TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 149 
technical defect in the lease. It followed, therefore, that the Encumbered Estates 
Court was absolutely necessary ; that the owners of land had shown great confidence 
in it; that the land of Ireland was not depreciated, as it had brought 22 years’ pur- 
chase ; that the system of giving a parliamentary title had prevented any depreciation 
from complication of title; that the want of a complete parliamentary title in the case 
of leaseholds had caused a depreciation to the extent of nearly five years’ purchase 
in their sale; and that this depreciation could be removed by wise legislation. 
On the Cost of obtaining Patents in different Countries. By Prof. Hancock. 
The author proposed to direct attention to a table showing the cost of obtaining 
patents in different countries. The principal points in the table worth noticing were,— 
Ist. That the cost of obtaining copyright for designs, under recent legislation, was from 
£1 to £15, being less than in any country in the world. 2nd. That the cost of obtaining 
a patent in England was £110, being greater than in any other European state. 3rd. 
That the cost of obtaining a patent in Ireland was £135, being greater than in any 
other country in the world. 4th. That the cost of obtaining a patent for the entire 
British dominions was £375, being three times the cost of a similar privilege in any 
other collection of territories under one government in the world. He then proceeded 
to inquire whether there was any good reason for maintaining the great cost of obtaining 
patents in Great Britain, and proposed the following questions for consideration :— 
Ist. Should separate patents be required for each portion of the United Kingdom? 
2nd. Was the expense of English patents caused by wise arrangements, for affording 
to the public facilities for searching for previous inventions? 8rd. Was the great ex- 
pense of British patents caused by arrangements for affording security to the inventor 
in the enjoyment of his property? 4th. From what causes did the cost of British 
patents arise? 5th. What were the benefits which patents of invention conferred on 
the community? 6th. By what means could the cost of obtaining British patents be 
diminished? He showed that if the system of having one registration for the United 
Kingdom, like that for registration of designs, were extended to patents, the cost of 
obtaining patents would be at once reduced from £376 to £110; that the cost of ob- 
taining patents in Great Britain did not arise from arrangements for affording to the 
public facilities for searching for previous inventions, nor for affording security to the 
inventor. He then proceeded to point out the causes of the great cost of British 
patents to be,—lIst. The prolix and complicated forms of procedure for obtaining 
patents. 2nd. The fees to the Attorney General and other public officers on these forms 
of procedure. 3rd. The stamp duties on patents and on the specifications required 
from patentees. It seemed very unwise to require the intervention of a Master in 
Chancery, a Secretary of State, an Attorney General, and a Lord Chancellor to the 
issue of a document that was a simple certificate of registration. The system of paying 
public officers by salaries instead of fees had been generally recognized, but not ex- 
tended to the case of patents. The tax on patents was unequal, being the same ho 
matter what was the value of the invention. The tax was also imposed at the time 
most inconvenient for the inventor to pay, namely, before he had derived any profit 
from his invention. The benefits arising from the granting of patents were three- 
fold :—Ist. Securing a reward to the inventor; 2nd, securing to the public a dis- 
closure of the process used ; and 3rd, encouraging the inventive genius of the commu- 
nity by foreing inventors to make really new discoveries. The means of reducing the 
cost of obtaining patents were threefold :—Ist. By having only one patent for the 
United Kingdom. | 2nd. By adopting for all inventions the simple process of granting 
certificates of registration of designs, instead of the prolix and complicated forms now 
required in obtaining patents. 3rd. By substituting for all inventions the moderate 
fees and stamps on the registration of designs for the official fees and stamps or 
patents. 
- On the Causes of Distress at Skull and Shibbereen during the Famine in 
Ireland. By Prof. Hancock. 
This district suffered more than any other during the famine in Ireland. Was the 
distress entirely caused by the potato failure? This depended on the question, What 
