New-York tribune., 1871-11-04
ENGLISH AUTHORS AND AMERICAN PUB
LISHERS.


The following letter has been addressed by
VIM H. Appleton of the publishing firm of D. Appleton
& Co.. in New-YOrk the Editor OF The London Times,
and appeared in that journal on the Goth ult.;
passing @ tsd 9dGn on Dra9 my xSRR way home
gagged in discussing the American Copyright question,
and as the publishing rm IN W. oI yspraSHn wnn S
by you correspondents ask space Tor few words OF
jeSt. which think called for at the present time.
In your editorial structures upon this question OF the
thin Sns 81 wGSR could be said win alter the settled der
nation of the Americans DC There s NO settled deter
English authors in respect property in their works
AS American publisher Of large experience enc am IN
that this conviction is shared by large number, If not
TSat this ii feeling has found but partial expression
hitherto and that no overtures have como from us, IS
Due @ Sa SOP 6s ShOss to- deal With the SUBJ
sect The most effective weapon Of the enemies OF an IN
Of English newspapers after of periodical ex-
plosions upon the subject am happy howeyer to note
1t is standing charge, and lately reeehoed in all di,
rectOns that the present treatment OF Engnsh authors
lar nOyelists il Is said may get something decent iof
advanced sheets yet the mc aaTTs %
| as not worth naming. The number o. those VINO
books sr 9Td Tbd Se' NO ays help is very large
OF course with us with you for only pronaDe DOCKS
@ Ta Jay an pc made to pav very fairly in the United
states, and if they do not due in great degree to
To the above charge as it broadly made and gcner
ally believed here, am able to give fat contradiction
establish direct relations with English authors, 50 that
tley NAV get the entire profits Of authorship on our side
and in having them have put them upon substantially
| fLe same footing as our authors. We have not
waited for an International Copyright law, but have
practically anticipated ii and given your authors its
benefits There standard Of payment win @ us 70 our
authors which is generally accepted as tar ana ls1
give usj ali your authors with whom we could arrange
We pay M upon this scale; and not OH your novels
| yner Int philosophy,
| aud history. OF the numerous books, for ex-
iev Sir John Lubbock, and Mr.. Darwin which pub
lish under this arrangement and which are certainly
AUTHOR S What he would have We're he born in Nt%YOrE
We have paid thousands Of pounds upon such solid OLD
have paid them thrice much ON the first years sales
as thy asked advanced sheets knowing that we lost
an Immediate bargain but believing that the establish
ment OF tire principle would in the end be best for all
We Gs S Sv YEAR and within these last few
mouths scheme has originated with US TO carry out the
number of your authors and more advantage
then @ than S Ry sRy You ot reprint
without the authors consent and without payment y
To when By the laws the
right 70 his m s never recozed nn
less he complies with certain requirements and then
T GT hook becomes common property, it does at any
rafe after given date. If book comes to us unpro-
V1T nu hSr treat book the copyright OF which has
expired and Just as they treat American 6ooEs whether
enThody pr1te s or not But If the foreign sauh0r ale
n tS rs at first and we then publish his book
hold ourselves morally HoTnG To 5ay y % tR .cusson that
the Americans are opposed TO an International Copy.
norcd it, and we have rejected it-perhaps and
over again. But this only proves that we oect 10 ceI
rejected an authors international Copyright law frou
| YOU or ever had chance 10. II England has onered
tDction Of her authors that country it s diplomatic
secret and can assure you the American people have
never suspected IT, No scheme you have ever proposed
stops with its nominal purpose. Avo%edly an authors
conght it Is really an anthoI anu ot sea hs M
ference They sec while the author has
Just caIln tne PuoSt st FngaD6 ma Sas SiTheTto ord
is hut kind OF legal saddle for the English pubsher 10
well understood with that your prOfered forms
| Of copyright are less in the interest Of ap.
manufactucr and it these forms that the Americans
have rejected. Any treaty which makes the English english
us with books, II negotiated by the two Governments
eve earnestly in their policy Of cheap hooks and will
expose 10 the peril threatened by an English pub
TEN are tet even In Canada. The Canadians will have
our cheap reprints instead OF your honest editions ana
10 hi, the English Government consents suspends the
laws of the Empire In the case Of single province COL
udes with Yankee pirates" and robs It's own authors
that Canadians may have our cheap books say Ioos ls
authors although 10 per cent tax Is levied by the
9r Se 6enS OF the sor informed BY
London publishers that money from this source would
The United states now contain neary nhabit
auts aud they eminently book-buyiug people The
|
is destined 70 become believe that people
would rejoice open this vast opportunity TO your in
S exn Of their obligations to your thinkers and they
viii be GLAD do them juses when the way Is 81 snS%n
facture the books that shall embody your apthors
thoughts in accordance with their own needs habits,
am Of opinion that International Copyright law.
vigorously the authors interest requiring him TO
make contracts for American ono GTeey y %ltn
entirely Manufactured In the United STATES, WOad be
acceptable 70 our people, . -.
communication in yindcaton OF my hOu-o ana the
American people and the oceaeion has compelled me TO
Pesr S sfTseaS Sat se sure that my brother
pN Nbshers America will substantially agree IN what
circumstances Asto the English publishers many OF
whom are my cordaffriends trust they win not be
offended that have presepted she case plainly and d,
divest the question Of the false aspects lent 70 " g pss
son E1GdeSe anS SSp sesssbpSS Having re-
Gently adjusted Of the most embarrassing internS
tOnaI differences that could arise between tSo nations
IL Ia surely not impossible to settle this on the basis OF
equity and mutual satisfaction.
few wOrds now, 70 my ASSISTANTS. Mr OoDI1S h,h ~
very likely, although never heard OF IT, The book was
probably one Of tse picked Up st slack une 20 keep
OfSGch boeSS bat GDOwilg Dcthing q the fste e s
1SS 1SSnst Ioss ts.s y. rSi vii give nm nm sRths pc
IN D." ccmpains thai We rspdltsd Pc sgeSy =. ana q
!. iSS "a 1Sina Ssa Sn ES W pa h
@ work y ~ = psy n% SsS II zen Sow "
We sossSsTeG ssss - VI Tsts fs sHnsa Wen p y
~ sSsSs new % and more RCpss sc0s amSt @ Il % New
hat t. must aGSaSS ss Su sTa Ss iait d
paSsssss Sea a.ss e 5sfess 2 ss %s
spefed In the United States that his WORK Was more
70 speneers PSychoogY" Iwhich happens Be widely