Part 1

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Bold text is denoted by =equal signs=. Strikethru text is denoted by ++double plus signs++. A small box representing a space is denoted by the ▢ symbol. A superscript is denoted by ^x or ^{xx}, for example A^1 or ^{cm}.

Some minor changes are noted at the end of the book.

MANUAL OF STYLE

GOVERNING

COMPOSITION AND PROOF READING

IN THE

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1894.

CONTENTS.

Page.

ABBREVIATIONS 8

BILL STYLE 25-28

CAPITALIZATION 9-16

COMPOUNDING 17

COURT WORK 22

FOLLOW--FOLLOW LIT 22

GENERAL TESTIMONY 23

GEOGRAPHIC NAMES 7

GREEK ACCENTS 40

GREEK ALPHABET 40

GREEK CASE 40

JOURNAL WORK 29-32

MATHEMATICAL, ASTRONOMICAL, AND PHYSICAL SIGNS 39

MISCELLANEOUS 24

ORTHOGRAPHY 7

PREFACE 5

STANDARD PAGE MEASUREMENTS 39

SUGGESTIONS TO AUTHORS 6

SUGGESTIONS FOR COMPOSITORS, READERS, AND REVISERS 33-38

TABULAR WORK 19-21

USE OF FIGURES 18

USE OF ITALIC 23

PREFACE.

Clear and positive rules for composition and proof reading are needed in printing offices to prevent confusion and unnecessary delay and expense. Inflexible rules for style in all works can not be given, but for the general work of the Government Printing Office the rules herein contained will be observed. When important changes are to be made, written or printed instructions will be furnished or there will be a special preparation of copy.

All persons connected with the typographical divisions of this office are requested to preserve this book and study carefully and well the rules and suggestions offered for their guidance.

Department editors are requested to make their copy conform as nearly as possible to the style here presented, and to specify fully when sending work to this office any general deviation therefrom that may be desired.

SUGGESTIONS TO AUTHORS.

Authors are advised to so prepare their copy that it can be clearly understood by the printer. Nothing should be left for conjecture. Measurable perfection can be secured by first transcribing copy on the typewriter, and before releasing it for publication giving it as careful revision as is afterwards given proof sheets. In the end this will not only save time, but Department printing funds frequently exhausted in making author’s corrections in proof will be available for other work. Typewritten copy is always preferable, when not on paper too thin, but plain copy is absolutely essential to good work.

The following are offered as suggestions which, if heeded, will enable this office to achieve the best results:

1. All paragraphs should be clearly marked on copy, thus avoiding vexatious misprints due to overrunning in proof.

2. Objects, photographs, or drawings for illustration should accompany manuscript. Each should bear the name of the publication to which it belongs, together with the figure or plate number, and necessary titles or legends for the same should be inserted at the proper place in copy. A complete list of plates and figures should always accompany the paper.

3. When a work is made up of several parts, or papers, a carefully prepared schedule of the desired arrangement should be forwarded with the manuscript.

4. Proper names and technical terms should be plainly and carefully written, using CAPITAL letters if necessary, and each should be verified before the copy is sent to the printer.

5. Details of capitalization and punctuation may be safely left to the printers and proof readers. It is part of their profession; they make a study of the subject, and will generally meet the author’s taste.

6. Write only on one side of the paper. When printed matter covering more than one side of a sheet is used as copy, a DUPLICATE should be furnished; otherwise much trouble is caused in cutting.

7. When, as an afterthought, new matter making more than a line is inserted, it should be written on a separate sheet and the place for its insertion clearly indicated.

8. Galley proofs will be furnished when desired. It is important that all corrections be made on the first proofs; later ones should be used only for purposes of verification.

9. Corrections in stereotype or electrotype plates usually do more harm than good. They weaken the plate and render new errors probable through damaged letters.

10. Authors and compilers are requested to direct those handling their manuscript to transmit the same to the Printing Office in flat form--never to roll it if it can be avoided.

RULES GOVERNING WORK IN THE DOCUMENT DIVISIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

(Adopted December 3, 1894.)

ORTHOGRAPHY.

1. Follow Webster’s International Dictionary.

2. Observe the spelling of the following words:

Arapahoe Arapahoes Navajo Navajoes upward downward backward forward toward aftward afterwards draft, drafting, etc. manila (city and product) canyon embed waterway employee missfire farther (distance) further (other than distance)

3. Use the following forms of words:

O. K. taggers tin feet, B. M. Anderson & Co.’s invoice 5 by (not x) 10 inches by day (not day’s) labor State (not State’s) prison quartermaster stores one-fourth (where ¼ is marked “spell” in copy) Jones’s (possessive) can not waterworks waterway cattleman

4. Omit the dieresis in such words as reexamine, cooperation, preemption, zoology.

5. The following is a list of words in common use in which accented letters occur. Follow it, except in works of the United States Geological Survey and United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, in which no accented letters are permissible:

attaché bête noir blasé Champs Élysées chargé d’affaires confrère coup d’état coup de grâce débris élite en arriére en échelon en déshabille en règle entrée entrepôt eozoon exposé façade fête champêtre garçon matériel (Fr.) mêlée née papier mâché procés verbal protégé régime résumé rôle rôle d’équipage

GEOGRAPHIC NAMES.

1. In the spelling of geographic names give preference as follows: Decisions of the United States Board on Geographic Names, United States Postal Guide, Lippincott’s Gazetteer, and Rand, McNally & Co.’s Atlas, in the order named.

2. The following are the general rules governing the decisions of the Board on Geographic Names:

The possessive apostrophe is dropped. The final “h” is dropped from names ending in “burgh”: Pittsburg, not Pittsburgh. Names ending in “borough” are contracted to “boro”: Boonsboro, not Boonsborough. Names are not compounded: Alluwe, not Al-lu-we; Hongkong, not Hong-Kong. “C. H.” is omitted as part of the names of county seats: Fairfax, not Fairfax C. H. Spell Center, not Centre. Accented letters are not used, except in rare instances, as Curaçao; Réunion; St. François.

ABBREVIATIONS.

1. Follow Postal-Guide contractions for States and Territories (except Oregon, for which use Oreg.) after names of forts, barracks, arsenals, navy-yards, naval stations, post-offices, counties, military or Indian reservations, and Indian agencies. Note the following examples:

Fort Barrancas, Fla. Vancouver Barracks, Wash. Rock Island Arsenal, Ill. League Island Navy-Yard, Pa. Key West Naval Station, Fla. Albany, N. Y. Hudson County, N. J. Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nev. Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak. Springfield Armory, Mass. Fort Myer Military Reservation, Va.

POSTAL-GUIDE CONTRACTIONS.

Alabama Ala. Alaska Territory Alaska Arizona Territory Ariz. Arkansas Ark. California Cal. Colorado Colo. Connecticut Conn. Delaware Del. District of Columbia D. C. Florida Fla. Georgia Ga. Idaho Idaho Illinois Ill. Indiana Ind. Indian Territory Ind. T. Iowa Iowa Kansas Kans. Kentucky Ky. Louisiana La. Maine Me. Maryland Md. Massachusetts Mass. Michigan Mich. Minnesota Minn. Mississippi Miss. Missouri Mo. Montana Mont. Nebraska Nebr. Nevada Nev. New Hampshire N. H. New Jersey N. J. New Mexico Territory N. Mex. New York N. Y. North Carolina N. C. North Dakota N. Dak. Ohio Ohio Oklahoma Territory Okla. Oregon Oregon Pennsylvania Pa. Rhode Island R. I. South Carolina S. C. South Dakota S. Dak. Tennessee Tenn. Texas Tex. Utah Territory Utah Vermont Vt. Virginia Va. Washington Wash. West Virginia W. Va. Wisconsin Wis. Wyoming Wyo.

2. Titles of courtesy and professional titles preceding names will be contracted or spelled according to the following list:

Mr. Messrs. Mrs. Dr. Professor (with surname) Prof. (with Christian name) Rev. (the Reverend) Right Rev. Very Rev. Hon. (the Honorable) Right Hon. * M. (monsieur) * MM. (messieurs) * Mme. (madame) * Mlle. (mademoiselle) * Mgr. (monsignor) * Sig. (signor) * Signora * Signorita * Señor * Señorita * Señora * Herr

NOTE.--When any of the titles marked with an asterisk, with or without the Christian name, precedes “de,” use lower-case “d;” otherwise use capital “D.” This rule applies also to “du,” “von,” “van,” etc.

3. Military and official titles preceding names will be spelled out in text when the Christian name or initial is not used, but in tabular work and where the Christian name or initial is used the annexed list will be the guide:

President Governor Supt. Bvt. (brevet) Army titles: Gen. Lieut. Gen. Maj. Gen. Brig. Gen. Adjt. Gen. Surg. Gen. Judge-Advocate-Gen. Insp. Gen. Com. Gen. Q. M. Gen. P. M. Gen. Col. Lieut. Col. Maj. Surg. Chaplain Capt. Asst. Surg. First Lieut. Second Lieut. Sergt. Maj. Hosp. Steward Com. Sergt. Q. M. Sergt. Ord. (ordnance) Sergt. Sergt. First Sergt. Second Sergt. Orderly-Sergt. Corpl. Private Musician Navy titles: Admiral Vice-Admiral Rear-Admiral Commodore Capt. Commander Lieut. Commander Lieut. Lieut. (Junior Grade) Ensign Surg. P. A. Surg., etc. Asst. Surg. Chief Engineer Chaplain

4. Distinguishing titles and college degrees, following names, will always be contracted, as jr., sr., esq.; Ph. D., LL. D.; U. S. A., U. S. N. (See also under “CAPITALIZATION.”)

NOTE.--The contractions “U. S. A.” and “U. S. N.,” for United States Army and United States Navy will be used when so written. When written “U. S. Army” or “U. S. Navy,” spell in full, as--

John L. Worden, U. S. N. R. W. Meade, United States Navy. N. A. Miles, U. S. A. G. G. Crook, United States Army.

5. In parenthetic references to books use “p.” and “pp.” for page and pages, and “sec.” and “secs.” for section and sections.

6. “St.” will be used for Saint, but Fort and Mount will not be abbreviated.

7. Use “etc.” instead of “&c.” Use the character “&” in firm names, but not in titles of companies having geographic or commercial words as part of the corporate name, nor in literary, scientific, artistic, or musical companionships. Examples:

Smith & Brown. George W. Johnson & Co. William Greene & Bro. Wigton Bros. & Co. Harlan & Hollingsworth Company. Brown & Jones Mining and Milling Company. Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. Washington and Norfolk Steamboat Company. Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company. Washington Flour and Feed Company. Eastern and Western Transportation Company. Gilbert and Sullivan. Cuvier and Valenciennes. Hay and Nicolay.

8. Comprehensive examples of the use of the word “Company” and its contraction “Co.” are given above. (See also “Contractions” under “TABULAR WORK.”)

9. Do not use abbreviation “U. S.” except in connection with naval and other vessels of the Government, as U. S. S. _Kearsarge_, U. S. gunboat _Katahdin_, U. S. monitor _Miantonomoh_, U. S. torpedo boat _Ericsson_, U. S. light-house tender _Maple_, etc.; but the contraction may be used in signature and address lines where extreme length makes it desirable.

10. Set references to scriptural texts as follows: Genesis xv, 24; II Samuel viii, 9-13; St. Matthew vii, 5.

11. Streets of the District of Columbia: Fifth street NW.; Florida avenue NE.; Four-and-a-half street SW.

12. Where compass directions are contracted, use the forms NE., NNW., etc.

13. Use “F.” for Fahrenheit and “C.” for centigrade when temperatures are given.

14. Use “Pl.” and “Fig.” for plate and figure before roman numerals, as Pl. VI, Fig. XII; “pl.” and “fig.” before figures, as pl. 6, fig. 12.

15. Use “Rev. Stat.” for Revised Statutes, and “Stat. L.” for Statutes at Large, in citations.

16. Set abbreviations for section, township, range, etc., thus: SE. ¼ sec. 5, T. 9 N., R. 2 E.

17. Use “loc. cit.” for loco citato; “op. cit.” for opere citato; “sp. gr.” for specific gravity, and “sp. nov.” for species nova.

18. Where the metric system of weights and measures is used, follow copy, and where contractions occur use roman lower-case or superior letters, according to indicated preference, as “cm. or ^{cm},” for centimeter; “mm. or ^{mm},” for millimeter; “c. c. or ^{cc},” for cubic centimeter.

19. After “per cent” and “viz” omit the period.

20. References to Congressional documents: House Ex. Doc. No. 6, Forty-seventh Congress, second session; Senate Mis. Doc. No. 10, Forty-sixth Congress, first session.

21. Use “_v._” (_versus_) in all cases except “fol.” and “fol. lit.”

22. The symbol “m/n,” used in connection with South American financial statements, will be spelled “national money,” in parentheses, immediately following the amount, as $146 (national money); Rs. 146 (national money).

23. English money will be expressed by the use of the symbols “£” “s.” “d.” when amounts are given, as £227 14s. 6d.

(See also “Contractions” under “TABULAR WORK,” “Supreme Court records,” and “Court of Claims opinions, briefs, and decisions.”)

CAPITALIZATION.

1. Use caps for roman numerals designating pages, chapters, articles, or plates.

2. Use caps for college degrees, viz, D. D., Ph. D., LL. D., A. M., B. A., etc.

3. Use lower-case “r” in Sr. and Jr., and “sq.” in Esq. in addresses and signatures.

4. Capitalize, both singular and plural, “department,” “bureau,” “survey,” “corps,” and “service,” when referring to an Executive Department or important bureau, of the United States Government; “congress,” referring to the United States Congress; “house,” referring to the United States Senate or House of Representatives.

5. Capitalize, singular and plural, Senator, Representative, Delegate, and Member of the United States Congress and the principal officers of both Houses. Observe the following:

Architect of the Capitol President Secretary Chaplain Sergeant-at-Arms Speaker Clerk Doorkeeper

6. Capitalize the legislative bodies, with their sections, of Governments:

Parliament House of Lords House of Commons the Lords the Commons the Reichstag Rigsdag Reichsrath National Assembly Corps Législatif Bundesrath Skupshtina Cortes Legislature (Hawaii) the Right the Center the Left States-General (Holland)

7. The words “president,” “king,” “queen,” “czar,” “emperor,” etc., when used definitely and referring to rulers of countries, should be capitalized, as the President, the Emperor, the Emperor of China, the Chinese Emperor, etc.

8. Capitalize the first word of a direct quotation. Example: Solomon says, “Pride goeth before destruction.” Do not capitalize such indirect quotations as “a wise man says that pride goeth before destruction.”

9. Capitalize the first word of such indirect quotations as the following, but do not quote:

The orator’s chief thought was, How shall we pay the debt? The penitent’s cry was, What shall I do to be saved? The subject for debate was, Which is the greater, the pen or the sword?

10. Capitalize all commissions and boards authorized by act of Congress when given in full, singular and plural, as Fish Commission, Civil Service Commission, Mississippi River Commission, District of Columbia Board of Commissioners, Light-House Board, etc.; also the words “commission,” “commissioner,” and “board” where standing alone and referring to the above.

11. Capitalize all words denoting the Deity; “Reformation” (the), “Revolution” (1776), “Revolutionary war,” “French Revolution.”

12. Capitalize the words “army” and “navy” only when they mean the entire Army and Navy of the United States, and lower-case when used as adjectives. Examples:

The troops were supplied with army saddles and blankets. The army before Nashville was commanded by General Thomas. He spoke for the Army and Navy, as well as the Administration. Their clothes were made of navy cloth, and their general appearance was that of navy officials. He is at the head of the American Navy and conversant with everything pertaining to navy affairs.

13. When any word is used specifically as a synonym for “Government” and refers to any nation, as “crown,” “empire,” “kingdom,” “republic,” “administration,” or “state,” capitalize it, singular or plural. When indefinite or applied to dependencies, lower-case it. Examples:

The Government of the United States, which Government is the best of Governments. President Cleveland’s Administration compared favorably with preceding Administrations. His estates were forfeited to the Crown, and his jewels were used to adorn the King’s crown. Upon the fall of the French Empire, the Empire of Germany was proclaimed. France, as a republic, strengthened the Republics of the world; as an empire, it weakened them.

14. Capitalize “state,” “territory,” “district” (applied to a Federal district, as District of Alaska, District of Columbia), “canton” (in Switzerland), “province” (in Canada and Australia), etc., both singular and plural, when referring to administrative divisions of any country.

15. When the word “state” is used in contradistinction to “church,” lower-case it, as “A union of church and state;” also “secretary of state of New York,” “state policy,” “affairs of state,” etc.

16. Capitalize heads of Departments and Bureaus (of the United States Government only), but lower-case division and section officers.

17. Capitalize names of political parties: Republicans, Democrats, Tories, Home Rulers, Populists, People’s Party, Prohibition party, Prohibitionists, Farmers’ Alliance, Liberals, etc.

18. Capitalize names of societies: Odd Fellows, B’nai B’rith, etc.

19. Capitalize names of geological ages, eras, and periods:

Ages: Archæan Paleozoic Cenozoic Eras: Lower Silurian Upper Silurian Devonian Carboniferous Mesozoic Jura-Trias Jurassic-- Lias Oolite Purbeck Triassic-- Lower Middle Upper Rhætic Cretaceous-- Lower Tertiary Quaternary Post-Tertiary Azoic Ezoic Cambrian Periods: Calciferous Chazy Corniferous Subcarboniferous Carboniferous Permian Eocene Oligocene Miocene Pliocene Glacial Recent

20. Capitalize all designations in connection with capital letters or roman numerals, as Title XV, Schedule C, Finding VI, Exhibit K, Statement B, Article IV, Art. V, Chapter IX, Chap. XI, Volume XX, Vol. X, Section VII, Sec. VI, etc.; but lower-case when used with figures, as chapter 10, volume 5, chap. 8, vol. 2, etc. “Exhibit,” “Appendix,” and “Table” will be capitalized in all cases when preceding numerals or figures.

21. Capitalize the principal words in full titles of books, plays, and pictures, but do not quote. Also short titles of books, when in the singular, as Brown’s Grammar, Bancroft’s History, Webster’s Dictionary, etc. When referring to a subject in a book, quote, but capitalize only the first word.

22. Capitalize “Presidential,” “Congressional,” “Senatorial,” and “Territorial,” referring to the President, Congress, Senate, and a Territory of the United States.

23. Signature and address names will be set in caps and small caps, with title or direction following in italics, in the same line if not over half the line is used for the purpose; otherwise hanging two ems or more. Capitalize principal words in lines connected with signatures and addresses. Make signatures and addresses compact, using partially filled lines where the contiguous matter is open enough to give a signature proper prominence. It is well to have a white line between text and signature, but this is not imperative; general appearance must govern. Signatures are placed at the right of the page, indented 1, 3, or 5 ems from the right, as may be necessary; addresses are placed to the left, flush if at the top of a paper, indented one em if at the bottom, italic lines following indented as much as necessary to a good appearance. Do not use slugs to separate dash lines from signature or address lines where the dash will bear off one or more blank lines if solid. The following examples cover the most common forms:

the Clerk of the House of Representatives on the 4th day of December, A. D. 1893.

▢▢▢Very respectfully, JAMES KERR,▢▢▢ _Clerk of the House of Representatives_.▢

▢Hon. CHARLES F. CRISP, ▢▢▢_Speaker of the House of Representatives_.

▢▢▢I am, very respectfully, yours, etc., JOHN RANDOLPH,▢▢▢ _Assistant Clerk Court of Claims_.▢

disposed of, both as a record of the fact and as a limitation of the authority conferred.