The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-23

.WHcn the COSTA K1can lOcuStS ana Nuatcn'aiin
wolves devastated the country. That, too, Is mput-
ed TO the fibusters in those sections IN which
no hhbuster was ever seen.
Statistics and State OF the Book Trade.
PREPARATIONS FOR REVIVAL OF aussvss-PRO'
0Rk SO or THE CAPITALIZATION M0vkMENT-COa-
PARIsON OF THE THREE PUBLIsH1Na CITIES
STATISTICS OF CAPITAL, MANUFACTURES, M
PORTS, ETC., IN THE TRADE.
There are indications of movement among the
book publishers, promising speedy breaking up of
the lethargy with which the literary interests Of the
country have been oppressed for nearly two years.
An international copyright law is up for action be-
fore Congress, and may possibly Overtake the book
1gade here with quite revolution before long The
extreme depression of the book business just now
has turned the attention of leading houses to the
question of trade sales and their management al
ways the chief engine in the movements for re-
vival of bookmaking prosperity. The world of let
tiers is too apt to treat the economical basis of its
welfare with supercious disregard. The literary
man too commonly aspires more to the state of
eOurter than the occupation of his legitimate sphere
as a worker with HIS fellows upon the common plat
form Of industry. This mischievous concet, one Of
the unfortunate heritages entailed literature,
has come down through generations, from the
tsOe of courtly patronage, sycophancy and full
Sine dedications At the present day it
might readily be shown how absolutely
the activity Of literature depends upon the amour.
Of capital in the book trade, and especially upon its
CONGO ntratiOn in large In this view the pro
posed abrogation of the Philadelphia session Of the
trade sales and its probable result the establishment
In this metropolis of regular great literary fair, as
1t were, in the manner Of clearing house for the
pcrtance. Some facts, therefore, touching the &C
tual condition of the book business of the country
just low may prove suggestive and useful.
The trade is in all respects at the lowest ebh
There have been but one or two publications of
noticeable character, other than few reprints for
months past There are scarcely any in press either
and almost none in preparation upon trade respon
eiblity. One Of the two trade sale houses OF this
city has ceased to urge division of the trade.
sions held here and resumes position Of private
terprise in the ranks OF the trade the other trade
sale establishment did upon like emergency in
Boston. The tendency OF the trade towards
q Capitalization in New York. manifested In
the desire for abrogation Of the duplicate
sttngs of its conventions in Philadelphia s further
indicated by the purpOsed removal of several impor
tan. publishing houses to New York from Philadel-
pha and Boston, with some Of less note from other
cities. One Of the largest book firms IN Boston, on
the authority of its senior member, will be included
in this hegira Tor the metropolis. The fact is be,
coming unanimously recognized that centralized
metropolitan operation will not only greatly facIi
tate the business and rapidly increase the Of
the whole publishing interest, but even vastly enhance
where the old divided provincial system only ham
pered and obstructed its developement
That this tendency Of the trade has already pro
crossed beyond the power OF any combination 10
control the moveme mt, may be seen by glance at
the statistics of the business In ls40 its productive
activity estimated at S. 500 900 per year and the
capital then embarked in book publishing and job
hing at 81 900 900; II IL now rated AZ high IA sixteen
10 Eighteen millions for its yearly productgeness.
The trade in 1910 was pretty evenly divided between
the two cities In 1856 careful estimate OF its
growth by Goodrich. is distributed az follows
New York, value of books produced $1,000 600
Boston, do. do. ...... $500 600
Cincinnati. do do. ,...... 1900, 900
The year OF this estimate OF the most active
The trade has ever experienced In this country.
number OF the Publisher Circular contained over
enc hundred and sixty announcements Of new works
reprints &c, for a single week Such Is the mo-
nentary depression now, however, that even during
the late general convention Of the trade, half dozen
volumes chiefly religious comprised about the entire
clrrent bulletin OF new publications. To present
definite idea OF the present basis OF the trade
an estimate has been prepared for this article, which
MIGHT serve 10 determine the comparative standing
If the three chief locations OF publishing enterprise
The amount of capital engaged IN strictly book
making and iobbng has alone been regarded; all
colateral considerations of personal wealth. real
estate tract and rel sious concerns periodicals. sta
t,onery, &c, are excluded from the computation.
The estimate prepared and revised with the as
sistance Of several of the most experienced men in
the trade Each house being down for its separate
amount, the footings were determined 90 be-
For 80 houses in Philadelphia. ..........fl 500, 900
For 40 houses In Boston. ............. 900 900
For rs houses in New York ............ 300, 900
These amounts represent Of course the jobbing
capital, being inseparable from that engaged in
the book manufacture, emitting the retail trade as
well the issues Of the religious corporations Could
the cost Of publishing alone be determined, the pro
portion for Philadelphia would fall very much be-
low that OF Boston. Whilst the latter city com
petes with New York in the activity and the stand
more in proportion TO It's capital. Philadelphia
tents itself with iobbing the books OF both, and
picking up bargains Of stale stereotype plates TO be
worked of in competition with the more advanced
enterprise of ts neighbOrs. A criterion OF this
comparison. IL may be remarked that leading New
York house, usually rating at MILL IN and quar-
ter l. set down for it, books exclusive Of periodi
Gals. printing. binding and engraving establish
nents, real estate, &c, as $3.50 600: whilst q large
Philadelphia hrm, which may not issue two hun.
dred thousand dollars worth Of it's own publications
annually, IL rated az fG50,000 This is because Of
the impossibty of discriminating the proportion
Of the latter capital actually invested in book Job
hing. the matter u books forming only portion OF
very large business comprsing all sorts of things.
from classical dictionary 70 package OF pink
saucers, ur n box of baby powder.
The official returns of imports. showing the
amounts Of foreign books sent to this coun.
try, fully corroborate the other facts bear.
ing on the metropolitan progress of the
trade. A comparison OF the returns Tor
che district Of New York with the whole i'm ports
under this head points significantly TO the patural
channel OF the business. The figures also indicate
the fact that " il not exactly decline of the trade
elsewhere but Capitalization Of its national growth
and increase In this city which has caused the pre-.
sent disproportion Had the increase of the imports
Tor the past year continued unobsruced by the re.
vusion II If thought the foreign book imports might
have reached million. The returns Cor the mast
seven years foot up
Imports Of books. District Of ~. y. Total u. s.
1851 ................ fi2l.76i tI9l,152
1852. ................ 4c2.7S6 567.7l5
1853. ................ 629lT2 72322l
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