The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-06-06

Among the many extraordinary provisions of
the new Tariff Bill, that which increases the dn-
ties ON English books is perhaps the most singular
and we may be permitted to add, absurd. The
encouragement given TO literature throughout the
civilized world is everywhere regarded as a proof
of the superior enlightenment of the present age
and there is scarcely u liberal statesman TO be
found, either here or in Europe, who is not proud
to pledge himself to the support of such legislation
rs Will tend to secure to authors the profits of
their works, and also to extend the circulation of
the latter among mankind In this country and
England particularly, especial care has been
taken, heretofore, to relieve literature of all vexa-
tious burthens, and the House of Commons has Just
passed bill abolishing the paper duty, although
the Government is thereby cut off from a profit
able and much needed source of revenue Our
House of Representatives has taken a step back
wards, and has determined to restrict still further
the importation Of English books The present
duty is eight per cent. ad galorem and the new
Tariff proposes to make it fifteen cents for every
pound of books brought over. A familiar exam
pie or two will show the effect of this change
The volumes comprising the very useful series pub
-"NSSiS- A'oiA'
are sold by those houses for about seventy cents
and the average weight of each is about pound
and aquarter. Every volume, therefore, now pays
duty of about six cents, which will under the
new law, be increased to about eighteen cents
The Encyclopedia Britannica costs in London some.
where in the neighborhood of five dollars. and
our Government receives on the twenty-one vol
umes which have already been issued about eight
and a half dollars, bat as the weight of each
is some seven pounds, the set will have
to pay at the Custom House over TWENTY-FIVE
dollars. OF course, under the operation of tb,
contemplated schedule the price of English book,
will be greatly augmented, and it follows tha
there will be considerable diminuon of tn,
number annually ordered by our booksellers
Those who can barely afford, as it is to purchas,
English books will, if this Bill becomes a law, b,
forced to wait until reprints are issued bv the
publishing houses here, and they will be thus
subjected to serious Inconvenience while the
of education will likewise suffer grievouslv
1t is important to many men, and particularly to
those who devote themselves to the sciences, that
they should obtain the earliest as well as the
most accurate information; and if many months
must elapse ms will probably be the case between
the appearance of new work in London and its
republication in New York, many a valuable i'm
provement or discovery that it might suggest TO
American readers will have been ANTICIPATED nv
those on the other side of the water. The mental
activity Of the age has been productive of as
severe competition between scholars and think
ers as between those who toll in more mechanical
departments of industry, and the poor student
who loses time may thereby miss the opportunity
of gaining imperishable renown. Moreover the
reprints with which we are usually furnished are
of the trashiest character. That printers are
capable of reproducing books in a style equal to
that in which the original ed itions may have
appeared is indisputable, and we have lately had
occasion to notice in some of the leading reviews
abroad, encomiums upon the typographical beauty
OF several American publications. But still the
fact is not to be denied that as a general rule,
the more voluminous and important works of
distinguished English writers are reprinted here
IN so Indifferent fashion, that cheapness is no
compensation for the shabbness of their appear
ance' This is the reason why so many readers
now send their orders to London, refusing to
invest their money in the fimsy paper and
blurred type, which are characteristic of the
volumes which come to us from New York
IL oy no means follows that the American pub
nSher will initiate the better class of English
looks, when a larger margin for pro6ts is left
oh the contrary he will be apt to continue
" '''n Out the same sort of work as he has been
~. iieu hitherto to supply the public WITH
anu .ne additional charge which he will make for
y, WIN oe so much clear gain But suppose there
s"o''o NC d vast improvement in the matter of
Vpe "nu paper, the publisher must still raise his
prices, ana then the cost of tho ror,,, &c Euo;,,
authors, whether they are renrint, ~ :, a. e.:
n"i e''on'' VIII oe greatly enhanced. AGAIN.
neio aie many oooks published abroad. which are
not only useful or entertaining. Int oro sc 49,
highest value, though they can never obt,;n 81
circulation as would justify their re-nubl;cat;o,
In such case the American public to nro.,-.
them must pay more than hundred per cent ovo-
the present duties. Who is benefited bv tbo ~.
Waordlnary restriction upon the circulation Of
hnghsh books in this country? The revenue 10
nor ior large importatlons, paying small duties
"oulo De more advantageous to the Treasury tho
lo.;na u l' on which larger taxes were
to;a1u -. ine people are not, for they would cor
= -, 'ess IL the cost of books advanced or
IL tney nau 70 undergo the misery Of s,r,,,..,.
through hVe hundred pages Of a choa i'ns
some favorlte author. Who tben o.. .,,s ~ "
Simply few large publishing -. e gam. ISL
York, Boston and Philadelphia. To -. - view
is sacrificed that of thousands of booksellers a.
well 90 the pleasure of o whole people and