in question likely to benefit the small class of English authors at the expense of the immensely larger class of persons interested in the manufacture of books. He then called on

Mr. Richardson, who in a telling speech, urged that the object of the deputation was to draw the attention of the English Government to the very serious nature of the proposed legislation, that would affect the business, he might say the means of existence, of hundreds of thousands of English workmen, engaged more or less directly in the manufacture of books. He urged that the object of the bill was not so much to grant those rights to the English author which the American nation had hitherto denied him, as to transplant the business of manufacturing English books from the United Kingdom to the United States of America. Mr. Drummond, the Secretary of the London Society of Compositors, then spoke. He said that, though he only directly represented the compositors of London, yet he had been recently in correspondence on the subject with the compositors of most of the large cities in Great Britain, and he found their views completely concurred with those of his society. He mentioned that the London workmen had always been on the best terms and most anxious to work harmoniously with their American and foreign brethren, but that this bill was one which would strike an irreparable blow at the interests of a very large class of English workmen. He pointed out that were it only a question of the manufacture of books being transplanted within the United Kingdom, e.g., from London to Edinburgh, of which it formed the staple trade, the English workman would be able to follow the work; but he hardly thought the English Government would regard it as desirable that, in order still to earn their living at a trade to which they had served an apprenticeship of seven years in England, they must become citizens of the United States of America. He felt considerable reluctance in joining the deputation because he understood that the bill was promoted by the American Typographical Union, with which his society had always been on the best of terms; but he thought this was too vital a question for the English workman to remain unrepresented at such a meeting as that.

The representative of the compositors was followed by Dr. John Evans, on behalf of the English paper-makers. He said that this was a question in no way affecting that of Protection and Free Trade-the American manufacturer being already protected by the imposition of an ad valorem duty of 15 per cent. on paper, and of 25 per cent. on printed books-but an attempt, while granting a great benefit to a small class, to inflict an incalculable injury on an almost innumerable number of English workmen.

Mr. Austen Leigh then spoke on behalf of the master printers. He stated that the present practice was for all important English books to be reproduced in America, but that the type was invariably set up in the first instance in England; then a set of stereotype plates was sent to America, or, if the American publisher preferred it, he set the type again in the United States from early sheets provided by the English author or publisher. This would all be altered by the bill. A publisher had informed him that the probable future course would be that the MS. of an English book (or, should the author desire to have an opportunity of making his corrections after seeing his work in type, a corrected type-writtten copy) would be sent by an English publisher to his agent in America, with instructions to set the book up,

and print an edition sufficient for the American market, with, say, 1000 copies more which he was to forward to England, where they would be published simultaneously with the American edition. If the book turned out to be a success in England, the English publisher would then import a set of the plates from America for future use. To illustrate the amount of work involved in the present arrangements with America, he mentioned that his own firm had sent to the United States for publishers stereotype plates of no less than sixteen considerable works during 1887, which included such works as Lecky's "History of England." In addition, he mentioned that advance sheets of such books as "Robert Elsmere," Justin McCarthy's last work, and Rider Haggard's "Allan Quatermain," had been sent out from type set by his firm. This was the final speech made by members of the deputation.

The President of the Board of Trade then inquired whether any very large number of American books are now reprinted in England, to which Mr. Routledge replied that that certainly was so. The President then said that the matter was clearly of the utmost importance, affecting as it did such large manufacturing interests. The question of an American copyright for the English author had long been looked forward to, but the addition of the conditions to which the deputation had drawn his attention certainly detracted considerably from the advantages of the concession. He proceeded to point out that no alternative had been suggested as a course which the Government might acopt; nor did he gather that the deputation were prepared to say that they would prefer no legislation at all to an act containing this condition. Under these circumstances he could hardly state what course the Government would think it well to adopt; but he would be glad if a memorial on the subject were drawn up and submitted to him, and he would give it very full consideration. It was agreed that this should be done, and the deputation withdrew.

In its editorial columns the paper from which we quote comments as follows:

"By a majority of 35 votes to 10 the United States Senate has passed the Chace Copyright Bill. What the House of Representatives may do is doubtful. Some of those who ought to know are under the impression that the Democrats will ' vote solid' against the measure; whilst others. equally well qualified to judge, declare that the big majority obtained in the Senate will ultimately carry the day.

English publishers are not affected so much by the bill as are the printers and paper-makers of the country. The publishers' interests are indissolubly attached to the authors'. But in the case of printers of books and manufacturers engaged in cognate industries the outlook in this country is certainly serious enough to justify the attitude of the deputation which waited on the 16th inst. upon the President of the Board of Trade. A report of the proceedings is published in our present number. It is rather alarming for the printing trade to learn that, if copyright is required, all English books of any worth must be printed from type set up within the limits of the United States; but it is still more alarming to know that young authors belonging to this country have to be subjected to an augmentation of uncertainty that must be intensified when coupled with the conviction that any accidentally or fortuitously successful book has through this negative printing clause been deprived of copyright in the United States,"

BOOK CONCERN.

IN our issue of November 12, 1887, we called attention to the fact that the great business organization known as the Methodist Book Concern had outgrown its premises at 805 Broadway and had decided to buy suitable property and build according to the retail and manufacturing needs of its vast business. Lots at the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 20th Street were bought for $439,000 and the work of tearing down and building began in January last, and it is expected that it will be ready for occupation about a year from now. The site includes seven lots, with

In 1889 the Methodist Book Concern will be one hundred years old, and it is fitting it should celebrate its centennial by gathering all its various branches and interests under one homeroof.

The organization was started in Philadelphia, in 1789, by the ever practical and energetic Methodist Church, and is still under control of the Methodist Conference. In 1833 the Book Con. cern and Missionary Society were moved to New

a frontage of 104 feet on Fifth Avenue and 170 feet on 20th Street. The design for the new building. which, by courtesy of the managers of the Book Concern, appears in this issue, was drawn by Mr. G. H. Kendall. The first two stories are to be of stone, the next four of brick, the topmost two of stone again, with a heavy cornice. The large store at the corner will be occupied by the retail department; the other two stores will probably be rented. They belong to the Missionary Society, which owns about a quarter of the property. In the entresol will be the counting-rooms and a large hall two stories high, suitable for a lecture-room or meeting-place, will take up the next two floors. Above this will be the editorial offices of the various papers published by the Book Concern, and the upper stories will be occupied

| York City, and found quarters in Mulberry Street, which, in 1836, were totally destroyed by fire, involving a loss of $250,000, of which only $25.000 was covered by insurance. All the churches generously assisted, and the organization was very soon able to resume work. In 1868 the building on Broadway and Eleventh Street was purchased, and the office, store, and Missionary Society transferred there; but the manufacturing department still remains in Mulberry Street, from whence it will be moved to the new building, and the Mulberry Street property will probably be sold. At the time of removal to Broadway it was necessary to issue bonds to the amount of $500,000, but these have been gradually redeemed, and to-day the Book Concern is one of the few large corporations that is

ern

entirely free from debt. It has had a career of steady prosperity, and when it is in a larger place and has room to carry out its plans, will no doubt become more and more useful to the Church and the people. The Book Concern is now divided into the Eastern and WestBook Concerns. During the sitting of the Methodist Conference the election of secretaries and publishers for both branches was brought before the meeting. John M. Phillips and Sandford Hunt were reëlected for the next four years by a great majority, and will continue to manage the Eastern Book Concern, while the Rev. Earl Cranston and Dr. E. W. Stowe also continue managers of the Western Book Con

.cern.

COPYRIGHT MATTERS.

THE COPYRIGHT BILL.

THE international copyright measure was helped along on May 35 by the action of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives. The committee decided to report the bill recently passed by the Senate instead of the House bill on the same subject, so that if the bill passes it will not have to be sent back to the Senate but can go to the President at once. The bill was way down on the calendar, and could only be reached by a suspension of the rules or on some day specially assigned to the Judiciary Committee.

CANADA AROUSED ON THE COPYRIGHT
QUESTION.

THE publishing and bookselling interests of Canada, says a special telegram to the N. Y. Tribune, are at last thoroughly awake on the copyright question, the cause being a recent attempt of the Government at Ottawa to rush a bill through at the tail end of the session just closed which would have paralyzed the printing industry and also abruptly stopped the importation of American reprints of British copyright works. Such an emphatic protest was presented to the Government that the withdrawal of the obnoxious bill followed at the last moment.

A large and representative meeting of publishers, booksellers, employing printers, journeyman printers and representatives of kindred interests was held May 25, and it was resolved to form an organization to be known as the Canadian Copyright Association, its object being to combine for the protection of the book and publishing interests of Canada. Opinion was freely expressed that the time has come when Canadian book and publishing interests must no longer be left to the tender mercies of British and American publishers. While Canadians are quite willing to deal fairly with foreign authors they are determined that their trade interests must be fairly dealt with in any future legislation.

PERSONAL NOTES.

MR. J. L. BLAMIRE, the representative of Messrs. G. Routledge & Sons in this city, arrived home from London last week.

HENRY IVISON, of the publishing firm of Ivison, Blakeman & Co., was married on May 16 to Miss Bertha Hollinshead, an acknowledged belle in Philadelphia society. The young couple have sailed for Europe for a tour of several months.

ATLANTA, GA.-R. H. Wilson having sold his entire interest in the book and stationery business of Wilson & Bruckner to A. K. Bolles and Eugene Bruckner, announces to the trade that his successors, Messrs. Bolles & Bruckner, will continue the business at the old stand. Ample provision has been made for liquidating all bills and accounts of the late firm of Wilson & Bruckner as they become due, which will be promptly adjusted by either Mr. Eugene Bruckner or Mr. R. H. Wilson on presentation,

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA.-Smith, Mullin & Voorhes, wholesale and retail booksellers and stationers, have dissolved.

CINCINNATI, O.-Hopkins & John is the name of the new firm that has succeeded Thomas Mor

ton, 162 Vine St., who has sold out.

COLUMBIA, IND.-J. A. Willetts, bookseller, stationer, etc., has sold out.

HARDY, NEB.-William Peebles, bookseller and stationer, has moved to Nora.

LOUISVILLE, KY.-The Will S. Hayes Music and Poetry Publishing Co. has been organized with John H. Leathers as President.

NEW YORK CITY.-C. P. Cox & Co., dealer in new and second-hand books, has removed from 654 to 762 Third Ave.

NEW YORK CITY.-The Arundel Book-store

kept by John D. Williams at 50 West 14th St. was slightly damaged by fire, May 24. is $4000.

The loss

NEWPORT, N. H.-Hurd & Lovell, booksellers and stationers, have dissolved partnership.

ROCHESTER, N. Y.-The Schlict & Field Co., known to the reading world by its imprint on the Cosmopolitan, have failed. The firm deals in office supplies and labor-saving devices, and has always been supposed to be financially solid. It began to publish the Cosmopolitan about two years ago. The office was removed to this city before long; and three or four months ago the imprint of The Cosmopolitan Magazine Co. (of which U. S. Grant, Jr., was Vice-President) appeared on the cover. The Rochester firm still remained large stockholders in the publishing company," says the Critic, "but whether their interest was a controlling one or not, we do not know. An officer of the new company declares that the magazine will continue to appear."

VASSAR, MICH.-Johnson & Williams, booksellers, etc., have sold out.

AUCTION SALES.

[We shall be pleased to insert under this heading, without charge, advance notices of auction sales to be held anywhere in the United States. Word must reach us before Wednesday evening, to be in time for issue of same week.] JUNE 4 and 5, at 3 P.M.-Library of dramatic, sporting, and miscellanious literature.-Bangs