ON PATENT LEGISLATION. 317 
the risk of the Bill not passing if many changes were introduced, 
afforded a reason to the President of the Board of Trade for not accept- 
ing many alterations pressed upon him from various quarters. 
It does not appear desirable to lengthen this report by giving an 
abstract of the Bill, since its main provisions have already been pub- 
lished in the technical newspapers and elsewhere. An excellent summary 
is to be found in the Society of Arts ‘Journal’ for September 7, 1883. 
The Committee felt that the Government Bill compared unfavourably 
with that of the Society of Arts, and this opinion was shared in many 
other quarters. Had the Government consented to accept that Bill, or 
had they, at all events, been willing to adopt certain of its provisions, the 
Committee believe that a much better measure would have resulted than 
they have any reason to hope the present Act will prove to be. On the 
whole, they are not sanguine as to any very beneficial results from the 
new law. The reduction of cost in the earlier stages of a patent has 
ensured the popularity of the Act in certain quarters, but it remains to 
be seen how far the actual process will be cheapened, and to what extent 
the new provisions for opposition, é&c., will entail counterbalancing 
expenses. The substitution of a single working head, instead of ex-officio 
Commissioners, is an obvious advantage, but the reform has not gone 
nearly far enough, for the new ‘Controller’ is to be a mere departmental 
official, subordinate to several distinct authorities, instead of possessing 
independent power. The provisions for applications for patents contain 
some minor improvements. A British patent is no longer to be affected 
by the duration of a corresponding foreign patent. The practice of 
‘racing for the Seal,’ trying to get a later application sealed before an 
earlier one, is abolished. The system proposed for the examination 
of specifications is incomplete, and will probably be found to be of slight 
value, while it is very likely to give considerable additional trouble to 
the inventor. The provisions for opposition appear most objectionable, 
and will certainly press very hardly on the poorer class of inventors. 
Those for amendment and disclaimer are improvements on the present 
system. That the jurisdiction of the Privy Council in the question of the 
extension of patents is preserved, appears to the Committee a matter 
for regret. The position of inventors as regards the Crown is some- 
what improved, but it is manifestly unfair that the Treasury should be 
the tribunal to decide upon the terms on which the Crown may use 
inventions. 
This Committee co-operated with the Patent Committee of the 
Society of Arts in endeavouring to improve the Bill, and, in order to 
bring their views before the Government, they sought interviews with 
the President of the Board of Trade, and with the Lord Chancellor ; 
they believe their efforts have not been without good result. On both 
occasions time did not admit of their asking the sanction of the Council 
of the Association, and they therefore were obliged to go as a Committee 
merely, and not as representing the Association, or with the authority 
such sanction would have given, had it been obtained. Care was taken 
that this was definitely stated. 
The Committee think it well that they should be reappointed for the 
purpose of watching and reporting upon the working of the new Act. 
The Committee would be glad if they could be allowed a grant of 51. 
to cover the various expenses, which otherwise (as in the past year) 
have to be defrayed by individual members. 
