New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-27
,nrnnl ara aso ,ndexsd bnt Il Is the work Of pri.

journal arc also mdexed, but it is the work Of pr-
vate enterprise Samuel Palmer of South Hackney,
London has made acomplete index to The Times
newspaper in seventy-nne volumes, and at tho end
of every quarter publishes q new instalment. The
work of indsxing is most conscentiously done, and
the volumes are clearly printed and well bound
but the general plan Is inferior. think, to that
followed by our own index maker Mr.. Palmers
main idea is to have every article and scrap of in
formation represented by a corresponding index
entry. He indexes tho law reports with
the utmost precision, giving separate en-
tries for every civil action, criminal trial.
bankruptcy, admiralty, divorce or probate proceed
Ing and in this way he makes his quarterly publ
cation Of great value TO English solicitors. lie does
not index the regular advertisements OF births. mar
riages and deaths, but evidently regrets that the
complete alphabetical lists of vital statistics In inc
United Kingdom constantly on file Mt Somerset
House make such an analysis of the minimum ilSts
unnecessary. So determined is he TO have every
thing in the news columns represented by printed
line in the index that the entry " Miscellaneous
News" with minute references to date,
page and column, constantly occurs, al
though it is obviously Of no assistance
whatever to an investigator Herein lies the defect
of this system of indcxing. In his anxiety to have
a complete and accurate series of reference lines he
neglects to consult the convenience of those who
will use his work. For example, there are various
entries corresponding to the ASSASSINATION, illness
and death of President Garfield, but they are not
where they can b, readily found In the alpha
betcal order at Gar there Is no entry. Under
Deaths there is a cross reference, "See America"
Under America" there is nothing under g" ex-
ccpt Garfield Fund" But following Attempted
on therp iS
TO the details of the murder. Again,
if one wishes to refer to speech delivered by Mr..
Gladstone on the Land bill, he will look in VAIN
under the title of Gladstone" aud under "Parlla-
mcntary Speeches" he will find nineteen bind
references to the PremicIs speeches on various sub
ects On the opposite page Is another series OF Dlnd
references todebates the Land bill The closest APP
proach therefore, that can be made will he through
a comparison of the dates on which Mr.. Gladstone
is known TO have spoken on various subjects with
the dates on which the specific subject of the Land
bill was actually under discussion.
In The TRIBUNE INDEX completeness OF alpha
be cal arrangement is united with natural prlnci-
pies of topical arrangement, the idea being to help
the reader in every possible way to ina the lnIorha-
ton of which ho is in search. References to edito-
rials. which in Mr. Pamor's work are collected
under the class-st Leading Articles" are diStrib-
wherever they naturally belong IN Alphabetical or
topical order He is not satisfied with making an
entry for every distinct article or paragraph;
he must have that entry in tho right place.
The alphabetical arrangement is the basis of the
work but the logical presentation OF the news OF
the year in orderly groups and class-lsts when
can he conveniently consulted, is the highest aim OF
our indcfatgablc indeX-maker Every subject
which has been discussed in the news, correspond
ence or editorial columns stands by itself where
it can readily be found, and the investigator thus
has ut his command all the special information
which the files Of the year contain We have no
hesitation in saying that while the American index
is compiled with the same painsakng effort to Sc
cure absolute accuracy which charactfrHes the
English publication its general plan or order OF ar
rangement is more logical and systematic.
THE TRIBUNE INDEX for 1881 contains new
feature which adds materially to its usefulness and
completeness The summary of events published in
THE TRIBUNE on the first day of the year IS re-
printed as an introduction to the body of the work
II is an elaborate review of the principal
events in the political history of
the leading nations of the world during the year,
and thus properly precedes the analytical work of
the Index itself 1t is the general map in which the
outlines of the years history are traced ana 1t 10
fol lowed by the alphabetical and topical details OF
the gazetteer. The Introductory summary and the
Index proper can scarcely fan TO prove OF eXcep-
tional value to the professional and literary classes
and we bespeak for the work an unusually large
sale this season. This manual of contcmporaneous
history contains 1876 pages, the Introductory SUM
mary of twenty pages being included. The price Is
fifty cents for a single copy, sent postpaid to any
address. All orders Will now be promptly hllcu.