The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-05 00:00:00

THAMES.

THE LAW OP COPYRIGHT—IMPORTANT TO NEWSAGENTS.
—Mr. Rosier, a newsagent and vendor of periodical publi-
cations in Langley-place, Commercial-road-east, applied to
Mr. Partridge for a warrant to arrest Clarence Harcourt,
an attorney, of 2, King's Arms-yard, Coleman-street, for
attempting to extort money from him under false pre-
tences. _

Mr. Rosier said the circumstances of the case were both
extraordinary and peculiar. The proprietors of a serial
publication, called Bow Bells, had given away with the
current numbers two wood engravings, " The return from
Hawking," after Landseer's celebrated picture, which
had been engraved, and " A Distingushed Member
of the Humane Society." The newsagents and ven-
dors of serials obtained no profits whatever on the
distribution of the pictures. They were presented
gratis, and wero a source of trouble and inconvenience.
Nor was the distribution:of the wood engravings on com-
mon paper likely to affect the sale of the original steel en-
gravings, which commanded a high price. An attorney,
named Clarence Harcourt, had, however, forwarded a
printed circular demanding compensation for an invasion
of the copywright in the pictures belonging to " Messrs.
Moore, M'Queen, and Company (Limited)." Who those
parties were he could not tell, but he knew who Clarence
Harcourt was. A poor widow, living in a bye street, who
sold one dozen copies of Bow Bells weekly, by which she
obtained a profit of 4d., was served with one of the circulars,
and another letter, and £l2 was demanded of her to settle
the matter. The agent who served him, and who was an
extensive dealer in serial publications, had not been served
with any notice. One of the engravings bad been given
away with the Illustrated Times ten years ago. One of the
pictures was given away with Bow Bells on the 18th January
last, and the second issue was on the 24th of May.
Mr. Partridge asked if the publisher of Bow Bells had
been communicated with, to which Mr. Rosier said the
publisher could not be found.
Mr. Partridge—lt seems to me, if there is any invasion
of a copyright, the proprietors and publisher only should
be proceeded against, and notice given to the poor people
who bind these serial publications.
A gentleman in Court said that Harcourt had sent out a
hundred at least of letters similar to the ono in Mr. Rosier's

pc ssesion.
Mr. Rosier said the last latter on which he principally
founded his application, was as follows :
"Moore, McQueen, and Oompany (Limited) Yourself.
"My.clients are not desirous to deal harshly with you
for themfringement of their copyright, and have instructed
me to inform you that if £5 be paid to me on or before
Tuesday next, the 4th inst., in satisfaction of damages,
together with £2 2s. for my costs, no further steps will be
taken against you ; but, if not paid by the above date, I
shall have no alternative but to continue the proceedings
against you.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
" CLARENCE HARCOURT.
" No. 4, King's Arms-yard, London." _ _ _

Mr. Rosier, in conclusion, said that similar demands had
been made on others. He considered it an infamous
attempt to extort money.
Mr. Partridge could not say that Mr. Harcourt was a cer-
tificated attorney, his name was not in the law list. He would
not go into the question of copyright, but if persons did
pirate articles or engravings, and sold them or distributed
them, they were liable to damages. Ho would advise the
applicant to take no notice of the letter.
Mr. Rosier—l do my business in a straightforward man-
ner, and I think it is an attempt to extort money,
Mr. Partridge—Consult a solicitor. The proprietors and
publisher of Bow Bells ought to assist the vendors.
Mr. Thomas Thirdgould, of No. 31, Oxford-street, Step-
ney, produced a writ served upon him by Mr. Harcourt,
at the suit of Henry McQueen and Earnest Gambart, for
invasion of copyright. He was in the same predicament
as Mr. Rosier.

DISCHARGED FEDERAL SOLDIERS. —TheNew York
Times states that all honourably discharged soldiers have
been granted the privilege of retaining their arms at the
following low rates :—Muskets of all kinds, with or with-
out accoutrements, $6 ; carbines, with or without accoutre-
ments ; $lO ; all other carbines and revolvers, $8 ; sabres
and swords, with or without belts, O.