New-York tribune., 1871-11-08
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.
BRITISH TOPICS

Ietfer on copyright Of which lately said something'
sppeAr in this mornings NBtes That Journal ITSELF I'M
dertakes one, and Mr.. F. r. Dsldy, Of the wehkne"n
London firm Of Bell Daddy, another 1t is no dhre-
spect TO Mr.. Daddy to say that he cannot rva Mr AP
pletons force and ceverness Of statement. botn Ms
Daddy and TRe Times msrepresent Mr. Appleton thousn
not intentionally presume. They accuse MI ApPe'oh
OF Offering TO pay English author II he senue hs OOoA
to that house. threatening to reprint IL pay
II he sends II anywhere else Mr. Appleton saio nothing
Of the sort, far as can make out he hau uone IN
one case where an authors rs work had been puDsneu
nv them under an arrangement with him, and paid for
The experiment yielding them little or no prcft they
thought his second and more popular OooK snouo nave
been offered to them before being put into the hands
rival publisher and felt themselves JUSTIFIED In reprint
ing It because It was not don't say think they were
right in making reprisaB Of that Sort but hight or not
1t is very different thing from seidng the book OF
stranger and still more from announcing that they mean
to deal in that way with English books In general
Mr. Daldys letter is much too long for me to quote,
but whoever reads it will be amused by the involuntary
altitude the writer He thinks he is pleading
for authors rights but in fact he is arguing for the pub
fishers alone and he treats Of authors as kind Of being
necessary indeed to the prosperity Of publishers, but
having rights separate from theirs-hardly even
separate existence He will not at all accept M Apple
toms proposal Of copyright law for authors exclusively
"Is 1t not cries Mr. Daddy, for the benefit Of Amer
can PRINTERS and publishers, and that ct the English
authors expenseW Well suppose 1t Is, just as much
"a law in England which obhges author to pay his
printer and publisher is law at his expense Let us re-
the case and suppose the English author, under
such an international copyright law as Mr.. Daddy
Wishes tempted by the liberal offers Of American
publishers chooses TO bring out his book in the first
pA CO In America instead of England. Would Mr.. Daddy
In that like TO give to the American publisher the
right to hood the English market with his American
edition But no he refuse It. his theory,
except for the benefit of English printers and publish
ers at the English authors expensef
The Times which never loses sight Of the commercial
side Of question, and which clearly that Mr. Ap
petens proposal while cOnceding full rights TO the au
thor, opens market for English paper and type re-
lects the offer altogether 1t admits that "a the Copy
right Treaties we have proposed would have carried into
America the exclusive privilege not only of the Author
but Of the Publisher apparently, OF the force
of such an admission and wholly unaware that, while
we are willing grant copyright because 1t is Just
recognition OF the authors right OF property IN his own
production have not the least intention OF relaxing
our policy of Protection to American Industry is so
bent securing the rights Of Publishers to say Of the
plan To give perfect copyright in America to English
authors: "We do not know how far such plan would
be preferable the absolute license of reprnting which
now prevails"
All ths discussion however is Of slight consequence,
except far promotes the adoption of copyright
law Of sOme Kind Whether Mr.. Appleton or The Times
has the best Of the argument is great matter. What
does matter ia state Of law which makes possible for
English authors to aleRe publicly such facts as those
brought forward by Mr. Erchsen and Messrs Griffin for
they involve indy but the Government Of the
United States MI Erchsen published letter some days
ago. saying that he the author OF he Science and Art
OF Surgery; :" that Government adopted his book
during the Rebellion and distributed $50 copies Of 1t to
the medical staff Of the army and that though he applied
through Mr. Adams, then American Minister, for
recognition Of his claim, and through Mr. Adams trans
mtted bs letter to Washington he has never received
penny for his book from our Government Inc prons on
those volumes, If purchased here, would have been
about Sl6OOO Messrs. Grimm, nautical publishers OF
Portsmouth, in letter that appears this morning aver
that they issued few years ago book on seaman
ehp the Illustrations TO which alone cost them toOOO
Messrs Van Nosrand Of New-York reprinted this book
copying the illustrations, the American Government
"adoted" 1t the textbook for young naval officers
and not the slightest recognition has been made OF the
services Of Capt Mares r. NJ the author OF Messrs
Griffin as proprietOrs. There good many reflections
which suggest themselves TO an American as he reads
these statements, but will make only one, and that
shall DO the Of questions Whether our Govern
nent on consideration, thinks it can afford TO steal
these bOoksi
Ons other fact and am done. Mr.. Edward Jenkins,
author N "Gnx's Baby" declares that great Boston
house" reprn.e his book in twenty-five cent edition
although It had aready been Issued by the NewYork
agents of an English b6dBe. Tue American circulation
has exceeded the English, yet\M Jenkins has "never
received penny from Brother Jonathan" Might we
know which great Boston housei
It's hard to say where the interviewing" business
will stop America no longer has monopoly OF It, and
in England 1t has advanced with rapid strides iOm The
Bath Argus and The Ezeter Gazette until we ma The
7S$es itself hsGrsny guilty. suppose 1t might ple
the political situation Of France excuse for it's
talk with the ex-Emperor Very likely means
do again and perhaps 1t would psSest against the
word interview being appedtO S performance yester
day morning The reports stripped Of the vulgar
sores and personal and impertnent Details which sdorn
efforts that know Of but the substance Of the
ching Is there Or perhaps the x-Emperor has taken
leaf out OF Prince Bsmarcks book The extraordinary
cOmmuncatveness Of the Prussiau Ha$esman, when he
has anything on mind which he desires the world to
know has been more than once remarked Just nOw the
CT Emperor anxious explain that he s not Intriguing
for the throne Of France that be Is quite above such
things and that he looks on himsei-was there
0 soOuhdrel Of the higher kind who dd not las In the
bands OF Providence. His vrtuOus indignation against
plots and conspiraciesis 10 suggestive commentary
the StrHSbOurg and Bouogne attempts above all the
bloody conspiracy Of the 2Sd December indeed the
whole Of this reckless adventurer What during
all his fe has he done but conspirei For the officers
who have allegiance TO him, he Is willing they
should defend the Of order, but he can |
not release them from their oaths being still Sovereign
OF France, dc jure. Finally, "nke the man in |
Horace" he wraps himself in his right and his |
reagnAtiO0. Perhaps one ought not 70 crlcise an
Euperurs classics, though he did write-more less
Life Of Caesar; but the in Horace /" Is Horace
himself and what he says il that he praises fortune
while Shs stays by him; II she takes flight 81 resign
what abe gave and wrap myself in my virt" which Ia
not quite the thing Then in The Ereter Gazette
49,, Ts Majesty reported thus "TO the Americans he
- ts a., dit Of proverbial saying usually described
Sv M n England - worldly minded QuAker's advice
to bs San .Make Ia6ney-hOneStly If you can; II not
make money" Sut before the Americans and before
the ouakers tAere Xved Roman poet who put this |
maxim into the mOuh Of bad sdViSer IN Words 700
Ism,. 70 need ouotIpg and this poet was Horace On