Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-26

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Professor JEwErr also read elaborate paper on his
system Of cataloguing in which he says:
The most important ends to be attained economy Of
time labor and expense. On his plan, when the cata
ogue of library is published it will be necessary to
strike eff only many copies needed for present
When the additions to the library have become
considerable to make another edition of catalogue de-
sirabe, in lieu thereof supplementary catalogue al
ways unsatisfactory and embarrassing appendage,)
the titles only will be stereotyped and inserted in
their proper places among the former titles all the titles
being movable plates The pages Of the edition
will thus be made up With convenience and every book
in the library will stand in its proper place in the cata
Iogue. This process win be repcutod often as the
growth of the library may make it necessary.
In this way not only will the plates used in former
edition be available for each subsequent edition. but when
the plan fairly and extensively in operation
the titles of books added to any given library Of whose
catalogue edition is required, will, in the
time have been cast for other catalogue and thus
occasion charge for any subsequent use far
the expense of casting the plates concerned The in
FAINT state and prospective rapid increase of the public
libraries in the United States, well the frequent
founding of libraries give great interest to this fea
ture of the plan.
The libraries in any country Ito some extent indeed,
in all countre consist partly of the same books In the
catalogues of public libraries of the United States pos
sessed by the Smithsonian Institute there embraced
at least four hundred and fifty thousand titles. 1t is
tmated, however, after laborious comparison, that
among these there will not be found than hun
bred and fifty thousand different titles 1t follows that
if the plan proposed had been applied to the publication
of these catalogues twothrds of the expense of printing
them far the cost of plates concerned would have
been saved by ncurrng the extra OF stereoypng
the remaining third according to this plan The economy
to each particular library in the expense of plates for its
catalogue viii be in proportion to the number OF books
which it may contain, in with any other library
whose catalogue has been already stereotyped this
plan. The title of the same book in the same edition will
of be but once and will thenceorward
for the catalogue of every library possessing that book
which may enter into the arrangement.
third advantage resulting from this plan will be the
facility with which classed catalogue either of whole
library any department Of it, might be furnished at
short notice. without the expense of writing out the
titles of casting plates, but the simple indication
OF the selected titles in the margin OF printed aphabet-
cal catalogue Finally the plan of necessity requires that
the titles of the books in the Libraries included in the
rangement should be given uniform principles and ac-
coring fixed rules object Of no small Importance
to those who consult them.
The plan of stereoypng plates suggested the following
system for the of this important purpose;
l. The Smithsonian Institute to publish rules for the
preparation of catalogues q Other institutions intend
ing to publish catalogues of their books to be requested
to prepare them in accordance with those rules, with
view to their being stereoped under the direction OF the
Smithsonian Institution 3. The Smithsonian Institution
to pay the whole expense of such
parts thereof as may be agreed The stereotype
plates to remain the property of the Smithsonian lnsttu
uon D. Every library accedng to this plan to have the
right of using all the titles in the possession of the nst
tuition often desired for the printing of its
taogue by the Smithsonian Institutions paying only the
expense of making the pages of press work, and of
distributing the titles their proper places @. The
Smithsonian Institution to publish possible
and at stated intervals general catalogue OF all libraries
coming into this system.
When the titles have been stereotyped and the plates
rlp thew IN hear
ed alphabetically and kept sliding shelves shallow
drawers placed as near to each other possible The
catch letters Of the titles may be marked upon the front
oil each SHELF so as to admit Of alteration the changing
of the plates may require The ranges of shelves may be
so disposed to form deep and alcoves.
OF nifty feet by forty would accommodate the plates OF
ward Of million titles which may in this manner be kept
in compact and perfect order and at the time
be easily accessible.
1t may not be amiss to add that the material which it
is proposed to employ in the stereotypng much less
pensive than common type metal cheap indeed that
the whole expenditure this account for argea
collection would be of small Importance. 1t is, besides
much lighter than type metal convenient In hand
ling, and requires fewer and less expensive fixtures 1t
is not at all affected by dampness by any ordinary ee
walton Of temperature.
TIE plates are mounted for printing upon blocks, SINH
lar to those ordinarily used for stereotype plates but with
continuous clamps extending the whole length Of the page
The breadth Of page adopted is such is suitable for
work in octave in double columns in quarto folio
The latter form folio double coumns) will probably be
IOunu convenient as well as most ecOnomlcat
large catalogues Presenting titles upon page it
enables the student and compare with greater
facility the various works Of author 1t requires Also
less paper and presswork for the number Of titles
These considerations have led to the general adoption Of
the folio form for catalogues of large libraries To these
il may be added in the present case that in folio pages it
would be practicable avoid the division Of titles between
lines without occasonng observable Irregularities in the
length of the pages.
This interesting report was warmly applauded, and
several members discussed the proposition ssratr oil
concurring in the general excellence Of the plan.
Two Men KILLED.--About four o'clock on Monday at
terrible accident occurred at the disery of a.
A. Chds Brothers, New York, occasioned by the burst
ing of STILL which resulted in the instant death Of of
the hands, named Thomas Crosby, who scalded in
the most frghtful John McGoor, another la
borer there employed also badly scadcd that he
died soon after he was got to the hospital.
SNAKE SToRY.-A Texan tells good story Of snake