright . Mr . Chatto writes and tells me that he is the Kngiish owner of the book , and that the United l BmVfc States W B / V B publishers Bj . ft BV B Bs > S ) will V W SB SB send H me ---B ¦ p BBBT lates BK # B V bT which

    I "B *^ am ^ sJS » ^«^^ to ^ BB use ^ pBB ^ r . ^ S * V and ** M ^ that — S ^ T « ^ I S Am ^ to » — enter ^ B ^ B—^ ' B" ' the - ^^ ^ book ' - ^ m BB , H in » W ***** his *** # ^^ name , and that , , when he publishes , he will send me certificate B ^* # »_^ ^ S sj Bjf BJ SB , SB ^^* % * BJ BA ^ ^ S' of ^*^ B- ^ reg BP ^^ sT ^ B istration ^^ ^^ ^^ B- — - "P »• ^ BT ¦ ' B « ¦ at ¦ ^ ' ^ Stationers " ^— ' ¦ B > — ¦— - " ^ »™ ¦ - ^ B ^ " BFBJT ' Hall MBB ^^ IBI V B- ™ BBBJ . BJF Then SBJBBf H B ^ S " ¦

    I can go ahead with safety . When the United . States pass an International Copyright Law I can t BJ * 4 rea Bj ^ BHT 'fcBB t Bs - direct ' bl B . St SBj ^^ a VJT " * . V Now Bill - VSJ > w w ¦ ™ I ¦ W ha ^^ m II ve ^ »• ¦ to ^— ^^ " whi T ' ~— — p B I ¦ the ^— ' ¦ ^ B- devil n ¦ ^ B ^ B B- ^ ffBJ ^ round | BJ ^ Br BfBJ * BSJ ^^^^

    a post 'I . " would like to impress on the minds of all of peop the le law in the as I United have descr States ibed the it fact is liable that to the change state

    mt the any Imperial moment Parli . It ament may retaliating be changed upon , of the cou United rse , by

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), April 1, 1886, page 315, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_01041886/page/5/