The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-26 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—Your correspondent "X.," in his vain endea-
vour to correct you, has fallen into some errors himself.
He states that the only objection to these books is that
they are too cheap, No objection is made to the abso-
lute cheapness of the books, but to their cheapness with
relation to cost. If the Government plans are carried
out, I maintain that it is utterly impossible for any in-
dependent persons to compete with the Government
bookselling concerns. The prices they propose to sell at
are such as will afford no remuneration to writers capa-
ble of competing with the books, good or bad, sold
under Government patronage and influence, and, unless
the Government are prepared and competent to take in
hand the construction and publication of every educa-
tional book, they will prevent that competition which
secures improvement in books commensurate with the
advance of knowledge, and they will only mar what
they may attempt to mend.
" X." states that the " cheapness is natural and not
artificial," and that, "as he is told," a sum is added by
the Government to defray the charge of authorship and
of expenses of sale. This can be proved only by docu-
ments which are not available to tf X." nor to myself.
But all that his statement proves, if true, is that the Go-
vernment sell at cost price. I believe that they propose
to sell at less than cost price.
There can be no doubt that there are many active and
intelligent men who would be willing to assist the Irish
Commissioners in the production of school books free of
all direct pecuniary profit, and who might furnish them
with very good compilations on the pleasing prospect of
future patronage. Having such books prepared for
them, be they good or bad, as they can create a large
demand and command a supply at the lowest possible
price, and sell, if they please, at even lc ,s than the cost,
or without including in the cost such charges as those
in trade must incur, there can be no doubt that, if
the Government take the business of bookselling in
hand, they can sell to the public at prices which
defy competition. But is it for the public interest
that matters should be thus conducted ? If it be ex-
pedient that Government should thus interfere to insure
a supply of cheap commodities to the people, after
having contracted for 10,000 pairs of shoes for the sol-
diers at Bagshot they may extend the benefit of their
contract to the poor passengers on the road, who must
now pay a higher price than the Government contract,
and open shops for the benefit of the public in London,
Edinburgh, Liverpool, and other cities. Let them tell
the "Thirsty Soul" they will brew for him cheap beer,
and the "Hungry Soul" to come to them, and he shall
have dockyard bread at cost price. These illustrations
of the system might be multiplied ad infinitum, for, the
moment a Government undertakes to regulate the cost
of production and to supersede the effect of legitimate
competition in trade, I know not where it should stop
short of the theory of M. Louis Blanc, which transferred
the control of all labour, industry, and wages to the
State.

"X." states that it is required that the Irish books
should be confined to Ireland. Not so. It is required
that the Government contracts should be restricted to
the supply of their own Irish schools. The Treasury
minute quoted in the Ti;nes of Saturday is formal on
that point, which admits therefore of no further dispute.
A simple course has been suggested to the Goverment,
which will in no way interfere with the prices at which
they purchase, and relieve them from the invidious and
improper position in which they are placed. It is, that
they should cease to claim a copyright or monopoly of
the books in question, and that they should act on the
Treasury minute before referred to.
'But," says X., "throw open the copyrights! We
are too wise for that—we know what competition has
done in these matters." The books divested of copyright
will be dearer than they now are ! Let me ask him
whether he thinks that Shakspere, Milton, Paley,
"Uncle Tom," and innumerable other books, divested of
copyright, could be sold as cheap if there were a copy-
right or monopoly attached to them ?
The fact that American reprints of English books are
divested of copyright and of remuneration to authors
is unquestionably the reason that they must be sold at
prices far below those of the original editions in this
country. Your correspondent alludes to the circum-
stance that some consignments of English books have
recently been sent out to the United States at a very
low price, barely exceeding the cost of paper and print-
ing. The Americans can print our English copyright
books free of charge for copyright, and of course they
will not pay for that which they can have free of ex-
pense. It will, therefore, be obvious that it is only at
a price far below the English price that such books can
be sold in large quantities in America. If books so sold
to the American booksellers come back quickly, and are
sold here, these commercial transactions must end, and
with them all the benefit which the English public may
derive from their continuance. On the other hand, if
this experiment which the English publishers are now
trying should succeed, the prices of many new English
copyright books may be reduced in England.
Mr. Murray very lately was able to sell, before pub-
lication, a large number of Mr. Layard's new book to
an American bookseller, and wisely determined, in con-
sequence of profit so realised, to publish the book in
England at one-third cheaper than he must otherwise
have fixed his price.
At present the demand for new copyright books at the
low price for America, united to the demand in England
at a higher price, is not in the aggregate enough to make
a uniformly lowered price a safe speculation. That time,
however, may come, should there be an international
copyright with America, or even without it, if the ex-
periment of IoW prices to America succeed.
Your space will not admit of more. I will only add,
that for the Government to open their shops for the sale
of books, or any other commodity, is an infringelnent
of sound principles, attended with no public advantage.
So far as books are concerned, it could do all it wishes
without infringing these principles, and I can have no
doubt that the proper course will be adopted.
I trust that if your correspondent " X." has any re-
marks to make on my.letter, he will not shelter himself
under an anonymous signature.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
THOMAS LONGMAN.
Paternoster-row, May 25.

THE CHELSEA PENSIONERS.—Yesterday forenoon the
enrolled Chelsea Pensioners of the north-west division,
amounting to about 300 men, assembled in the Regent's-
park, near the Zoological-gardens, where they were re-
viewed by Colonel Tulloch, the commanding officer of
the force in the metropolis. They formed in line on the
ground about ten o'clock, when they went through the
various evolutions of a field day. They marched in front
of Colonel Tulloch in slow and quick time. They then
fired in companies and divisions ; and at the conclusion
of the exercise the gallant colonel expressed his satisfac-
tion at the discipline of the veteran pensioners. Each
man was provided with six rounds of cartridge. The
review of the Chelsea Pensioners will take place on the
Ist of June, in Hyde-park.

, .
DISTRESSED NEEDLEWOMEN'S HOME.—A special meet-
ing of the committee of this institution, which is situated
inbCarburion-street, Fitzroy-square, was held at the re-
sidence of the Lady Lister Kaye. Her ladyship having
taken the chair, the secretary (the Rev. C. Geary), stated
the object of the, special meeting, viz., the consideration
of an offer made by the proprietors of the Portland
Bazaar, free of rent, for the exhibition of work done by
the poor women who are received into this home, when
it was resolved that the offer of the proprietors of the
Portland Bazaar be accepted ; that the thanks of the
committee be conveyed to the proprietors of the, bazaar
for their kindness, and that the secretary be instructed
to make all necessary arrangements, after which the
meeting adjourned.