222 EEPOKT — 1881. 



Report of the Committee, consisting of Sir F. J. BkamwElL, Dr. 



A. W. Williamson, Professor Sir William Thomson, Mr. St. 



John Vincent Day, Dr. C. W. Siemens, Mr. C. W. ]\Ierrifield, 



Dr. Neilson Hancock, Mr. Abel, Captain Douglas G-alton, 



Mr. E. H. Carbutt, Mr. Macrory, JMr. H. Trueman Wood, 



Mr. W. H. Barlow, and Mr. A. T. Atchison, axjpointed for the 

 purpose of ivatching and reporting to the Council on Patent 



Legislation. 

 The Bill of this Sessiou, 1881, by Mr. Anderson, Mr. Brown, Mr Hinde 

 Palmer, and ISh-. Broadbnrst, was read and considered. 



This Bill, which as it stands is a mere sketch, and not likely to prove 

 a working piece of legislation, is identical with the Bill introduced last 

 year by the same gentlemen, and referred to in the last Report (JB. A. 

 Reioort, 1880, p. 318) of this Committee. It was, however, read a second 

 time in the House of Commons and consequently reached a further stage 

 than in 1880. 



The Bill proposes the appointment of a Chief Commissioner and 

 assistants. It would reduce the fees considerably, that on application to 

 10s. and on sealing to IZ. It extends the period of provisional protection 

 to twelve months. It gives a patentee power to add (apparently by way 

 of supplement) to his original patent. 



The Committee certainly approve the proposal to appoint paid Com- 

 missioners. They think the proposed reduction in fees much too large. 

 They approve the principle of letting a patentee amend his patent, but 

 it would be necessary that proper provision should be made. The clause 

 in the Bill would be quite unworkable. 



The Committee have also to report that a carefully prepared Bill has 

 been published by the Council of the Society of Ai-ts for discussion, with 

 the view of its being introduced into Parliament next year. 



The principal alterations in the law which would be made by the 

 Society of Arts' Bill are shown in the following memorandum, ^which 

 appeared in the Journal of the Society for August 12, 1881 : — 



Commissioners of Patents. — The Patent-office would be removed from 

 under the charge of the present Commissioners, who are the Lord 

 Chancellor, the Master of the Rolls, and the Law Officers. Three Com- 

 missioners would be appointed on account of their special knowledge. 



Application for Letters Patent. — Metlwd of granting same. — The method 

 of application for a patent would be somewhat as follows : — The applicant 

 would file a provisional specification, which would be referred to examiners 

 appointed for the purpose. They would see that the invention was 

 proper subject-matter for a patent ; that the specification fairly described 

 the invention, and that it was generally intelligible and properly drawn. 

 They would not inquire into novelty or utility. They would report, and 

 their report would be shown to the applicant before being seen by the 

 Commissioners. The applicant would then have an opportunity of con- 

 ferring with the examiners as to any required alterations. Provisional 

 protection would be granted immediately on receipt of the application, 

 and would last for nine months. Before the end of that time the appli- 

 cant would be required to file a complete specification, fully describing 

 his invention. This would be referred to the examiners, and treated in 

 the same manner as the provisional specification. The appHcant would 

 be enabled to amend his specification in accordance with the recom- 

 mendation of the examiners, and on his doing so a patent would be 



