Current:

Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), 1st April 1889, Edition 1 of 1, Page 357

Page 357
Page 13
13 of 62

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • 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.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      I The Privileged Libraries And I

      Trusting that you may be able to concur in this view , I am , Gentlemen , yours faithfully ,

      G . W . Eccles . Messrs . Sampson Low & Go . P . S . — bbbbbb I may b ^^ bb- t add bb ^ -bj bbi bbbj that " ^ " ~ b b ^ -bh —¦ onl bbb y last ¦ b week bbbbbb-bbi one bbb ¦ ar of ¦¦—

      -a ^^* w »^ r ^ ^^—*¦ w ^^^^^» - "ap- ^ - - —^^^^~ j v ^ -v — _ ^— w ar -w ^> ^^ - ^^*^ ^ the largest houses in London acceded to a similar repetition of claim .

      Ar01301

      Apriii , 1889 The Publishers' Circular $ it ' v -

      St. Dunstan's House, Fetter Lane, London...

      St . Dunstan ' s House , Fetter Lane , London aVaBBBW aat-a E afftaW . W C aF . ^^ b-aW ^^ ^^^ ^ r ^^* , «¦ ^ ay

      i ^& . 20 , 1889 . Dear Sir , — "We are by no means satisfied that the counsel ' s inion you referto is a fair

      interpretation of the op Act . Literally , , that opinion may be correct ; but if a court of equity were to take into ¦ ffe « Tfcid * a > " ^ ^ a ^ consideration ^ a ^ *^^ a VaauBH |^^ aTa > " ^»*^ ^^^ -flak WW * a ^ ^^ ^ a ^> afbaVav the Va ^ ¦¦*> * ^^^ sp "a ^^ aj ^ irit a * aa ^ a ^^ a ^^ VaV and ^ V •» -bb » al bB obj -vaav ¦ b b * ect * jr ^ bP ^ ^ a- of —« - ^ aak an a , ai ¦ ™

      Act of Parliament the sole and only reason for the existence of which is to protect copyright in books V ^» T ^ a ^ ^ a ^ abafatkP ^ , A we » " ^** can " 4 ^ Va ^ VVafakaTa hardl afa >« V % Vfti ^ VIP . ^ *¦ .- » affa > y think «^ a ^ , » aaka- aVVaV ^ it ^ pm ^^ would w - ^^ ** . » a » ^ I V * authorise W ^ ^ ^^ i ""¦— " ^ " ^ " — -a»—a ^ av the « r aai aai ^^

      British Museum and other Libraries to claim gratuitously books to which that Act extends no protection b 9 !

      JV ^ W ~_~ ^ r - *^ -m ^ a ^^ a > aar « ja- w The claim you now make is for four copies each of a number of books , most of them very expensive ifc M « bbVhaaak all atf unprotected t / V 4 Ba « a- « r V V b ~ y W the V Copyrig Jf ht Act

      and " ^^ aa **^ * of * ^ - V which a ^ p- " , ap Va » a * «» onl « n . * - a- > y ^» -p- - ^ very - ^^ - ^^ ^ . few ^— ^ cop — ^ -a «^ ies ^^ ^ . ^ [^ ^ have — — ^ « ^^ ^ been ^— » - — , imported ; and the claim is made simply because , for -A * -X ^ JT ^ the -t , ~ — , ^^ convenience ^^ ^_*» m ¦»» W *^ --laia >^ ^^ ~ ~ ^^ C ^^ of * a ^ ¦¦• , the »»* *»•• . - « ta ^ British ¦ - ¦ ¦ " " » - > ¦* V > -K H ^ - . K— public -U — - » r-aT ^ .- > »^ , they ¦ »» — — ^^ _/

      bear our names on thp title-page , although by- the Trades Marks Act of last year they necessarily bear also the name of the foreign ¦ publ ^ her 1

      ¦^ B ^ ^ aT ^ Tf Ta ^^ F l » h ^^ *^^ V * - * Ta ^ a-aVlat * VAv'aya " ^ aV > iB «^^ «^ a ** aH » ¦¦• ^ a a ^ aar a ^ * a ^ aM ^^ i— . a ¦ » B * a ^ ^ r~— ~^^ " ^^ 1 " - ^~ ^^ ^~ ' We have reason to believe that man ^^^ y very erpensive French and German books are imported into ¦ this feaaaVBB count ¦ Bk Bf ¦ and | that bbbTbbb bbbib Bb the kBBBt ¦ names bb bbbbbbb bbbb ^ of the vbb import ¦ B-akaB ers

      are . ¦< a *^ B ^^ in ~ ^^ - some aB ^ a . ^ jB ^^ ry ^* . w . , form ^ g ~ aJ ** .. « or ^ - *^ - other ** ^ B ^^^^ stamped ^— V ^ . ^ ^» a on — - ^— ^ the r ^ ^ co * ^ a- vers —^ ^— - ^ - ^— — . Such books are protected by international law , but we are under the impression that they are

      not claimed by the authorities under the Copyright Act . We cannot hel b thinking Jtbam m thatnotwithstand bBfbIbT Bat «& * V ^ -

      ing a "f Tb ^ ^ M stri T ^ M % t ^ t ^ ct J + lk r- * T ^ literal ^^ n *«^^« p T ^ interpretation B ^ » M bT * . TbbJ ^ ^ A *^^ ¦* m m m — *^ 4 , of ^^ «^ the V V . ^«> A ¦ a ^ . ct ^ V a . , ^ k it ^ fc would ff V » , W ^^^ b & ^ 'bV be P ^ p ^ * 4 ^^ more BBK ^ L J ( » . * ^ B > V ^ B ^ d * BBB ignified d ^ IK ^ B * m « bV 4 Vb-BvV *^ **« # Ba > on ^ B ^ BBb . the B ^ T 4 * BBj * b" part | X * VBTbB ) Bb ^ of » JB- ¦ the ^ F BBBBB ^ V great ^ MBb ^ ¦ BB ^ " »

      Libraries not to insist upon the delivery of noncopyright ooolis imported in small numbers , thus inflicting a tax upon the importer of from ten to

      fiftftpn fifteen per ™> r cent cent , , ot of the the tull full published published value value . . The Trie injustice , if not the illegality , of such a olaim is self-evident . —Yours faithfully ,

      SAMPSON LOW & CO .

      9q Great Russell St., W.C. Feb. 27, 1889...

      9 Q Great Russell St ., W . C . Feb 271889 .

      . , received Gentlemen letter , — from I "beg the to inform Librarian you of that University I have

      a ^ Library nnv of of , your vonr Cambridge letter letter to to , to me me whom on on the the I subject su had bject forwarded or of toreign foreiern a

      book copy Professor s bearing Robertson your names Smith on the writes title- that page he . does

      not waiving w ^ Wi find riP- the the in leeral legal your rignts rights letter . » . . ot of any tne the sufficient . rvfc JUiorary Library t , , reason but dux that tnai for i * ,,

      before in the matter instructing he would the University be lad to Solicitor receive a . nd to act lay before the Library , Syndicat g e statement that

      any you may choose Gentlemen to make throug faithfull h him to that body . I am , , yours G . W y , . Eccles .

      Messrs . Sampson Low & Co .

      St. Dunstar^S House, Fleet Street, Londo...

      St . Dunstar ^ s House , Fleet Street , London , E . C . March 4 , 1889 .

      Professor Robertson Smith , University Library , Cambridge . "' Eccles Sir , for —Having a large , been number recentl of American y applied books to by Mr for .

      St. Dunstar^S House, Fleet Street, Londo...

      the different libraries , we wrote him a letter , wh » b «» bb » i aw ch ** - *¦¦»¦¦* he bb * bb . v now bbb-bb » »¦* -- bf » informs bbBbWbbV «^ —¦ # » - « v «¦»¦ r *^ us " ^« fc ^ he bbwb » "a ^ has hi v * fe . i' . ¦¦ forwar * ^^ ^ m ar ¦ ^ ** v ^ m de m m ^^ d v ^ w to * v ^^ you ^ w ^^ V ^ K ,

      and that you have replied to him that you do not find in that letter any sufficient reason for waiving the — ~ ™ -bb- ¦ legal ~~» »» » B »¦ m bbb » ¦ ri ¦ ^ b g ^^ k hts bbbi ^ bb " ¦ - ** r of ^^ b ^ b » the »* bbbb ^ * fcpr Library bb ^ bb « v ^ b »*¦* - ^^ . «• " ¦ " . ¦¦» , v ; « but n ^ ""» " aF that " »¦ ^ bbmp wv * j ^ , v before wm ^ - *«^ bb « b * ^^ r ^ m ^ t ^

      instructing the University Solicitor to act in the matter , you would be glad to receive and lay before w- ^ *¦ bbb * -bw bb ^ - ^^ the bw """^ " ™ ^ b ^ Library b ^ bbbbbbi vasBr imm . - *» . ¦¦» w S »^ b- * yndicat w *»* - » ^ bib «* b * ^^ "bb * v ™»* e ^* bt any "¦*¦»» - «»* . ¦» y » statement 1 b ^ *» w v ^^ ^ bbs ^*** ^ bw «!»*¦¦» *¦* we V « " ^^

      may make through you to that body . We do not know that we can urge anything more ¦ pbbjbbw than bbi bBar what a- ip bhb- ¦ we bj have bbbbbb bbbbbbk alread bbb b ¦ bibBa-aj apk said p ^_ v vrv ^ B -nB > in Bflt our letter k bbb

      to ^^^^— ^» Mr ^^* - - . ^^ Eccles ^»—• ^^ . - ^ m ^^^ -- v ^^ ^^^^•» ^» " ^^^^ y **^ «^ B ^ ^^ ™ a ^™ a b ^^ a ^^^ a- v ^ p * ^^ ^ p ^ * 1 . We should like to be perfectly satisfied that you ¦ — — b- do ¦*¦¦ . ^ p » - possess \ *^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ the ^^ ^^^» ^^ - legal ^ ^^ ^ m w ^ ' ^^ . ri ^ — g J *^ ht " M ™^ you f ^^ * *^ claim ^ p ^^¦ ^^ f ¦ ^ A ** for ^^ ^^ the ^^ ^ b- ^ ^^

      class of books referred to . 2 . We are aware that counsel ' s opinion has been taken by the Copyriht Associationand that

      that opinion , literally interpreting g the wording , of the Act , and regarding the fact of the importation of a few copies of an American work as an act

      of publication in this country , is adverse to the position we now take . 3 . Whilst we have every desire to do what is

      right , and no desire whatever to evade legal responsibilities , we submit that such an interpretation ^ v ^ v ^ r ¦ 1 1 of - the ^ i ^ Act ^ results flfr ^ i ^ ¦>! . ' m ^ b * in ^^ imposing m *^*^ m ¦ -a r an - enormousl ^^ h kfthB h ¦ ¦ ¦

      heavy « ^ ^^ tax ^*^^ v m upon ^ ^ ^ ^^ r non . -cojtyri «^««^ «^ v <^ ght ^^ books ^^^ y ^ ^ i ria : in . fact ^^^^^ , a ^^ far ti . r y heavier tax upon such books than upon copyright booksfor the reason that American books are

      , imported in much smaller numbers—frequently only 30 , 50 , or 100 copies—and a claim that five , ten tf » n . or or fifteen fiftfifin per r > pr cent r . fint ,. of of such snr . h books hnoks should shnnlH hp be .

      , , contributed by the importer gratuitously to the ¦¦ p ** " ¦ ublic •^¦• w - ^^ b ^ v « h | B ^ libraries ^» ^^ « - « ibf w ^ ¦ »^ •«>> ' ^^^ r ^» is «^ *^^ , « we " ™ ^ lB ^ teubmit a m ¦* ¦¦ ' •^¦^ ^ p «^»>» ^— «^ , h ^ a ^ V claim ^ a ^ ^^^¦^•^ f ^^ ^ B- ^ Bp «^ b never ^^ - ^^ - » fc ^ » ^^ b * «^^ con ^^ ^^ r ^¦•¦ fc

      templated by the compilers of the Copyright Act uncjer w ^ hich it is now made . 4 ¦ ^¦ V . We w F ^ a ^ pv submit ¦¦ AFr ^^ 7 ^ " ^ b ^ P *^ b ^ b ^ b ^^ b ^ ^^ K ^ ar that * l ^ h «^ b 1 ^ b >^*^ P ^^ ^ a ^^*^ p reasonabl ^^^ ^^ b' ^ bV ^^ V *^ b ^ ' ^^ bb * bTA b ^ bV ^ bibT ^ bV Vb ^ bt •*>¦ e ^^ B ^ r interpretation B ^^ v b ^ b > 41 ¦ V ^ V ^^^^ H ^^ •^¦ ak ^^^ v "a ^ V " ^ V ^ af ¦¦¦¦ / b ^ bt ^ b ^**^ aT ^ dVaai I ^|

      reason of an Act for of the Parliament existence , of the which very is foundation the protection , and i ¦ of the rights of authors , would be that it can only ; ,, ¦ ly to such works as »! are fc f so BJ ^^ F # protected BB ^ hBV fc . J

      app «¦ V*—V 5 ^ . Whenever ^"" ^ 1 ^ " ^ " BB BV ^ BBV ^ B * . ^ V ^ qaP * BB ¦ we » B ^ «^ W *^ «¦ have ¦ WBV | B' BB ^ ^^ purchased ^_» M r ¦ ^ , ^ " . B-- « a-4 ^ V ^ bB * - B » P ^* editions « . * of | » ] American books the copyright of which has been secured ¦» here by aaF priority of publication ~^ a ^ or

      other-•>* * ^ B * ^ BB ^ ¦ " ¦ " ¦ ' « -mki « T ^ - ^ i ^ ff ^ BBBW ^^ f ^^ ^^ rv . w n ^ a ^ ^^ ¦ ^| ^ a ^ * iVAb > ^^ « - ^ ^ b . ^ VW " - ^ " ^ b-- fafat . m ^ b ^ ' -aW ¦« ^ f a ** ^^ a . ms ^ rf ^ ^ baf ^ - * -Ibaffat ^^ aVK wise , we have , as a matter of * course , treated them ( as English books , and sent them to the libraries - in due course VB .

      aaal a" * -- !*) ^^^ ^ V" * aj ^ i ^^^ . , pa ^ ^ p ^ . fT ^ , 4 6 . Whenever we have imported small numbers , i of expensive I ^ XTV ^ American JL ^/ CA / AJ . books which AJtJ . V ^ --lX have no claim V ^ XCAiAULJL \ \

      V / Jk V /^^ -K / V ^ B-JXA JLXJ . V ^ X KJ \ J \ J X * » J TV UU * ? V > 11 \/ \ to copyrig m ht ^ a , we have "b not felt JVa . K- it A .. to be S incumbent A a * . ; j ¦ ¦ upon ^ - ~* r >^* bb us ^— > i a to ^^ - ^ . ^ a- send fl ^ aT ^^ * . » ^ a' ^ a . them akF * aBB «^ BBi ^ b * « b . ^ « b > to ^«< « h ^ the ak ^ BBh . « al —| |— libraries .. k Fak , *«!¦* - ^ a ^ , aB ^ p' ^ p bbi aVak ^ » a » k » f ^— ala feeling VjbT ^^^ l ^ Ba ^ aBt ^ iB ^ taa ^^ d Bal j I

      clai indeed m for that such the librarie non-copyri s have ght no works more than reasonabl | they e ! would v ¦> ^ bb « vb *^_ v ^ w have a ^ ^^ a . v >^ > ^ for *• ^ aiaar ^^ aBl a » r ^ Br percentage X naT —k _|— aai ^^ a- — — aaa ^ a . ^ a ^ VHb C 3 of — _ r 4 * 4 any ak ^> av a « i ^ ak mi other ~ » « hr aaaaB ^ a >** 4 bbh imported Bl . ^ ^ a >^ a « aB ¦ > X . 1 tf ¦ v ^ . f # va > «¦* - ^_^ r ^ X ^* aH

      goods—and as a matter of fact it is only recently that such claims have been made , a distinction being made between such works as bear an

      English publisher ' s name —( with or without the American a— aa | a , aa aai ^ f ja ^ ^ m , -a ^ ,- ai ^ -a ,, « aa . aafe publisher | V « a ***» "'»*¦ ' « a * «¦> »*> ar B- ^ ja , v ^ f riaa | ' s *«« r ^ name A ^ mj ^ . ^ -aVap aVI *^ ) - , ap m and * -V aa ^ iPa ^^ Hat , those « a « * »* ^ k- ^ T * . ** " ^^^ which « "J « fcaV « ^ ^ a . ^ - Jaj — ¦ ¦> % A • Dial 4

      bear 7 . onl Here y the . again American we are * publisher ^ t issue ' s : name for we . really ; cannot recog-nise the justice of such a very nice

      distinction being made . The English publisher's . name printed on a title-page in conjunction with an American's is obviousla great convenience to

      the British public . It seems y to amount to this : j if can we aa » non % import - » - % B 3 , ri aVaa for Jl ht example book published , 100 cop Fa ies ¦ at a « al » - of five aa an guineas Ameri- . : j

      - ~~ - "V ^ a- ap * ^ ^^ 0 * *^ cop " •*¦ # * - ^ ^ T W g ^^ » M V *^^^ ^~ ' ^ - ** ^^ »** r ^ ^¦^* ' ^ - ^ •*—» " > ^ ^ . ^ " ¦ " ^ * » ^ a ^ w- af *^ ^^^ ^ — ^ " ¦ ^ a * «^ "V l" ^* I and but we only do net the put American our names publisher on the ' s title —then -page the — ! j \ librariesif they want such a workwill us h

      , , pay £ 5 . 5 a . each for tjiem . . ' If Aaffk , - ™ " » , # on ^ h- ' *• " ¦•* the " a' ** * « a ^ other ^^ . » a" ^ •¦ ^ a ^ * » a , hand ^* mVT a * H ^ p ^ V , H we » V -m * , stamp r *^ ^ a « r-V ¦ ¦ m ^^ or - ^ -T « . .. in m , # a ^ ^^ any W « t « W way T / "J a *^ q * W } |

      imprint our own names on the title-pages of the same book , then the libraries claim them from us gratuitously .

      B

  • Citation
    • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), April 1, 1889, page 357, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_01041889/page/13/