New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-24
LONDON NOTES.
THE BRITISH PRINTER AND AMERICAN COPY.
RIGHT-THE BRITISH BOOKBINDER-AN
AMERICAN CRITIC ON FRENCH PRINTING.


AMERICAN CRITIC on FRENCH PRINTING.
London, August ~.
The British printer has taken time by the force
lock. In anticipation Of the American Copyright
Act, and all the woes he is to be heir to under
that bene6cent law, he has been extortng higher
wages from his British employer He has chosen
an i'll moment, from the employers point Of
view; from whose point Of view all moments
are i'll for paying more wages than before. The
employer is still anxious about the effect OF the
American Copyright Law on British Printing
He is not less anxious, but more. He says good
deal of work has already gone, or IL on the road,
TO the United States, and great many thousands
of pounds--and therefore five times many thou
sands Of dollars-are finding their way into the
pockets Of American compositors which would
otherwise have enriched the English and Scottish
conpositor hope it is so, but observe that these
gentlemen keep to round numbers and general
tiles.
They are, however, perfectly right in warning
the British compositor and printer that in the
long run, it is he who will suffer. should these
fears come true The compositor is told that II
even only ten per cent OF English book work goes
to America 70 be set up, it will more than out
balance the increase in wages the English com
posiom has lately obtained. The professional
opinion in England-the opinion Of the printer,
if not Of the publsher-seems TO be steadily
strengthening The printer is more and more sure
that dark days ore before him. lie says:
English and American publishers will effect
something like partnership arrangements for the
Joint production of books likely to meet with
sale on both sides of the Atlantic; but such books
will always be set up in America, and sometimes
printed there, although more often, probably,
No
paper are so much cheaper onithis side"
That represents suppose, fairly enough the
prevailing printing opinion at this moment N
England.
On one point, hear the English will expect
and oven exact. concession from the American
printer and publisher TO whom they conhde their
orders. Books for the English market will have
TO be printed In English and not IN WeoStense'
The more unblushing champions OF WeDsterian
Spelling in America insist that it is largely 10
use in England. Will they kindly say In whas
branch of English literature English DOCKS are
printed according to Webster? VIII they MANS
an important newspaper, or any newspaper .ha'
is? Will they say what great hrm OF printers OF
publishers issue books in this deformed condition!
There may be such papers or firms doht care
TO say there are not, for few things are more
dangerous than a universal negative but II
there are any, they can be named, and I'LL tney
are named one may be permitted to believe there
are none.
Not only the book printers, but the book-Dlnd-
ers are agitating; and 10 the same OF Similar
| ends. The binder, too wants higher wages, ana
seems likely enough TO get them vigorous
aritation. says trade journal, has been going On
| for some time among London bookbinders wa
can easily imagine what the agitation Is ABOUT
| The bookbinders are human; though there pa'e
been book-lovers to whom this proposition seemed
| disputable Prosper Merimee SAID the "oia
wonla never be quite right till bookbinder bad
been we'll hanged. But even Merlmee did nOs
desire that all bookbinders should be hanged.
He would, I Judge, have been content hao ono
| hecn hanged to encourage the rest or one gu
first. Then, if no impression were made on the un'
hanged boolbinders, another and another mighs
| be put TO the rope, till the rest tooN Vie INV
| But they are stubborn race.
| The agitation to which the trade journal nave
| ouoted refers is not an agitation in favor Oh
| hanging any OF the craft nor against hahsihg'
ne,ther for nor against any kind Of moral IeIori
| II Is all abont hours and wages. The Lohuoh p'oN
| binders want, like the rest OF the worNlusnien "
| this country, less work and more pay lheS "anS
| that is the eight hours rule, ana 10 IN pam -
| OF nresent when they work ten hours or moro
,,bicb il the same thing as more pay Inc "-
orooso ~ WAGES would be 20 per cent, 1t Is com
| puted. .,.Lo,+ ,bo, ths
| hool,binders or any of Them no" "o
ton hours. or would engage hereafter 70 W"s
EIGHT 1t has always seemea o'uy ',O'
whether they ever worked except as 'iie "Ni'.
saized them You send yonr BOOK 10 oe 'O"N'
.. So nromisd 20 YOU in three months, or SIX. OF
| II, algp
that the binder says You know he VIII nov
" ,ho. no sovs There is not n case on record
| in which book has been returned at the 'ine
| rood THE reason is that the binder never knows
ybenher he shall feel like working or IKE hoy
working; and it is all q question OF leeiLns
sneak of the binder who undertakes DooA' ''- ~
| private owner. !, ,,or,o,.a
| This AGITATION. however seems 70 De pion"'eu
| nv those who do the binding OF commerce
| binders those who work for firms "Hioi 'n"N.
Contracts with nublishers: and the like but 'ney
| arp really no better than the otters. i"e ~
igcnces Of commercial life are such tna' 'ney in"'
| he compeled TO return the books conhdeu W 'ueHi'
| and 70 return them on given DAY UT s"no""e'
| near IT, But then these DOCKS are hoC 'ou""'
M. mt into cloth cases. Binding is con-
,.ontiorol term. with a pTely fgurative meaning.
No man who cares for books would admit that
| - ,ros bound merely because it had been en-
veroned in q cloth cover probably sewn with wre'
foo and the edges Of it ploughed by machine
Under the name of binding, every kind OF lndis'
nitv is inflicted on an innocent volume; ana 'he
public. more innocent still, is deluded by tne
assurance that the volume is bound in cloth. "
is not bound. However, if the men who play these
games have resolved in future to play them only
eight hours day, instead of ten, they ought I"
| be commended 1t is, pro tanto, an act OIL re.
pentance a confession of wrong-doing, coupled
with q promise, not indeed to abstain from wrong
doing in future. but TO do less wrong than hefS'
| tofore.
As this letter is devoted TO trivialities, WIZ
end il with brief note on that Critic OF New'