New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE STATE IN IFLAIIoN TO JRADaa 1o BY ny Il isi
London Macmillan Co.

THE STATE IN IELA1IoN TO TRApGa; by S, 4 iai n
F1ptrR The fr glish Citizen sefes' o'"' PP i0A' |
London: Macmillan 20.
The title of tins volume is an unfortunate one.
,rode imnhes eyeryth ng within the broad hines OF
-, oc,,v,tv and the relations of the state TO
g., .ubrsce all the agencies and operations OF
wi government Even Wi h the domains az iaoor
and land reserved for TWO pafaie volumes OF thS
eeries of practical aDuals, the gIourd covered
nv mis- tile was SO vast that the author was forced
20 have recourse to several chapters of vague gen
eralzaion III order 10 mi ART TO ills work an aspect
of 1, pical completeness. The specific Iniorma ION
relatmgto Ito current phrases and actual coudl-
tiops OF political government Is what thls sfries
is intended TO supply. In this instance every page
was REQUIRED for actica Details. and there wasno
,Iace 10 vast, OIL neral surveys, vague INIT
tatlons of a lr, adj field and metapLyS'ca subteiles
Yet OWNS to the conpIehensivene's OF this vex-
atious title space Il at cannot be sIared Is "ated
in abstract discussion ana superficial DISTINCTIONS
IL the fTs four chapters ard the concluding SUM
mary could lave been disi ensed with. ana me
general Plan Of the woIk rendered les c. mpieA
ard ariifi, ia the PRACTICAL value OF the ma Ia.
would have been greatly increased, 1or inc st"iooh
iniOrma ion which IT contains would nave pee"'"
larged and made accessible.
The volume contains chapters on merc"nH'o Ia"
in the varied relations of debtor and creCl or
na-tnershlps and iomt stock companies priheipai
aud agent bills of exchange, contracts WIZ car
,;e,s ond marine insurance, all b Onght Wlthm inc
comnass of seven pages the limitations OIL cou'INt
obligations, III personal dlsabihtl's h""to" HI.
bility and bankruptcy; standards ana heu"uis VA
exchange including weights measures and curren-
cv. monopoes and prices; patents ana copy
riobts: modes OF dealing with total or partial mo-
popolies; the post office; railways; merchant
shipp,ng: foreign trade and the abandonment ot
"A i've
ON 81 eclal trades, including official testing ana
branding. trade marks authorizations and the re-
ouuements OF public health and safety and re-
strictiops on trace in time of war. 80 many Vailed
and complex questions, although Considered sOrly
with reference to English prece tents ana methodS
of application can only be presented III oHthne III
a volume of small dimensions. lhe strain Oh COM
pression is visible everywhere, the au nor having
great deal to say about a great many THINGS nut
only being allowed space for barely mentioning MS
topcs I lie little that is sad however, is UNIFORM
ly well said so that the book Is cralnmeo Win III
formation that is Gle ,ry stated aud of great prc'
cal assistance to general readers. As tor specialists
and thorough students, they stand i'll no need oil
such manuals as this
One of the best chapters is that devoted to the
British most Offices Within the compass of ten
naoes is obtained compact account OF tue history
of the public post together with sta ISties showing
the enormous In the carriage oil letters aho
of the recent operations of the parcels post,
the telegraphs, tine post Office savlngs banks ana
money and postal orders. Respecting he teegraphs'
the author says that there eau be no donot that me
prlce paid by the Government In 1870 was heaVy
one and that the charges for Improvements ana
extensions of the service have been enormous; but
he shows that the income is now equal TO the eX-
pense of the service with the addition OF he Interest
on the debt incurred for purchase. Concerning
International copyright he makes these excellent
observations:
With most European countries copyright treaties
have beeu made under which our au nors possess III
those countries aud the authors oil those countries
possess i'll our country the sane prINil :" IT,
sprct of copyright the native Authors possess III
making these treaties Englisn au'noas it " nrs
perhaps Ne should say. Engllkh copy right oWueIe'
have been allowed TO retain as against ther own
DO oks published with their own consent api"au the
anne privilege Of exclusion from this county "nIcu
they possessed when all foreign edlIlous were
Miracles he result u.s. So far as KNOW, perieclly
anomalous and unexsmpled IN any 3tner kinu %
trade The manufacturer of an EngHsn article OF
trahe-for in this connection we must LOOK Oh
book as q manufactures allowed 10 nave hot
oniv the exclusive pIoduct of bis artlcl e. Out Two
or more separate exclusive rights OF production ih
different places. and 10 prevent what ne produces
himself nj one place from beng sold IN On tnef
place He is allowed 10 publish cheap edition Tor
the foreign market, aud to keep that cheap eulloh
out of the English market, which 10 reserved LOT inc
dear edition of the English publisher. II 20
abroad | may buy English books published win
the consent OF the English author bt Nj. Iauchnltz
and others at a very moderate price; but am
Liable to be treated as "a criminal II l bring these
hacks hack into my own country "Cheap English
books abroad dear English books at home' IS Vne
motto and result Of this system.
II cannot DO 100 often or too strongly urged that
the great obstacle all arrangements with our own
colonies and with the United States by which our
authors might reap the full benefit of an extended
market il The high price at which trst editions are
pubhsbed in this country. standard octave vOuhe
which COSTS perhaps about shlngs and pence IN
prIut paper and binding. published at IL shIngs
mi this practice of the trade is altered. English
speaking communities across the Atlantic Will re-
fuse to put themselves INTO the letters OF copy
night Law There are symptoms OF better things:
MANY BOOKS. especially those having Some thing Oh
a scientific or educational character, are published
cupyrioht OF no copyright. at moderate prices "n
both sides the Atlantic, aud cheap Editions OF
popular works IN this country are bec"mng earlier
and more freournt The time may come when
Iti-sbilling octave 81 shilling novel may ap-
near as much out OF date as the qusrtos In which our
fatbers and grandfathers read their first editions OF
q Marmion or of tue Decline and Fall"