The Earl of Rosslynpresented a Petition from the publishers of London, praying that the Aberdeen University Bill might be postponed till next Session.
The Bishop of Londonsaid, the right of Universities to claim a copy of each work was no doubt an unequal tax. Eleven copies were to be given whether the work was worth one guinea or ten guineas; so that a publisher who published 1,000 copies of a work that sold for one guinea, had to pay only eleven guineas, whereas another, who might publish only 100 copies of a work worth ten guineas, had to pay a tax of 110 guineas. The sum to be paid to the College of Aberdeen he thought too much, as he knew that some of the Colleges would accept of 300l. for giving up the right.
The Marquess of Lansdownadmitted, that the sum to be paid was 500l., and that possibly some colleges would accept less; but, as it was desirable to come to an agreement as speedily as possible with France, he could not consent to a postponement of the measure till next Session. He would at the same time say that he regarded the present state of the law as entailing an onerous and very unjust tax on a particular class; and next 1305 Session it might be desirable to ascertain what steps could be taken to relieve authors and publishers from such an unequal tax. The present Bill, however, would be no bar to any future measures as to copyright.
The Bishop of Londonthought, by giving so large a sum, their Lordships were creating obstacles to the purchase of the privilege from other universities.
§ Petition to lie on the Table.