.jpg)
Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 2
[trade dispatches]
It is an interesting and significant fact, that in one of the American city public libraries, containing 30,000 volumes, an agent of the Protective League failed to find a single work supporting the views of his club, while there were over one hundred in favor of free-trade. He suggests the immediate creation of a literature of Protection. Too late. The world moves slowly, but it advances.
American printers are agitating for a « long ream » of 500 sheets, work being invariably ordered decimally. For 500 copies, the ordinary ream is just twenty sheets short. But a ream of 500 would be little better than the present ream of 480. A « long ream » should allow for the unavoidable waste in ruling, proof-taking, and spoiled sheets. Two sheets extra in each quire, or a total of 520 sheets to the ream, would answer all purposes.
The delusion that a solar eclipse is caused by the shadow of the earth falling upon the sun appears to be somewhat prevalent in newspaper circles in England. An article devoted to the scientific aspect of the subject, appearing lately in a leading Liverpool paper, contained the following extraordinary statement: « A solar eclipse only lasts a few minutes, owing to the fact that the shadow of our earth is so much smaller than the sun; but in the case of a lunar eclipse, our earth's shadow is much larger than the body of our satellite, and consequently her passage through the shadow, from side to side completely, occupies several hours. »
When the Yankees have a good paper they know how to support it. The Voice is the organ of the National Prohibition party in the States. The leaders of the party announced that they wished to send a copy regularly to every minister of religion in the States; but that to do so would cost forty thousand dollars. Half this sum had been subscribed when the last mail left! A wholesale grocery firm in Minneapolis, Messrs Harrison, Farrington, & Co., sent out a circular dated 31st December, offering $15,000 as bonuses for the securing of 50,000 new subscribers during the three months ensuing. The firm have no pecuniary interest in the concern. The American people are within easy distance of Free Trade and Total Prohibition, and when these reforms are secured, will « whip all creation. »