The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-25 00:00:00

PATENT LAW AMENDMENT.

A public meeting was held last night at the Wile
Savage Inn, Ludgate-hill, on the subject of the Amend-
ment of the Patent-laws ; the mom was crowded.

General Sir DE LACY EVANS, M.P., having taken
the chair,
Mr. tiTOCKER rose to move the first resolution : "That
the present state of the patent laws is extremely defective,
and the same requires complete revision and amendnient."
With respect to the measure about to be introduced into
the Howie of Commons for the temporary registration of
inventions he had no faith ; and had not sent in applications
for space to show his inventions to the extent he had wished,
because he did nut expect that government would give him
the protection he was entitled to. lie had no Midi in the
vague promise of government to grant protection.
Me. ATKINS seconded the resolution. lie had no doubt
that the present patent laws would before long lw
totally repealed. 1
Mr. EGGERS stated that he was not one of the party
called radicals, but he could not help corning forward to
assist those who were so cruelly oppressed, as those were
who came under the machinery in operation for granting
patents. If inventors were only true to themselves the
evils of the system would be put on end tot for no govern-
ment could stand against a movement for so good a
puirr l COFFEY moved the next resolution—" That this
association and meeting are glad to find from the reply
of Sir George Grey to the question put by General Sir
De Lacy Evans in the Douse of Commons that a hill
to amend the patent laws is to be introduced. But,
unless the said bill embody the following provi-
sions, it will not be satisfactory, vii.: —l. that the
legal recognition of an inventor's property in his
own invention be obtained in the first place ad interim,
or provisionally, at nominal cost, upon the simple applica-
tion of the inventor; and in the second place, complete
letters patent (or otherwise) obtainable in a ready and inex-
Native manner." The speaker stated that ho had kept
hack his inventions from the Great National Exhibition
because there was no protection for his inventions there.
Mr. CAMPION seconded the resolution.

Mr. WESTON spoke to the resolution. What was most
necessary to be obtained was protection till an inventor
could carry out his views, which a poor inventor often
found it necessary to do by the assistance of men of capital.
Mr. SHEPHERD moved the following resolution :
"That the present judicial proceedings for deciding ques-
tions relevant to patent matters are expensive; and, as they
donut come with in the means of the general bodyof inventors,
unjust. And that better protection against infringements
and piracy must be adopted, to which end scientific and
practical judgment must be introduced and used, and, if
found desirable, a special and duly qualified tribunal ap-
pointed, where summary and certain justice may be ob-
tained. And that, unless the bill to be brought in by the
government embody these tpoints, the mere cheapening of
patents will not materially improve the condition of in-
ventors and patentees." He said that patentees wanted a
proper tribunal for trying questions, and it must not be at
the expense of the patentees. If a robbery was committed
the delinquent was punished at the public expense, and so
it should be with the infringement of a patent; and on
trials it was requisite that the questions should be tried by
men who understood them.

Mr. THOMPSOSI;;;ded the resolution. On trials re-
specting patents, he said the lawyers must be thrown
overboard, end the questions decided by men who under-
stood the matters submitted tb them, in the same way that
collisions at sea were decided by a competent body. Cata-
logues must also be published yearly of all inventions
which had been made during the year.
Several other gentlemen having spoken, the resolution
was put to the meeting and carried unanimously.
A petition, embodying the above resolutions, was also
agreed to.

PARLIANEN"TART PAPERS D 3 INDIA A.ND HONG-
KONG. GENTEAL POST-OFFICE, PEW, 1851. On
and after the Ist of /Larch next, printed votes and pro-
ceedings of the imperial parliament and of the colonial
legislatures may be transmitted by the post between the
United Kingdom and the East Indies or Hong-Kong, ria
Southampton (subjeet, however, to all the existing regula-
tions and restrictions), at the following reduced rates of
postage, viz.:—For any weight not exceeding 40z., Id.;
exceeding 40z., and not exceeding Soc, 2d. ; exceeding Soz.,
and not exceeding 120 z., 3d. ; exceeding 1205., and not
exceeding 160z.,4d.; ands* on in proportion, viz.: for every
additional 4oz. in weight above the weight of 160 z., en
additional rate of Id., it being understood that any lesser
weight than. 4oz. shall be charged as 4oz. This postage,
which is entirely British portage, and does not include the
rate chargeable for conveyance in India, must, in all came, '
be paid in advance.
HULL AND SELBY RAILWAY.--011 Saturday, the
22nd instant, the half-yearly general meeting of the Hull
and Selby Railway Company was held at the officer of the
company, in the new station, Hull, Richard Tottie, Eaq.,
Chairman of the Board, in the chair, for the purpose of
receiving the report of the directors, and electing two direc-
tors and an auditor in place of those retiring. The report
stated that fur the past half-year ending Dec. 31, 1850 t
there was a net balance at the credit of the company of
33,2461. 45., and after payment of interest on the quarter
shares to the Ist instant the directors recommended a divi-
dend to be declared of 21. 7s. on the whole or 501. shares,
and 11. Ss. 6J- on the 251. or half-ahares, subject to the
deduction of the income tax, payable on the 26th instant.
The net amount of interest on quarter shame and of the
dividends was stated to be 30,2901., leaving • balance of
2,9561.40. in hand as • reserve on account of the clainamade
by the York and North Midland Company in respect of the
interest on tells paid out of capital raised for the Brid-
lington branch line, as explained in the last report. This
claim had not been finally adjusted, but the directors ex-
' petted it to be so In • short time.