The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
raE soon o4or OF ssss.
A nzavS-.s Decrease Freu the Precsainr Year
ana the ugearopa fer H..

ana the Reasons Ter n.
An early number Of tho Publishers' Weekly
gives each year a resume Of the book trade Of
the preceding year. which. though intended pri-
marily for publishers, yet contains matter OF In
terest to readers in general.
In 1907 the number OF books issued by tho
publishers of the United States was 4,92s, a less
number than had been Issued in any previous
year since 1893. In that year 4,4s4 books were
published. Tho promise Of q still increasing
volume Of publication with which 1895 SO hope
fully closed" says the Publishers Weekly.
was not fulfilled In 1897" That IL was not. tho
editor ascribes to the delay over tho tariff;
when the DinEley bill was passed. tho general
tension being relieved. there was a perfect flood
OF books during the last six months OF the year.
The number Of books Of permanent value Is
reported as unusually large; " indeed, few other
years In the history Of tho book trade have 30
many good works to their credit" 1t is plens.
ant to learn that this increase in the number Of
really good books was accompanied by continued
prosperity for tho booksellers.
In 1895 tho publications amounted to 5, 700 vol.
umes;. In 1897 to 4,92S only. The shortage was
due largely to a decrease In the number OF Eng
lish novels republishcd here. In 1895 these
amounted to 600; in 1897, to barely half, 1852 all
told. The importations Of all classes OF books
were proportionately the same as hitherto; but
tnB numDeT Oh AMERICAN COOKS manuIdCtuTcu
was much larger In proportion to tho total out
put, being 1900 out Of s, 7O3 In 1896. and 3.31S
out Of 1928 in 1s97-not only q larger actual
number, but an increase from so to 81 per cent.
Of the total number Of books published.
Tho Pubiishers' Weekly divides the publica-
cations Of tho year into nineteen principal do
partmonts. In each of these, except theology
and religion. Juvenile, physical and m%athemnti.
cal science. and mental and moral philosophy.
thore was n falling of In the number OF books
published from tho number published in 1896.
Tho figures In fiction are most noteworthy.
Novels from all sources printed or imported In
1897 were only $50 to Lila in 1897. To these,
however. might be added the 800 Juvenile works,
as the majority of them were wholly unsuitable
for children's reading"
Tho principal changes in the other departments
may DO set forth briefly. On theological and
religious subjects AGO books appeared In 1896
and 400 In 1897; $50 law books were published
In 1896. rs against 500 in 1897; Gs2 books on
literary history, as against 415: 293 books OF
poetry in 1896 and 247 in 1897; 2O9 books of
memoirs and biography. as against 205; LIT on
fine arts, as against 1873, and pa on political
science. as against 1876. or the 4, 1928 different
publications, 3,31s. as has been said. were pro-
duced by American authors and manufactured
here; 4e5, produced by foreigners. were manu-
featured here; and LIS were English works,
imported here in sheets or bound. More than
one-quarter of tho English importations were
of novels.
In Great Britain the number of publications Of
1897 exceeded that of 1896 by 1858. or these
6.244 were new books and 1882 new editions.
In the departments Of law. art and science. voy.
ages. travels and research, and miscellany. in
Guiding pamphlets but not sermons, there were
losses; in overy other department, there wasa
decided gain in 1897 over tho OUTPUT of 1896.
In fiction. 80 new novels were published every
week. or more than six q day.
France as woll as Great Britain records an in
crease in book production. the number of books.
musical compositions, engravings. being Is. 799
in 1897. compared with 1878 in 1896. or
these 1879, however. G,0S5 were musical COM
positions, and 1871 were engravings: the num-
Der of books was thus 6.O43. Although no do
tails are obtainable. 1t probably will not wrong
the French publishers and book producers to
assume that fiction composed q large proportion
of these 6 ZOO books.