The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-06-15 00:00:00

there can be no question that the report of the
Commissioners remains the clearest and most
comprehensive statement of the law of copy-
right that has yet been given to the world.
The Commissioners deal under separate
heads with several distioct classes of works and
the rights ineieeet to their production. These
include books, musical compositions, dramatic
placer, lectures, engravings paintings, draw-
ings, photographs, and sculpture. The most
important of all these classes is that of books,
and the report suggests a good deal in the way
of simplifying the existing law by which the
rights of property in this class of works are
regulated. With respect to the period of exist-
ence to be allotted to proprietary right, ti_ie pre-
sent legal term of forty-two years frois the
date of publication of any work, or until seven
years after its author's death, is disapproved by
the Commission They suggest that date' of
publication should be set aside as a factor in
the period of the determination of copyright,
and that this should in future be solely calcu-
lated for a fixed term from the date of the
author's death, and thirty years is the limit sug-
gested. The conditions necessary to be fulfilled
for the acquisiSion of copyright are condemned
anomalous and unsatisfactory. Copyright in
the United Kingdom now extenus to every
part of the British dominions; but if a book he
first published in any part of the Blitisb
dominions other than the United Kingdom, the
author cannot obtain copyright. It is recom-
mended that the conoition as to originas pub-
lication at home be abolished, and that in what-
ever part of our uoiniuions a work shall
have been first published, its proprietors snail
be entitled to the same copyright and to the
benefits, rights, and privileges in respect of such
work as they would have under the existing
Imperial Acts if the work had been first issued
in the United Kingdom. The report deals at
much length with the subject of registratioo,
and the arguments for and against making this
formality a condition precedent to the legal
acquisition of copyright, are discussed wite
much conciseness. The conclusion arrived at
is that this formality should be retained, and
that the law with respect to literary copyright
should in this way be assimilated to the law of
copyright in paintings. Taking the general
nature of the recommendations, there can be
little doubt that the Commissioners have held
the balance with a fair and even hand between
private and public interests. From their cot-
elusions it is easy enough to detauce that the
theory of copyright is identical with the theory
of patent sight, and ,hat precisely the same
a9gumeuts aprly to both. The object of both
privileges is to encoerage invention—literary in
the one case, and mechanical in the other. A
new book is a fresh was:tone for instruction or
entertainment, as the case may be. The drift
of the Commissioners' suggestions is that such
protection should fairly be afforded to the
inventors of the intellectual as well as of the
material machine, as to sufficiently encourag
men to devote their time to the creatio., aU
protection of patents or books. The Chiejtigh.
Commissioners are of opinion that the eies!aug
law does not afford such protection to the pro-
ducers of books, and the suggested alterations
in the law with a view to that object- being
attained will probably meet with general accept-
ance. •
The time, however, for this description of
legislation is not the present Session of Parlia-
ment, which lots only two mouths more of life
in it, aud iiurieg that brief period has more
work upon its lianas than it can possibly get
through. The estimates have seltioai been
so much in arrear, and the voting of forty-five
millions of money in Committee of Supply for
the army, and civil services, occupies many
Government night. In a set debate a sp, aker
can deliver himself only once, but in comulitte e
a member may speak a 3 often as he pleases,
and it is ofte:l possible to raise a long discussion
on a vote for £2OO. Independently of the back-
ward state of the estimates, there are several
bills not dealing with high politics, but with
much needed social reforms, which ought to be
passed in the public interest. The proceedings
of the Berlin Congress are also certain to
engage Parliamentary attention. But if we are
fortunate enough to sweep the Eastern Question
off the stage, it may fairly be hoped and reasJn-
able be expected that during the recess tin.
Government will have time to look into the
exhaustive report which the Copyright Co a-
_ raissioners have produced as the result of a long
' natient inquiry, and that the consequences
ants e
ba• a better means than now exists where-
man wa
pfintellect may be enaLled to pro-
by a own property the produce of his
tbercitti
.a s