May 30 Wednesday – The New York Times ran a short piece, page one, on Sam’s efforts to secure Canadian copyright:

MARK TWAIN’S COPYWRIGHT STRUGGLES.

OTTAWA, May 29. – For several days past Mr. Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) has been a guest at the Government House. He has succeeded in securing a Canadian copyright for his last work, “Life on the Mississippi.” His failure to secure Canadian copyright last year for his “Prince and Pauper” probably led him to take another course this time, which would be more likely to secure him the protection he desired. In the first instance, he brought out his new work in England, which entitled him to British copyright. This only gave him partial protection in the British colonies, as any foreign publisher could introduce his work in Canada by paying him a royalty of 12 ½ per cent. on the value of each volume. Not satisfied with this, and being determined that his works should be copyrighted in Canada, he transferred his work to the English publisher, Andrew Chatto, of London, who applied for and was granted Dominion copyright on May 15.