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Our Exchanges.

The American Lithographer and Printer comes out strongly in support of the fifty-three hours' system in the trade—which it appears has been adopted by all the litho firms in New York except two, and by many houses elsewhere. In its issue of 14th December it devotes two pages to the denunciation in good set terms, of a certain « Bureau of Information » in Buffalo, and of Mr H. F. Koerner, its president. The article is the greatest curiosity of vituperative literature, and one of the queerest specimens of « Presidents' English » we have ever seen. Every sentence is loaded with metaphors collected from all the kingdoms of nature, and every clause is loaded and treble-shotted with adjectives—notwithstanding which the editor says: « We are sorry to say that we regret that we have not sufficient mastery of the English language strong enough to properly designate and describe this referred to elegant and magnificent edition of the cheekiest and most avaricious specimens that have ever been issued in our trade. » Two pages of this kind of thing are somewhat bewildering. Mr Koerner, however— « the hydra-headed monster » — « the poisonous snake in the grass » — « the insatiable dragon » with « shiny pincer-like claws » — « plotting shark » — « carrion buzzard » — « corrupt vulture » — (we find it hard to form a mental picture of the dread chimæra thus outlined)—seems not only to have « been uncovered to the light of day, » but thoroughly roused, and we are not much surprised to read a fortnight later, that he had had Mr F. Buehring, the editor of the L. and P. arrested by « one of the minions of the law » on a charge of criminal libel. Mr. B. was released on bail, and awaits the result with confidence. We have no doubt that our contemporary is a thoroughly straightforward journal, possessing the confidence of the trade, and that it has found a genuine abuse to arouse its indignation; but it has decidedly gone the wrong way to work. An article founded on the perfervid style of a Home Rule orator « slating » Mr Balfour can do no good, and may do much harm.

The New York Union Printer has made a big show with its Christmas number—20 pages and colored wrapper. It claims a circulation of thirty thousand, and is well supported by advertisers. It is a good paper with just one fault—it contains so much news that it would take all one's spare time to read it.

The Revista Tipografica remarks that cuts of steamboats (and it might have added, of locomotives) generally represent the object in the most inartistic and disadvantageous position—a kind of side elevation. It shows a pleasing variety, a view (in two sizes) of a fine steamer viewed from across the bows, as if bearing down on the spectator. The effect of energetic movement is well brought out, and the cut is effective and artistic.

The B. and C. Printer and Stationer contains the full text of the Report of the Arti-zans who officially visited the Paris Exhibition. Mr W. H. Edmunds contributes the report on the bookbinding section, and it is very lively reading.

In the American Bookmaker for December, « Diedrich Denkhard » has a slashing criticism of Mr Cobden-Sanderson's dictum that « the cover of each book should be the key-note of its contents. » « Who wants the cover of his 'Walton' ornamented with strings of fish? » And he pertinently asks how, in the case of Shakspeare and Goethe, the binding is to « express the author's theme. » There are very artistic original designs for book covers by Mr Charles Howard Johnson—admirable in all respects except the lettering, and against that we must protest. Not only are the forms of the letters uncouth, but this is how they are arranged, on a ribbon, as nearly as type can reproduce it. This may be art—if so, preserve us from it! It is like a 'prentice lad's first essay at division of words. In the centre of a wide quadrangle, the following words are added:

'Collected and'
'Illvstrated'
'By' Charles' Ho
'Ward' Johnso
'N—————

It is lamentable to see really good work marred by elaborate trifling like this. Some very artistic examples of book illustrations are given in the same number.

The Inland Printer for December copies from the Effective Advertiser an interesting sketch by Mr John Bassett, of an « eminent living printer, » Mr John Bellows, of Gloucester.

The Effective Advertiser has issued a prospectus of a contemplated joint-stock company to take over the paper and another (the Office,) published by the same proprietor. The Effective Advertiser has now been six years in the field, and has met with much success. The Office has just completed its first year. The proposed capital is £20,000 in £1 shares.

The Boston Paper World completes its tenth year with the December number. It has, during the whole decade, held an honorable place in American trade journalism. Typo first saw a stray copy in 1882, and subscribed « right away. » We have the volumes bound from 1882 onwards, and the paper is now one of our most valued exchanges. Many interesting items, trade and literary, we have gathered from its pages, and we hope that many years of usefulness still lie before it.