The following circular has been issued by the committee in charge of the publication of the new "American Historical Review":
"At a conference held in New York, April 6th, 1895, on the call of representatives of six universities, it was resolved to found an historical review under the above title. There has long been need of a periodical devoted entirely to history. Considering the large number of historical scholars and writers and the growing interest in their subject, it seems fitting to establish a medium through which they may communicate to each other the results of their own work, bring American scholarship into relations with that of other countries and place before the public in interesting literary form trustworthy views and conclusions on historical subjects.
"The principles laid down by the conference are very simple. The Review should include articles in a variety of historical fields; and nothing should be admitted that does not bear the marks of accurate historical scholarship. Of the two hundred pages of each quarterly number, about fifty pages should be devoted to book reviews, prepared so far as possible by experts, and either unsigned or signed as the writers may prefer. There should be space for notes and news about historical books and writers. There should also be a department for the publication of inedited documents which contain historical material of value.
"That there will be no lack of acceptable contributions seems shown by the adherence, secured before the conference met, of nearly fifty well-known professors and writers of history. The financial question is more difficult. In order to provide for printing bills, business management, for the salary of a competent managing editor, and for payment for the reviews and for a part of the articles, a sum is necessary which no publisher can be expected to risk at the outset. The conference therefore voted to raise a guarantee fund of two thousand dollars a year for three years; after which time it is reasonably hoped the Review may be self-sustaining. To this sum must be added an amount sufficient to pay preliminary expenses, and to allow for guarantors' copies.
"The conference chose the under signed to be a board of editors for a preliminary term of one year; and empowered them to select a managing editor and to make arrangements with a publisher. The Review will be issued quarterly by the well known house of MacMillann & Company, at the subscription price of four dollars a year. Professor J. Franklin Jameson of Brown University, has been chosen managing editor.
"In order to interest as many persons as possible in the management and success of the Review, we respectfully solicit your subscription to the guarantee fund in the sum of five dollars a year for three successive years. Since this sum will yield little more than the cost of subscription, we ask those able and interested to make a further subscription outright for the present year, with a contingent agreement to pay the same sum, or such proportion as may be found necessary by the board of editors, in each of the years 1896 and 1897. We have reason to expect that thereafter it will be self-supporting.
"The guarantors will, by their subscription, become members of the Association of guarantors, in which rests the ultimate control of the enterprise; and in due time they will be summoned to a meeting to hear the report of the board of editors and to elect their successors; but the guarantors assume no financial responsibility or risk beyond the amount of their responsibility. The board holds itself responsible to them for the conduct of the review. Each guarantor will receive a copy of the Review during the continuance of the guarantee.
"Subscriptions may be sent through any of the undersigned or direct to the treasurer. Any guarantor who so desires may pay his total subscription in one sum.
"George B. Adams, Chairman, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
"Albert Bushnell Hart, Secretary and Treasurer, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
"Harry P. Judson, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
"John Bach McMaster, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Penn.
"William M. Sloane, Princeton College, Princeton, N. J.
"H. Morse Stephens, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York."
Read more in News
No Headline