increasing trade and commerce of the young community. The issue of this book should remain for all time a m e m e n t o of the energy and public spirit of the m a n w h o devised and accomplished it. T h e same publication was continued in 1842, and though exteriorly inferior, being half cloth bound, was a vast improvement in every other respect. It contained three hundred and sixty-six pages, was printed in clearer type of thick-leaded long primer and brevier, royal octavo, and placing it by the side of a Directory of to-day, barring the cover, shows as good composition as could n o w be turned out of the Melbourne Printing Offices. T h e compiler thus concludes his preface :—" O n the success which is vouchsafed to the present publication, must, of course, depend its continuance in future years; but the compiler fondly trusts that his work will be found of sufficient utility to warrant him in the expectation of having many opportunities in store of renewing his acquaintance annually with the public ot Australia Felix." But the hope so indulged in was not to be fulfilled, and more is the pity. T h e then limited circulation for such a valuable publication was insufficient to sustain it, and for this, and perhaps other reasons which Mr. Kerr could not control, there was no third appearance. Through an insane newspaper rivalry an attempt was m a d e to cut out of public favour this laudable and public spirited experiment of Mr. Kerr. T h e three newspapers then in existence were in a chronic state of internecine feud, and the consequence was that anything projected by one office was sure to be vehemently opposed by the others. Mr. Kerr was editor of the Patriot, and his Directory was for that reason alone so m u c h gall and wormwood. It was therefore resolved to try and burst it up, and the manner of doing so was the issue of an opposition publication of a cheaper though m u c h inferior kind. This was accordingly done by rolling out of the Gazelle office a small pamphlet, designated The Lmmigrants' Almanac for 1842, containing every kind of local information, compiled for the use of the labouring classes by John Stephen, assistant editor of the P. P. Gazette." It comprised 67 pages of judiciously-collected and well-printed matter, was sold for 5s. per copy, and would, under ordinary circumstances, have claimed extensive support. But it was floated for the unworthy purpose of indulging private spleen, and pandering to personal malignity. It therefore deservedly failed, and from no point of view could any cool-headed thinker entertain for it a hope of other result. In 1847 there was issued The Port Phillip Patriot Almanac and Directory, price sixpence to subscribers to the Patriot, and is. 6d. to non-subscribers. It was a small-sized, paper-covered book, royal i8mo. of one hundred and ninety pages, brevier and minion, and eighteen of advertisements. It was a marvel for the m o n e y ; but as contrasted with the Kerr publication of 1842, was in every way a "cheap and nasty" affair. A kind friend has favoured m e with the following m e m o , in reference to two publications omitted in m y notice of the Early Magazine Literature of Port Phillip :— 1. Australian Protestant Remembrancer, edited by the Rev. W . Trollope, M . A . :—First number 1st January, 1850. It was printed by M r . John Ferres, Herald Office, and stopped at the end of six months. 2. The Melbourne Presbyterian Magazine, edited by the Rev. A. M . Ramsay:—First number appeared in October, 1850, and it lived just twelve months. M r . John Ferres, Herald office, was also its printer. It is almost needless to state that the M r . Ferres in question is the well known Victorian Government Printer, of w h o m something more will be heard in a future chapter.*
COPYRIGHT ASSOCIATION.
Amongst the early transitory organizations was one to protect the rights of resident authors, publishers and artists. It was initiated at a meeting held in the Shakespeare Hotel, corner of Collins and Market Streets, on the 23rd February, 1847, when there attended:—The Mayor (H. Moor) ; Messrs. George Arden, J. J. Mouritz, G. A. Gilbert, Charles Laing, W m . Hull, George Cavenagh, John Pullar, Joseph Pittman, and T h o m a s H a m . T h e Mayor was in the chair, and resolutions were e
M r . Ferres retired from the Government service on the 31st July, 1887.—ED.
