Century Magazine Correspondence with Mr. Niles, of
Roberts Bros., Boston, regarding book publication of
The Silverado Squatters.

i. May 19, 1883. Century Co., to Roberts' Bros.

They have recd. ms. of Silverado from R.L.S., for magazine articles, and they are to make arrangements for American book publication. R.L.S. speaks of some previous correspondence with Roberts, and they will be glad to give them the first chance-- wants to hear from them. R.L.S. has arranged for English pub. through Chatto.

ii. May 23, 1883. If Roberts publishes, will arrange that their publication will be simultaneous with Chatto's-- but all will wait on Roberts letter and answer to and from R.L.S.

iii. June 11, 1883. Written by the editor, Richard Watson Gilder. R.L.S. has written him that Roberts is to have the book-- Century will print the ms. in the Nov. and Dec. nos.,-- but not all of it; they do not want all. The English mag. appearance will conclude Dec. 1. Chatto must save his copyright by printing a day ahead of Roberts.

iii. June 14, 1883. Written by Richard Watcon Golder. As Chatto publishes Dec. 1, Roberts must publish Dec. 2-- or if this does not suit, the book publication can be delayed a month, by printing the magazine installments as three, instead of two.

According to Chatto and Windus' stock book, they sent 750 sets of sheets to the binder-- to be ready for Dec. 1 publication. On Jan. 2, they sent for binding 265 sets of sheets, what remained from the first printing made early in Nov.

Put in Miscellanea Box II.

PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPY: ORIGINAL MATERIAL RESTRICTED

May 19, '83

Thos. Niles, Esq.
Boston, Mass.

Dear Sir:

We have received from Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson a MS entitled "The Silverado Squatters or Sketches from a California Mountain." It is proposed that we make up from this one, two, or three magazine articles to be published during the coming summer or autumn; but Mr. Stevenson has placed the entire MS in our hands, and desires us to make some arrangement for the publication of the work in book form in this country.

He speaks of some previous correspondence with you, and we think would be glad to give you the first chance at it. The work is not a story but a series of descriptions of travel places, and people in California. It makes in all some 33 1/2 of the ordinary pages of the Centry Magazine, each page containing about 920 words. He has sent us also about half a dozen pictures, which we may possibly engrave, but it is not probable.

If you would like to consider the matter we should be glad to hear from you with memorandum as to the best offer you could probably make the author. Kindly let us hear from you at your early convenience.

Very truly yours,

Frank H. Scott.

P.S. We can send you additional detail as to the subjects treated if you desire. Mr. Stevenson has arranged with Chatto Windus for the issue in England.

F.H.S.

The Century Co.

May 23, '83

My dear Mr. Niles:

Your note of the 21st is received. Perhaps as you suggest, it will be as well to leave the matter open until you hear from Mr. Stevenson. In his letter to us he spoke of having mentioned the matter to you some time ago, but said that it was then indefinite and entirely "in the air", and that he would prefer to leave its arrangement with us. As we stated, a definite arrangement has been made with Chatto Windus for the publication in England, but the date of the appearance of the book there will depend entirely on our plans, as we have the only copy of the MS and it is understood that the book is not to appear until we have had an opportunity to publish our articles.

If you take it, we could arrange so that your publication should be simultaneous with theirs.

As this will be some time ahead, we think we should, on the whole, prefer to await Mr. Stevenson's reply to your letter, especially if you have given him any indication as to the arrangement you would prefer, or the honorarium you feel you could pay him. The book could probably appear some time next Fall or Winter.

(Address me here at Marion, please.)

Marion, Mass
Plymouth County

(signed) R.W. Gilder

June 11, 1883

My dear Mr. Niles:

Mr. Stevenson wants you to have his books and asks me whether it is in order that you should. I wrote to him (under this date) that it is in order.

We print all we can of it in November and Dec. numbers. I will go to town in a few weeks and arrange for what we want to take out. If this is inconvenient for you, I will send for MS. and attend to it at once and have the printers set copy as quickly as they can.

Now we will not print all of this book, and we don't want the book either here or in England to come too near our second article, which will appear in England Dec. 1st (in America on November 20th). What is the latest date you can fix for contemporaneous book publication by you and Chatto and Windus. (Remember to arrange to let Chatto try it out a day or two in advance to save his copyright.)