The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-10 00:00:00

support of their suit, as complainers against the free
and unrestrained circulation of the word of God, Forms
of declaration, licence, &c., adapted to the instructions
recently received, are subjoined in the appendix.
Any attempt to import unauthorised editions now that
means have been provided for securing to respectable
publishers the benefit of free competition under the
superintendence of the board, they will feel it to be their
duty most strenuously to resist. They are happy to be
able to state that, under the instructions, no complaint
upon this point has been preferred to them. From the
decisive measures that were taken some years ago fur
the suppression of spurious editions published in Scot-
land, the complaints of the fair trader in regard to such
editions have latterly been of rare occurrence. It is
hoped that, by the determination which has been evinced
by the board to persevere in those measures, all ground
of complaint will be speedily done away.
In their first report, the board informed your Majesty
of their design of preparing and publishing a standard
edition of the Scriptures, and of the principles on which
they proposed to carry that design into effnt. It was
intimated in a subsequent report that the necessary pre-
parations were in a state of considerable advancement,
and that certain booksellers in this city had been autho-
rised by the board to issue a prospectus of the proposed
work. A copy of the prospectus was subjoined as an
appendix to the report. It was the purpose of the board
to publish the work by subscription, as no independent
means of defraying the expenses of publication were
available to them. In the hope which they had
cherished, however, that a sufficient number of
subscribers would be obtained to warrant them
in proceeding with the undertaking, they were
doomed to be disappointed. After the prospectus
had been for many months before the public, it appeared
that only a few subscribers had come forward, and that
there was no likelihood that the number would be ma-
terially increased. The board were willing to have
altered-tito form of the w9tlE.• 'to meet the views ofpub-
fishers, but thi. expense, under any form was foind to
be-so -dortsiderable," that -no respectable publisher would
undertake it, except on terms involving the members of
the board in personal liabilities which they could not be
expected to incur. In these circumstances, the board,
of date 30th March, 1843, as they could not agree to the
conditions of publication proposed to them, found them-
selves constrained, though with much reluctance, to
suspend proceedings in reference to the intended stand-
ard edition. No opportunity of resuming, under more
favourable auspices, the design thus relinquished, has
since presented itself.
The great advantages anticipated from opening, to
free competition, the printing of the Inspired Volume,
&c., in respect alike of the reduction of prices, and a
more extensive circulation, will appear, it is presumed, '
from the statement which we have now to submit to
your Majesty, to have been more than realised. It will
be seen, that in a pecuniary point of view alone, these
advantages are far from being inconsiderable. But
when attention is directed to the fact, that by the re-
duction of price which has taken place, the word of God
has been brought within the means, and has actually
come into the possession of many thousands of your
Majesty's subjects to whom it was formerly in great
justly
affirmed, or altogether, inaccessible, it may be
affirmed, that the importance and magnitude of the be-
nefit conferred are indeed incalculable. In a question
respecting the circulation of the Sacred Scriptures, the
pecuniary view of the case loses all value for itself, and
is felt to be of moment only as it affords an index of the
comparatively free, and it may be hoped triumphant,
course of inspired truth. It will render the subjoined
returns more distinct, if we classify them under the
several heads of Bibles, New Testaments, Psalms,
techisms, &c. _

BIBLES.—Since the date of our last Veport, May, 1842,
there have been published, under the authority of the
board, sixty editions of the Bible. We regret that it is
not in our power to ascertain the number of copies of
which the editin; consisted that were published previ-
ously to January, 1844. But until some time after pro-
vision was made for allowing drawback of duty, on the
paper used in printing the works falling under the privi-
lege of the board, the number of copies contained in
each edition, was not required to be specified. It was
only in August or September, 1843, that it was rosolved,
on the suggestion of the Commissioners of Excise, that
there should be inserted in the license the number of.
copies of which the edition for which it was granted
should consist. Few of the editions for which license
was then granted were published before January, 1844 ;
and hence it is only from the latter date that a correct
account of the number of copies can be given. From
January, 1844, to January, 1845, sixteen eitions, of the
Bible were published, consisting in round numbers, of
two hundred thousand copies, goal January, 1845, to
January, 1846, twenty-one editions were published, the
number of copies amounting to 312,000. From January,
18411, to May, 184 G, five editions, consisting cif upwards
of 47,000 copies, have been published ; and there are
several editions now under the judgment of the board.
From a return made to Parliament by your Majesty's
late printers, for the years 1831-1836 inclusive, it ap-
pears that the largest number of Bibles printed by them
in any one of those years amounted to only 105,600,
while the average yearly number for the period speci-
fied fell short of nO,OOO. The increase, therefore, in the
number of Bibles annually printed in Scotland at the
present time, as compared with the yearly number
printed from 1831 to 1837, considerably exceeds the
ratio of three to one, The great increase which has re-
sulted from the abolition of the monopoly is placed in a
still more imposing point of view when we revert to the
fact, that the number of Riblos printed under the su-
perintendence of the Scotch Board during the year end-
ing January, 1846, exceeds the total number printed by
authority in Great Britain during either of the years
1832, 1833. In the former of those years, the number of
Bibles printed in Great Britain was 234,420, and in the
latter 303,796. The largest number printed in Great
Britain in any one year, from 1831 to 1837, was 450,778.
But the increase in the number of Bibles printed is
not more remarkable nor more gratifying than the
greatly reduced price at which copies of the inspired
volume are sold. It is undeniably to the reduction of
price which free competition has effected, that the in-
creased circulation is to be attributed. On comparing a
catalogue of Bibles, New Testaments, Psalm and Prayer
Books, &c., published by your Majesty's late printers
in 1838, about a year before the expiry of their patent,
with another published by the same parties in 1845, a
great reduction of price will be found to have been made
on every edition of the Bible sold by them. For exam-
ple, the quarto Bible, with Blayney's marginal refer-
ences, pica letter, royal paper, including Psalms and
Paraphrases, has been reduced from 11. Is. 3d. to lls.;
the octavo Bible, small pica letter, royal paper, with
Psalms and Paraphrases, from Bs. 3d, to 4s. 4d.; the
12mo. Bible, nonpariel, crown paper, with Psalms and
Paraphases, from 2s. Bd, to As.. and the 24m0. Bible,
pearl letter, with Psalms and Paraphrases, from 2s. ad.
to 9d. The editions in which the greatest reduction of
price has been made are the 12mo. nonpareil and the
24m0. pearl, the cost of the former having been reduced
52, and the latter nearly 65 per cent. The editions
now noticed are those in most frequent use.
From the extensive sale of the 12mo. and 24m0. Bibles,
the saving effected by their greatly reduced cost amounts
to a very large sum. It may be inferred from the fre-
quency with which the same publishers undertake new
editions of these works that the sale keeps pace with the
publication. Proceeding on this assumption, there were
sold of the two Bibles during the year 1844-5, 12mo.
53,000, and 24m0. 138,000. The saving on the former,
for this year, comparing the price with those of 1838,
amounted to upwards of 2,670/., and on the latter to
about 10,062/., making a total saving on the two of no
less a sum than 12,9321. In 1845-6 the number sold
were, 12mo. 26,000, and 24m0. 190,000 ; and the saving
effected amounted to upwards of 15,8041. The whole
saving on these two Bibles, for the two years, wait there-
fore 28,7361.
The above calculations have been made according to
the reduced prices given in the price catalogue, pub-
lished by your Majesty's late printers in September
1845. In the revised price list, published February,
1846, by the Free Bible Press Company, Coldstream,
the caors pr
et
stillic es of
further
the
reduced. Bibles
In have
thisnow b
list
the
en speci-
fied2e
bible is offered at 101 d., and the 24m0, at 64d., being a
reduction from the prices of 1838, on the former of 58,
and on the latter of nearly 76 per cent. Whether an
inferior quality of paper be used in these astonishingly
cheap editions, the board pretend not to determine.
They are printed in a clear and distinct type.
since May, 1842, seventy-five editions. Twenty-four
have N IEI
beenTESTAMENTS.--Of
published,under thethe authorityNw Testament
o
ending Janaary,
editions were published in the y
1846, sixteen
copies. In the year ending January,
ber ocopies amount •
editions were published, the number
have been published
ing to upwards of 285,000.theerrde,
since January last three editions, consisting of 96,000
copies; and one edition is now before the board. The
1845, and consisted, in round numbers, of a 490,000
largest number printed by your Majesty's late printers,
in any of the years from 1891 to 1837, was 105,840, and
the annual average for the six years did not much ex-
ceed 79,000. The largest number printed by authority
in Great Britain, during any of the years now specified,
was 534,450, and the least, 250,259.
The New Testaments most in use are the 12mo.
brevier, and the 24m0. minion. On comparing the price
catalogues issued by your Majesty's late printers for the
years 1838 and 1845, it appears that the prize of the
former has been reduced about 41 per cent., and that of
the latter exactly 40 per cent, In the Coldstream price
list, the cost of the 12mo. New Testament has been re-
duced nearly 55 per cent. In the same list the price
affixed to the minion 18mo. New Testament, with pearl
Psalms, is 3d., while in 1838, the 24m0. New Testament,
minion letter with pearl Psalms, cost 10d.
METRICAL PRALMS.—Since May, 1842, ninety-five
editions of the Psalms have been published under the
superintendence of the board. Of these editions were
published during the year ending January, 1845, thirty-
four, consisting in round numbers of 480,000 copies;
during the year ending January 1846, twenty-five, of
which the number of copies amounted to upwards of
204,000 ; and since January last, nine, containing an
aggregate of 96,000 copies. The editions of the Psalms,
published separately, however, by no means exhibit the
full amount of the annual shares. It frequently happens
that, in the licenses taken out by publishers for editions
of the Bible or New Testament, the Psalms are included.
This arrangement, inasmuch as the return made to Par-
Hanlon t by your Majesty's late printers, for the years