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Our Exchanges.

The Employing Printer, edited by Mr Ramaley, St. Paul, Minnesota, is a new quarto, admirably printed in the new « self-spacing » type, and with a good engraved heading. So much for its exterior. Its specialty is to give printers some ideas as to a rational scale of charges. With this object, the various standing expenses of an office are properly figured out, and specimens of ordinary jobs are shewn, with estimates of time that should be employed in composition. The new paper will be exceedingly useful to all printers who hold that each piece of work should yield a profit. To those, however, who adopt the system almost universal in this country, and which has well-nigh ruined the trade—of allowing the customer a good percentage off actual cost, in order that « the other fellow » shan't get the job—we fear the new paper would be of very little value.

Paper and Press for July contains splendid portraits of the Presidential candidates.

The Inland Printer keeps at the top of the list as a high-class technical paper. The July number contains, with much other valuable matter, an excellent paper on wood-engraving (illustrated with a portrait of Bewick), and a practical paper on type-metal by a good authority—Mr C. Schraubstadter, jun.

The Printers' Register (St. Louis) is not only filled with specimens of new styles in type, but has some good practical articles. It describes the technical use of the term « set » as employed by typefounders. Printers generally use the term « body » loosely to express the width as well as the body of the letter: thus figures are said to be on « en body. » This is incorrect. « Body » is properly limited to the size of the type, as pica, 24-point, &c. The technical term for the width is the « set. » A nonpareil thick-space is 3-point body-wise and 2-point set-wise. Bearing this in mind will prevent confusion in describing types. The three dimensions have each a distinctive name— « height, » « body, » and « set. »

Mr John Whitfield Harland is the author of the « Roundabout Papers » in the Printing Times,—a series of articles which we consider are among the most valuable additions that have of late years been made to the practical literature of the craft. We are glad to note that they are to be revised and published in book form, with notes and additions.

The Printers' Register, reviewing the ninth volume of the Printers' International Specimen Exchange, says that with but few exceptions, the samples shew no improvement on former volumes, and that as a whole they compare unfavorably with former volumes. This is to be regretted. Why do not some of our colonial printers contribute? The work need not be elaborate, nor need it exhibit a whole museum of ornament. In fact, that is just where specimens mostly fail. Simplicity of design, and artistic skill in balancing and harmonizing the varied parts, as regards form and color, are the great essentials. We are glad to note that the Register will henceforth drop the superfluous e from « forme. » Mr Spurrell, a printer in Wales, has agitated the matter for years past; and lately the Register referred the question to Mr. William Blades, by whose decision it would abide. Mr Blades wrote: « Decidedly adopt « form » for the future, although it is absurd to talk of right or wrong in such a matter. Custom is the sole rule.… I think « form » is better, for the final « e » answers no purpose. » The Register thinks « forme » will now drop out of the typographical vocabulary. Will the Register kindly settle the orthography of another word? « Fount » or « font »? The former usage is general in England, the latter in the States. Both technically and in common language they are practically synonomous. Shall we drop the « u »?

The Typografiske og Lithografiske Meddelelser, Copenhagen, of which we have to acknowledge twelve monthly numbers in one batch, is, like most of our European exchanges, the organ of a supply house. It is published by Messrs. Th. Hamann & Co., and is well printed, the main feature being the advertisements, some of which occupy a double page each. Each number contains some good technical articles. It is printed throughout in roman type, and in the latest reformed spelling—the Swedish å taking the place of the aa, and the ö being everywhere substituted for the old ø. The cover is neatly printed in three colors, and is original in design, a miniature title-page, in imitation of a colored label, being printed at the top right-hand corner.