The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-01-12 00:00:00

PERIODICAL LITERATURE OF ENLAND.

The most remarkable character of the press of this country
is its periodical literature. Looking, back to -the first half
century of printing, we see Gutenberg and his successors
slowly producing a few costly books, for which they hail
great difficulty in finding, purchasers. We think that it might
he asserted, without exaggeration, that the periodical works
issued in Great Britain during one year comprise more sheets
than all the books printed in Europe from the period of Guten-
burg's discovery to the year i5OO. A few of the details of this
wonderful branch of the commence of literature may amuse
our readers.

The number of newspapers published in the United Kinwlom
is about 370; of which 51 are published in London, anti 191) in
the English provinces; 53 in Scotland; and 76 in Ireland. The
stampa annual!, issued fur these newspapers is now about
45,(Y,A),(X)0. In the quarter ending Ist April last (the last re-
turn) 11,500,000 were issued. This number shows an annual
increase of allow. 15,000,000 since the reduction of the stamp
to one penny. The quantity of paper required for the annual
supply of these newspapers is 99,000 resins. In a petition to
Pope in 1471, from Sweynheim and l'annartz. printers at
Rome, they bitterly complain of the want of demand for their
books, their stock amounting to 12,000 volumes; and they say,
" You will admire how and where we could procure a sufficient
quantity of paper, or even rags, for such a number of volumes."
About 1290 reams of paper would have produced all the poor
printers' stock. Such are the changes of four centuries.
The number of weekly periodical works (not newspapers)
'issued in London on Satin-day, December 16. was about fifty.
Of these the weekly sale of .• Chamber's Journal," the "Penny
Magazine," the " Saturday Magazine," the " Mirror," " The
Mechanics' Magazine," the " Lancet," the " Church of .Eng-
, land Magazine," and several others of the more important,
amounts to less than 200,000 copies. or about 10,000,000 copies
annu-„liv. Of these weekly periodical works the following is
an analysis.-
6 Religious.
2 Literary Criticism—Literary Gazette, Athenceurn.
1 Musical.
• 2 Scientific. _

For the advocacy of peculiar nilininns one advocating
opinions similar to those in works of Carlile, and one by
the friends of co-operatifm.
18 Miscellanies. The more extensively circulated weekly
periodicals belong to this class. Nev ones are con-
stantly added, and perish in a few weeks.
5. Tales and Stories.
7 Attempts at fun, some of them called forth by the success
e of the Pickwick Papers,—mostly trash.
Sporting Slang.
48

Out of this number. twenty-one are published at Id. eight at a
10, and seven at 2d. (it the remainder prices are higher,
varying up to 81.
he monthly issue of periodical literature from London is nn-
equalled by any similar commercial operation in Europe. Two
hundred and thirty-six monthly periodical works are sent nut
on the last day of earls month, to every corner of the United
Kingdom, from Paternoster-row. There are also thirty-foot.
periodical works published quarterly ; waking a total of 270.
Or the monthly periodicals—ins:Min, the weeklies issued in
parts tthere are 58 devoted to general literature ; 48 In
various blanches of science. n stural history, &c.; -16 relioi-
otts and missionary—many the organs of particular sects ; 4
histories of England—appearing periodically; 17 works issuing
in volumes—a few in parts •20 fine arts—picture galleries—
topography; 6 fashions. Of the remainder, many are very
cheap periodicals, addressed chiefly to children. A bookseller.
who has been many years conversant with the industry of tho
great literary hive of London on the magazine day, has fa
voured us with the following computations, which we have every
reason to believe perfectly accurate :—The periodical works
sold on the last day of the month amount to 500.0(X) copies.
The amount of cash expended in the purchase of these 500,00 ii
copies is £25,000. The parcels despatched into the country, of
which very few remain over the day, are 2000.--l'errry May.

NAVIEATION OF THE LUNE.—We have much Prili3raCtiOTl in
being able to inform nor readers, that the commissioners of Si,
George's Quay have resolved t employ an eminent civil engi-
neer to makea survey. and report on the practicability of imprnv-
ing the navigation of the river from ::!assota to the Old Bridge.
—Lancaster Guardian.
Houma LE FLANNEL. MARKET, NIONOA V, JANU ARY 8.---
T hmig h it has been what is railed 1117, new market, vet there
has been no great qUantitc of business done to-da, The at-
tendance of buyers has l;pen rattler thin, and the prices given
no better than those of last week. Wool remains steady, but
can be easily purchased at last market's price.