would be a great pity to disturb the existing relations as regarded
copyright between England and the United States. They went to some of
the publishers, and asked them to point out where the shoe pinched,
and it appeared that the publishers had a reasonable grievance. They
said that, when they bought what they supposed to be Canadian rights,
sometimes before they could get their books on the bookshelves,
English editions were in the market side by side with the domestic
editions. There was no suggestion that the British publishers acted
otherwise than in perfect good faith; but wholesale dealers were in
the habit of purchasing large numbers of books, and sending some to
the Cape and Australia, and some to Canada. It appeared that something
would be done in connection with that, by explaining it to the British
publishers, and asking them to assist in passing legislation to carry
it into effect. If the clause was carried in England, the Canadian
Government would pass an Act to enforce it there."

Mr. H.L. Thompson, a member of the publishing house of The Copp, Clark
Company, was also present. Mr. Thompson said that "the copyright question
in Canada was understood very slightly by the people at large, and if they
mentioned copyright they thought it had something to do with monopoly.
Speaking of his own house, he could say they cordially supported the
suggestion made by Professor Mavor." It is difficult to understand why Mr.
H.L. Thompson and his partner, Mr. Thomas, are now, only two years
afterwards, to be found advocating exactly the contrary views.

The following resolution was adopted by the Congress:--

"That it is eminently desirable in the interests of English owners of
copyright, and for the maintenance of the Convention of Berne, that
some satisfactory arrangements should be entered into with Canada in
regard to copyright matters. On this ground the Conference desires to
give cordial support to the proposal brought forward by Professor
Mavor."

In the year 1900, a bill was introduced by Lord Monkswell into the House
of Lords to consolidate the law relating to literary copyright. At the
instance of the Canadian Authors' Society a clause was introduced into
this bill empowering the Legislature of any British possession if a book
had been first lawfully published in any other part of Her Majesty's
Dominions, and it was proved to the sa