Periodical Sales in China by E. R. P.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 1, 1910

Periodical Sales in China.

By E. R. P.

THE following extract is from a letter written by Dr. A. C. Selmon, from Shanghai, July 1:—

“After the fire, we fixed up the press that we have. It is a diamond cylinder press, hand-power series. We get along with it as best we can, hoping for better days. We now have a five-horsepower oil engine that gives good satisfaction. With this we can get a maximum of seven hundred impressions an hour. In addition, we have two job-presses. At present we have four typesetters, two pressmen, and one foundry man at work in our little plant. The outlook for our publishing work is most encouraging. We are constantly receiving letters from interested persons in various parts of China, who have secured a copy of the paper from some one of our colporteurs. As they read, they become impressed with the truth. Some write for more literature; some inquire further as to the truth, and others besiege us to send some one to their district to teach them. The issue of our paper for the first six months of this year is more than double the issue for the first six months of last year. A Chinese New-year’s Special was issued, and seventeen thousand copies were sold. In two days our Nanking Exposition Special will be off the press, and orders are now in for the entire issue of twenty-two thousand copies. Counting in these two specials, the monthly issue for the past six months averages six thousand copies. This is encouraging to us; for we are assured that every one of these papers is read by several persons. Yet what is an issue of a few thousand papers monthly for a population of four hundred thirty-three millions?” E. R. P.