The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-03 00:00:00

THE WEST INDIES.

LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY. -By the United States
steam-ship Pacific we received y‘sterday files of Ja-
maica journals to the 14th ult. inclusive.
The West India mail steam-ship Trent, Clarke, ar-
rived at Port Royal on the 12th ultimo, from Vera
Ortiz, after a run of five days. She brought from
Mi xico no news of importance. On the same day the
Trent left for St. Thomas and Southampton with twelve
passengers
Her Majesty's steam-ship Avon, Lieutenant Craw-
ford, arrived at Jamaica from Greytown on the 2d
alt., in four days. Her accounts also were unimportant.
'ihe West India mail steam-ship Conway, Woolly,
arrived on the Bth front St. Thomas; also, her Ma-
jesty's ship Apollo, after a run of fifty-six days from
wi'h the 16,11 Regiment. On the Bth the Conway
left ha Vera Cruz _

Our accounts from Jamaica are politically unim-
portant. His Exce!lency the Governor-General had pro-
rogued the Parliament until the 15th of July. Up-
wards of 250 negroes bad arrived in the island by the
ship Brandon, from Sierra Leone. Many of her pas•
sangers were afflicted with small-pox, and she had been
ordered into quarantine. Subsequently selections were
made by the attorneys end owners of property in the in-
t. rior of the parish. Numbers varying from 15 to 25
were allotted to Stone, Henge, Ilyoe, Freeman's-hall,
Hyde-hall, Vale Royal, Colchis, mad Stettin estates; and
nn the following day the remaining 73 were taken to
Falmouth port in the schooner Dove, and distributed be-
tween Hague, Dundee, Llimsread, 'Tilaton, and Golden-
grove. A •.Peond cargo was also expected, being part of
a captured French slaver's complement. Fine weather
for the growing crops had been enperienced. Late ac-
counts from Livery,' and L.,ndon had again been re-
ceived at Port Royal via New York; the news taken out
by the Conway arrived just after similar dates had been
c- ived by the United Sates route.
Our files announce a fresh outbr' Ilk of cholera. We
extract the following from the Kingston Morning Journal
(A' the 13th ult.:—

" We understand that the choler a, which, it has been
already announced, had made its appearance in West-
morelanti, has extended from_ Meryl sr aUeld to Friendship,
attacking everyiestate on the beunks of the Cabsritta
river. At Mesopotamia and Friend ship there have been
tcn deaths, and one at Blackhea tb. The disease also
exists at the Mint and Hing's-valley, Grange-hill, and
Lincoln, and one case is reported at 'the Big-bridge. One
fatal case had occurred in the town of Savannah•la-Mar,
brought from the infected district. This occurred on
Saturday last. No other case is r irported in the town,
but a good deal of diarrhoea exist's round the place
where the person died. We widen itand that the cuatos
of Westmoreland, who is in this cit y, has been applied
to procure a supply of medicines and a medical man.
The former has been procured by him, but we are not
aware whether the services of a me dical man can be, or
have been, secured. We fear that in this latter respeot
Mr. M‘Ncel's exertions will be una' railing."

•
THE LONDON WEATHER.
TO TUE EDITOR OF TB x TIMES.
Sir.—Up to my last communication, on the 23d, the
fluctuations of this month were am lden and excessive as
regards the temperature. From th at day the weather
has presented seven days of a true summer character,
the latter five days being absolu, eely cloudless. The
barometer has preserved a ateadinea a such as I have not
witnessed for a length of time, n et varying a line for
many hours. Tho wind since the 2 sth has been in the
easterly quarter, which has been the only drawback upon
the healthy condition of the air. I find that the highest
mean temperature of the month it t the shade was, on
the 27th. 73t deg.; the highest on I..he register was 85i
deg., on the 27tn, when the sun's aspect indexed 112
deg. Comparing the averages of 6* highest and lowest
of the first 23 days with the latte r seven days of the
month, I find the former was in the shade 68.05 der., in
the sun 77. t deg., and the last a even days 31.17 deg.
shade, and 100.3 deg. sun, exhibiti ug a daily increase,
severally, of 13 and 23 deg. The iluwest of the month
was 55 deg. in the shads on the 1 oth, and 44 deg. at
night on the 3d, which present an extraordinary differ-
ence as compared with the append table of the last
seven day.—l am. Sir, your suoschl. aar,
Bermondsey-square, June 30. H. P.
EXTRACT FROM 11. P.'s REGISTER. X+ THE FOLLOWING
DAYS.

Barometer,
Highest in Highest in L Meet at at 9 o'clock
btitcle. Sun. sight. A.M.

Deg. Deg. Deg. Inches.
Jane 24 71 •• 80 .. b 3 .. 30.12
25 ..•... 76 80 .. 51 .. 30.'11
26 ...... 83 .. 104 .. 62 150.19
—27 ...... 89j .. 112 .. 63 .. 30.15
2• 85 .. 109 .. 61 .. 30.13
29 ...... 84 .• 107 .. 60 .. 30.13
30 ...... 84 .• 110 .. 30.12
P.S. Seven o'clock P.M.—The baronieter is now 30.11
inches; temp., 77 deg.

ADVERTISEMENT].—THE GPM r EXHIBMON.—
A valuable. newly-invented, very small. powerful waistcoat
pocket glass, only the size of a walnut, to discern minute ob-
jects at a distance of from four to five midis, which is found to
be invaluable at the Exhibition, and to Si portsmen, Gentlemen,
and Gamekeepers. To be had at :19, Albemarle-street,
Piccadilly, opposite the York-hotel. Opera and Race-course
glasses with wonderful powers—a small object can be clearly
seen from ten to twelve miles distant. T e lescopes a new and
most important invention in Telescopes, I Kwessing such extra-
ordinary powers, that some, 3i inches, wiith an extra eye piece,
will show distinctly, Jupiter's Moons, Saturn's Ring, and the
Double Stars. They supersede every other kind, and are of
all sizes, for the waistcoat pocket, shooting, military, and sea
purposes. Messrs. S. and B. Sowed °Ns, Opticians, have
invented invaluable preserving Spectacle . Lenses Immediately
they are placed before imperfect vision, every object appears
clear and distinct, the most aged defectiv. e sight becomes bright
and brilliant, is brought to its youthful, natural and original
state. The Invisible Organic Vibrator, anal all kinds of acoustic
instruments for relief of extreme deafness. 39, Albemarle-
street, Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel.

•- • -
[ADVERTISEMENT.] - Holloway's Ointment and
Pills, a cure of Bad Legs after forty-three years' suffering.—
Extract of a letter from Mr. Galpin, of Weymouth, dated 15th
May, 1851. "To Professor Holloway. Sir,—ln gratitude to
you, and for the benefit of the communEty, I wish to publish
the wonderful cure my wife has obtaintKl by your Ointment
and Pills. For forty three years she had endured the most
excruciating pairs with bad legs, during which period every
remedy had been tried which medic4l mot' advised, but with.
out effect • ultimately she tried your Pills and Ointment, which
in six weeks have restored her to health, and her legs are now
thoroughly cured and free from pain.—S. slid by all druggists,
and at Professor Holloway's Establish went, 244, Strand,
London.

NEW EDITION OF " LIVES OF THE QUEENS."—
We are requested to state that the first 'volume of the new,
revised, and greatly augmented edition tal' the " Lives of the
Queens of England," by Agnes Strickland, embellished with
portraits of every Queen, beautifully engraved from authen-
tic sources, is just published by Messrs.. Colburn and Co.,
arid may be had of all booksellers. The first volume com-
prises the lives and portraits of thirteen Queens, namely :
Matilda of Flanders, Queen of William the Conqueror,
Matild t of Scotland, Queen of Henry 1., it delicia of Louvaine.
Second Queen of Henry 1., Matilda of Boulogne, Queen of
Stephen, Eleanora of Aquitaine, Queen of Henry 11., Beren-
garia of Navarre. Queen of Richard 1., Isabella of Angou-
leme, Queen of John, Eleanor of Provemee, Queen of Henry
111., Eleanora of Castile Queen of Edward 1., Marguerite
of Franc>, S:=cond Queen of Edward 1., Isabella of France,
Queen of Edward 11., Philippa of Hainault, Queen of Ed-
ward 111., Anne of Bohemia, Queen of Rkhard
CAPTURE or Two MunDEßEßs..—Yesterday in-
formation
was received at the head poll co station, Scotland-
yard, that James Loynes, who effected his escape after mur-
dering an Austrian sailor, named Giuseppe Sammon, in Whit-
moor-lane, Cardiff, had been apprehend edt by the Newbridge
police; and that Mary Rogers, th. e twretched woman who
drowned her infant on the 24th ult. in afish-pond at Wilstone,
had been apprehended by the Shropshire. constabulary, and
committed for trial for wilful murder.

FOREIGN COPYRIGHT.
On Tuesday u public meeting of British authors, pub-
lishers, printers, stationers, and others interested in the
subject of copyright, was held at ,the Hanover-square
Rooms, for the purpose of taking into consideration the
present state of the laws relating thereto, as recently in-
terpreted in the Court of Error. It is considered that
this interpretation, which reverses several previous deci-
sions, goes to establish the claims of a non-resident fo-
reign author to copyright in this Country, although the
English author is strictly excluded from • the benefit of
copyright in foreign countries; and that the unreci-
protested privileges thus conferred on foreigners, if
finally established, must prove extremely prejudicial to
the interests of British literature in all its departments,
whilst it will remove ever:rinducement to. the acceptance
of our proposed International Copyright Act. The
chair was taken by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Bart.,
and Mr. H. G. Bohn acted as vice-chairman, and
among the company present were William Howitt,
John Britton, George Cruikshank, Mr. Macfarlane,
Mr. R. H. Horne, Henry Colburn, the Rev. Dr. Wor-
thington, &ce
Tne CHAIRMAN, who was received with loud cheers,
said, that he had been requested to take the chair on
this occasion, in order to aff rd in opportunity to bring
ts&'ore the public a question which was interesting in I
itself, and extremely important, as affecting all those I
who were possessed of property in literary co-
pyright. He would endeavour then, as briefly as pos-
sible, to place before them the object of the meeting.
Perhaps there were those present who entertained
views which were opposed to his own ' • and he would sit
down assuring them that the instant he took the chair
he would be strictly impartial, and would obtain for all
parties a patient hearing. He would now proceed to the
business on which they were assembled. They were
aware that by the Act the Bth of Ghtven Anne, and by
other subsequent Acts of Parliament confirmed; certain
privileges were ceded to authors ; though the general
principle was that prima facie a country could only be
supposed to legislate for its own subjects. It had been
long held that the Act of Queen Anne only referred to
native subjects of Great Britain ; and true it was, that
till lately foreign authors bad no interest in the ques-
tion which they now agitated. Let them observe that
their authors had at various times published in other
states than their own. They first published in other
states than their own, not so much for pecuniary con-
siderations as for considerations of safety in cases of
theological works, in which the opinions of the author
differed from those of the Government.. This had been
the case in Italy, and in one or two cases in France. So
in the instance in Voltaire, many of whose works were
published in Holland ; but so little, as a foreigner,
could he obtain a copyright, that he complained of the
mutilated perversions of his works. He came over to
England a few years after the passing of the Act of
Queen Anne. He resided in London, the place
where he laid the foundation of his fortune. He received
a large amount of subscriptions to his " Henriade,"
which work was promoted by the Princess of Wales,
afterwards known as the Queen Caroline. Voltaire lived
on terms of the closest intimacy with the most celebrated
statesmen of the age; be was especially intimate with
Bolingbroke and the Ministers under whose Government
the Act of the Bth Queen Anne had been passed; and,
therefore, it was clear that if it had been intended to
give a copyright to foreigners, Voltaire would have been
apprised of the fact, and he had every motive for avail-
ing himself of the advantage. Voltaire received a large
sum from the subscribers to the " Henriade"—a sum of
6,000/. So far, if the purchase of the work gave a copy-
right, he would have been entitled to it. He corrected
second editions for London which could not be published
in Paris; he corrected a third edition for London in
1733. So little did be possess-a copyright, that he re-
pudiated the edition subsequently published by Mr.
Thompson. Another strong case was that of a work
written by Voltaire in English, and published in London,
during his residence there, and which was finally trans-
lated into French by De Fontaine. Voltaire disclaimed
the effort. and complained of the mutilations which had
been made in many cases. But so little copyright did
he possess that these essays were reprinted in 1739,
containing all De Fontaine's blunders. An edition of
his works was begun at Oxford, containing the works
which had been published in London, and the name
of him who had rendered the name illustrious was sup-
pressed, for the title-page gave it as the work of the
ingenious Arouet (his father, the notary); thus show•
ing that Voltaire had no copyright. Until the case
which had occurred two years ago the supposition that
the Act of Queen Anne was for the benefit of English
authors had never been disputed till the year 1822.
But the case they advocated was that of " Boosey v.
Purday," which was decided by Baron Rolfe (now Lord
eranworth), in which he, in a comprehensive judgment,
determined that that Act could only be taken as he had
quoted—as baying been passed for the benefit of Eng-
lish learning, and that foreigners were not entitled to
copyright. But recently this judgment had been re-
versed, thereby showing the uncertainty of the law. If
the late decision of Lord Campbell, whom he regarded
as a statesman and a man of letters, as well as a most
eminent forensic authority, expounded really the state
of the existing law, it might be expedient to try and
alter it. The Acts of Edward IV., &c., showed that in
those early times the Legislature encouraged:the intro-
duction of foreign books. Every man was at liberty to
sell. That doctrine was repealed by the Act of Queen
Anne. In the late decision two case had been referred to
—the one that of Rapin, and the other Delolme. The
judge considered that they had a copyright—the one in
connexion with his work on the Constitution, and the
other in respect to hie History of England. But he would
leave it to his friend Mr. Bohn to show that neither of
these parties had acy copyright. This only showed how
difficult it was for a judge, most erudite, to view the
question in its proper light. The case of free trade bore
no analogy to such a case as this. But now the question,
which was of real importance, that granting the Act of
Queen Aune was intended to increase learning and to
encourage learned men to compose good works—was
there nothing in the construction of the Act by Lord
Campbell which affected the system of foreign piracies
abroad? The meeting were aware that it was only since
the peace that our literature had been universally culti-
vated. But, in spite of the increase of the British read-
ing public, the cheap rate at which the English works
were published in all departments of literature had con-
siderably diminished. In respect to light literature, with
which he was himself most familiar—(Hear)—novels,
for instance, excited a curiosity which must be satisfied,
and the works were taken off by circulating libraries,
and perhaps that branch of literature was sufficiently re-
imbursed. The Belies Lettres under the existing law had
become almost extinct. When he was in Parliament
some years ago he put on the books of the House a no-
tice of motion on the subject of international copyright,
and ho did not withdraw that notice till the Government
undertook to negotiate with foreign Powers, and the
result had been the passing of the International Copy-
right Act; according to the principle of which we gave to
every foreign author a copyright, if those eounti ies gave
a copyright to our own authors. Some of the German
states had availed themselves of this privilege. Two
countries, France and America, had taken no steps, but
he was told teat the question had made progress in
France. In Belgium the . chief obstacle, however, was
felt. America had obtained the consent of almost all
her authors, and the clause heel received valuable co-
nperation froth the press, and he had no doubt till the
recent construction which had been put on the statute of
Queen Anne, that this great measure would have been
_ccomplished; but if this construction of the Act of
Anne lately pronounced were maintained, then the in-
ternational copyright became that which was little better
than parchment for battledores. Had there been a
copyright in America it would have,m,ade a difference to
him (the Chairman) of 60.0001., and the meeting would
judge what the effect must be on all, petsons cultivating
popular literature. It would, indeed, be n happy advent
when our friends across the Atlantic were converted
into the contributors to, instead of the despoilers of
English literature. He knew that certain political
economists would say that generosity on our part
would lead to the happiest results, but he entertained
no such exalted idea of the principle of free trade.
He looked to our commercial tariffs to show that
liberality on our part by no means ensured the principle
of reciprocity: He thought the first duty of a country
was to protect the rights of her own subjects. We
had done what was fair and just to America. We had
offered to her authors, and those of other countries, that
which we asked her to give to us. He contended it was
impossible to have a healthful pure literature in America
so
considerlo ng
a sthe
whether
presentthis question syusetsetmionexwiassteodr,
waansinot whilstconntheecrteed
was this wholesale smuggling of English literature. In
America " Macaulay's History of England" was to be
got tor nothing. So, if an American author went to a
publisher there, what was the answer? Buy your book,
sir! No. Why Dickens's works will sell like wildfire.
Thus the native plant faded under the shadow of the
transplanted tree. If they looked to America they must
call to mind the writings of Jonathan Edwards, Chan-
ning, and Washington Irving; but they were the chil-
dren of another period; and in speaking of the improve.
ment which tie glorious Republic made they did not
find that the younger generation had made any improve-
ment equal teethe writers of the past. If he were an
American he sever would cease to use his efforts to ob-
tain a national copyright. He should oppose this one-
sided Act that tended to deport and denaturalise their
own literature. He regretted deeply that this groat
question had been made the subject of litigation between
highly-respectable parties, showing the miserable uncer-
tainty of the law, keeping the nsost eminent publishers in
the same het water. He had had but a slight acquaintance
with Mr. Bohn, who, to his immortal honour, had put a
stop to cheap literature, so called, which had polluted the
country. On :the other hand, he would refer to the son
of a prince of publishers, renowned for his liberality,
and who had been connected with the most illustrious
writers of the.day—he referred to the house of Murray.
And next he referred to Mr. Bentley, of whom he would
only speak in terms of profound respect and considera-
tion. He most sincerely regretted that on this question
he was opposed to Mr. Bentley and to Mr. Murray. He
telt that he had promoted the question of copyright,
and that, therefore, he could not shrink from being pre-
sent on this occasion; bet in consenting to take the
chair he held, himself clear from the difficulties with
which the question was encompassed. Ho declined to
with free trade, because the opinions of many present
were divided., The Hon. Baronet concluded his address

in a very eloquent appeal, whioh our limits do not allow
us to give.
Mr. BoHN, in a lengthened speech, detailed the origin
and progress of the copyright law as already set forth
in a pamphlet published by him, and concluded by
moving the following resolution:—" That this meeting
views with apprehension the recent decision of the Court
of Error reveriing the previous decision of the Court of
ExchFquer, and thereby declaring that foreign authors
resident abroad are entitled to British copyright,
although subjects of a state which declines to avail itself
of the International Copyright Act. That such decision,
if finally established, must prove extremely prejudicial
to the interests of British literature in all its departments,
whilst it removes a material inducement to the accept-
ance by foreign states of the International Copyright Act."
The Rev. Dr. WORTHINGTON seconded the resolution.
Mr. ERNEST JONES having made a long speech, con-
cluded by moving an amendment to the effect that that
meeting highly approved of the recent proposition by
Lord Cimpbell, as one of the preparatory steps most
conducive to the attainment of that which justice de-
manded, the law of international copyright.
Mr. WILLIS, of Craven-street, seconded the amendment.
Mr. JamEs Focco urged the necessity of unanimity
on this occasion, and hoped the amendment would be
withdrawn.

Mr. COLBURN said he had been one of the greatest
sufferers under the present law. It was clear to him that
unless the law was altered the literature of this country
would be seriously injured. It was impossible to expect
that authors would write till they were paid; as well
might they expect the farmer to till his ground and not
reap his harvest. He had himself given as much as 8001.
or 1,0001. for works of fiction; but now, in consequence
of the existing law, he could not afford to give authors
for the same matter more than 1001. or 1501. What had
prevented the publication of the remaining works of M.
Thiers? Why, the publishers had been almost ruined by
the operation of the piracies. M. Dumas attempted to
disposa of his copyright; but unless there were a recip-
rocal Copyright Act, the publishers, he supposed, would
not pay one shilling to any foreigner for their publica-
tions in future. He thought that retaliation was the only
coarse to be pursued till the Government framed soma
practical measure.
Mr. JEFFREYS, the defendant in the case of "Boosey v.
Jeffreys," addressed the meeting at some length, and
showed the singular state of the copyright law in Ame-
rica at present, by which, to secure a copyright, a man
must renounce his allegiance to his Queen and country.
We continued the injurious effects of this state of things
in America, in reference to musical compositions, &c.
Mr. Novella supported the amendment, as did Mr.
Cocks, Mr. Hyde Clarke, and Mr. Vizetelly.
The CHAIRMAN put the question, and on a show of
hands the amendment was lost, and the original motion
was carried.

Mr. G. CRUIKSHANK moved the next resolution, that
the meeting considered the subject to be of national in-
terest and importance, and that the expense of deter-
mining the meaning of the law thereon ought not to de-
volve upon a private individual; that a committee be
continued to ascertain the meaning of the law, and
to open public subscriptions for the necessary ex-
penditure.
Mr. M'FARLANE seconded the resolution.
Mr HENRY MAYHEW rose to move an amendment,
which, however, being of a personal character, was over-
ruled by the Chairman and the meeting, and after some
discussion the resolution was carried.

Mr. SHEEHAN proposed a resolution to the effect that
an appeal strould be made to the House of Lords, and
that, if necessary, application should be made to Par-
liament for a declaratory act to explain the real and true
meaning of copyright.
The resolution having been seconded, was carried;
and subsequently a vote of thanks to the Chairman was
moved, seconded, and duly acknowledged.
The meeting then separated.