2 pembroke gardens,kensington. w.
Hamlet House
Hammersmith
Dec. 9 ’76
My dear Clemens,
Chatto & Windus have received a letter from Belford of Toronto in which replying to our telegram to them (“Tom Sawyer is English copyright”) he (Belford) says:—“We today recd your telegram in reference to Tom Sawyer. We should be very sorry to conflict with your interest in any way in Canada. We know Americans are in the habit of taking out copyright in England, but we doubt if it would hold there: we are well advised that it gives no right in Canada. We shall be glad, however, to hear further from you on the subject.”
—In reply to this Chatto wrote that “hearing they were issuing an edition of that work they considered it was only right to inform them that the book was English copyright, and ‸added‸ that all the necessary steps had been taken in the country for the securing of the same.”
—Belfords have been in the habit of publishing Chatto & Windus works by agreements.
Dont forget our anxiety to hear about this matter
Ever yours
M D Conway
