The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-15
THE NEW COPYRIGHT LAW.

The Copyright act was approved oy the
President March 3. 1891. and has been IN scsua'
operation now for the space Of nearly tnrse
months. a sufficient length of time to iors-
shadow the ultimate results OF the new law.
Il will be remembered that the act provided
that only those foreign nations should enjoy
the benefits and privileges OF copyright IN
this country which extended the same bene-
fits and the same privileges to tho authors OK
the United States and 30 far the list OF
such nations includes only Belgium. Switzer-
land. France and Great Britain. Germany.
one of the most productive OF all nations IN
literary works. has up to this time tacitly de-
clined TO unite with the countries mentioned
in applying for the benefits Of the new law.
The fact is the principal benefit to accrue
from the Copyright act will be secured by
Great Britain. a country in which the came
languape prevails as in our own. and in which
the literary tastes are similar. The United States
will no doubt. in the person OF its authors de-
rive very sensible benefit from the act. but
not as much as will be derived By the Eng
Ish writers. who have always found as large
an audience in America as in their own coun-
try and its territorial dependencies.
Under the operation Of the new law OF
copyright there was in the month OF Au-
gust, and has been during the present month
as far as it has elapsed, very notable increase
in the number of copyrights for books. music,
engravings and other productions introduced
from England and France Owing to the
rapidity as well as facility with which copy
rights can now be obtained by means of the
international cables AMI mails. it is found
that there is a growing disposition on the
part of the authors Of these two countries. but
especially Of England to take advantage Of
the Jaw even where from their mparatiye OBJ
security they az unlikely to obtain any appre-
ciable pecuniary benefit from it.
Ii costs an American author only five shill-
ing to secure copyright in Great Britain, the
preliminary step to which is the entry Of the
title Of the book at Stationers' Hall in Lon
don. One copy is required to be deposited in
the British Museum. which in itself is worth
the outlay of five shillings. as it in measure
guarantees the transmission of the name OF
the American author TO the remotest ages,
the British Museum being the receptacle of
books which promises to endure as long as
the English people.
In Canada. strange to say. tho American
author is required to deposit, with view TO
securing copyright. a copy of his production
with the Minister of Agriculture, accompany
ing ii with fee of 81. In France, on the
other hand, no fee whatever is attached to
copyrights. the only provision being that
the American shall deposit two copies of his
work in the Office Of the Minister of the In
terror.
Asevere penalty is imposed for violation of
the copyright law in the United States Not
only is every volume Of an uncopyrighted
book subject to eonfscation as found. but
heavy damages are recoverable in civil suit
against the party guilty of such an encroach-
ment upon literary rights. If that party is
firm of booksellers. there is a very good pros
pect that the suit will prove TO be profitable.
If, however an author it is very unlikely
that a civil suit will result in anything more
valuable than bare verdict, authors not
being class Of men whom it is we'll to pur-
sue in the law in the hope Of getting any pc
cuniary prizes out of them.