THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BOOK TRADE.
Reading edition
The following figures, extracted from a recent Parliamentary Return, while they show a highly satisfactory ratio of increase, will probably convince the commercial reader that the International Book Trade of Christendom is yet in its infancy, and, perhaps, that the swaddling-bands and close confinement of monopoly should be exchanged for a freer and more natural system of nursing and protection:—
Books Printed in the United Kingdom, Exported therefrom.
Countries to which Exported. Quantities. Declared Value.
1828. 1848. 1868. 1828. 1848. 1868.
Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. £ £ £
Foreign Countries:—
United States 605 3,158 18,379 14,612 47,955 184670
Other Foreign Countries 1,449 2,003 10,540 33,319 30,678 181350
Total 2,054 5,161 28,919 47,931 78,633 366020
British Possessions:—
Australia 148 1,968 18,583 3,933 27,249 148413
British North America 364 1,131 6,919 8,178 15,156 64139
Other British Possessions 1,552 4,026 6,987 41,072 71,114 105671
Total 2,064 7,125 32,489 53,183 113519 318223
Aggregate of Foreign Countries and British Possessions. 4,118 12,286 61,408 101114 192152 684243
Quantities and Value, with the Weights and Moneys rendered into English Equivalents, of Printed Books Imported into and Exported from the United Kingdom and Foreign Countries in the latest Year for which Returns have been received and the Tenth Year previous thereto:—
Countries. Imported (for Home Consumption). Exported (Domestic Produce).
Cwts. £ Cwts. £
United Kingdom[12] { 1858 5,971 83,598 12,286 192,152
{ 1868 10,695 137,580 61,480 684,243
Russia[13] { 1857 Not stated 100,718 Not stated Not stated
{ 1867 73,588 18,813
Sweden[13] { 1856 Not stated 6,938 Not stated 1,697
{ 1866 8,780 3,569
Zollverein { 1856 21,098 Not stated 38,275 Not stated
{ 1866 31,485 67,376
Holland { 1857 4,349 46,126 2,437 38,363
{ 1867 7,228 76,659 3,555 37,714
Belgium { 1856 5,612 69,750 4,063 52,228
{ 1866 Not stated 97,040 Not stated 48,760
France { 1857 5,438 95,224 38,542 510,352
{ 1867 11,942 201,280 40,887 522,374
Spain[13] { 1854 Not stated 2,060 19,383
{ 1864 1,924 8,323 674 8,929
Italy 1865 6,108 56,464 1,678 15,375
United States { 1857 Not stated 181,980 Not stated 57,843
{ 1867 246,539 71,386
The total weight of the Book Trade of Christendom appears to be less than 200,000 cwts., which, taken at 1 lb. per volume, makes only about 20,000,000 of volumes, about a fourth part of which is sent from this country to the North American and Australian “Markets.”
The Beehive, of 31st July, has an article on the meeting referred to in the Prefatory Note. The following is an extract, to which three notes are respectfully subjoined:—
... But to abolish all protection to original inventions would be, as Mr. Paterson justly contended, to hand over all the profits arising from such inventions to the capitalist.[14] This speaker would make the granting of Patents free from charge, and lay a tax on the profits of the contrivance patented. Mr. Macfie, the Member for Leith, made a decided hit when he pointed to the absence of royalties abroad, while at home they lie upon us with a crushing weight; and, if we cannot find ease without following the example of Switzerland in abolishing Patent-Laws, and of Holland and Germany by declaring against them, there will be no help for it.
But when Mr. Macfie “denies that the inventor has any exclusive right to his invention,” he makes an assertion that it is in the power of any inventor practically to disprove. Say that A has found out an invention of value, or, which is the same thing for the purpose of argument, thinks he has; he meets with the Member for Leith, who says, “Come, my fine fellow, out with that invention of yours, for the general good; you have no exclusive right to it.” What would A be likely to say in reply? “Haven’t I? Let me choose to keep it to myself, and who can hinder me?” While, however, it is perfect nonsense to deny a man’s right to the ideas of his own mind,[15] the practical question is another thing; and it behoves us all to remember that we are members of one society, and that a society called at least Christian. Nevertheless, if A is to make his contribution to the general good, all the rest of the alphabet are bound to reciprocate his liberality.[16]...