The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-03 00:00:00

Walls End.

Tiaswell ...19 0
Ships at markt

The New Patent Office.---Choice of Site

for it.

(From the Law Times of to•day.)

The block of buildings bounded by Southampton-build-
ings, Chancery-lane, Cursitor-street and Tooke's-court, and
principally occupied by old and dilapidated houses, has been
fixed upon by a select committee of the House of Commons
as one of two preferable sites for the Patent-office, library
and museum. The other adjoins the Chancery-lane block,
and extends to the north side of the Record-cffice. A plain
argument in favour of either site is the plan for concentrating
the law courts between Carey-street and the Strand. The
committee considers that the necessity for increased accom-
modation in respect of the Patent-ofice and library is most
urgent, as it appears, from evidence taken before the
committee, that the want of such accommodation is so
much felt as to prejudice the due administration of
the patent law. The place now used in South •
ampton-buildings for the inspection of specifications
and drawings is little better than a dark passage in which
there is barely standing room. The present library is of
impaired utility, from its crowded state and want of suffi-
cient attendants. The books are stowed away in a number
of small rooms, or closets, some on floors, some on tables,
some in passages, and some on shelves ; while the store-
rooms are so overloaded that the floors have already sunk,
and the surveyor of the Board of Works has refused to
allow them to be loaded any more for fear they should
break down. The museum, too, at Kensington is too much
crowded for classification or inspection FY visitors.
The cost of the Chancery-lane block would be £205,000 ;
the funds for the site and building are tobe supplied from the
surplus fees. It appears that the surplus of receipts beyond
bmye tarn Apc
ts2o4 up to the end ofratent Law Amend-
expenditure, in the balance of accounts of the fees payable
, underBs 2
has the
amounted provisionstooxf the 3
186'2, and that the surplus for the year 1863, of which the
accounts have not yet been published, is estimated to amount
to £37,000, making up, to the end of last year, a total sur-
plus revenue of £210,044. This surplus has gone to in-
crease the public revenue. The committee considers that
the object of the fees was to provide for the proper working
of the Act, and is of opinion that for the future the annual
surplus revenue should be so applied to the extent which
may be necessary.
An annual surplus of £37,000 represents a pretty little
capital of £1,200,000, if such a sum were borrowed on Go-
vernment security. The whole estimate Pr the Law Courts,
including the site and approaches, is only' a million and a
half. IVG Would propose, then, if it woud not involve any
spoliation,
liation that when the Patent-office and Law Courts
schemes again ..Z)me together under thenotice of Parlia-
ment, the expediency of an amalgamation might be con-
sidered, to ease the pressure on the Chancery funds. No
one can deny, when a
single
I,2tentofctse this year has
occupied thirty days sittings' . one of the Vice-
Chancellors, that the Patent-office and the Co
Chancellors, of Chan-
cery are under mutual obigations.
Since the report of the Select Committee was me de, a
large portion of the Chancery-lane block towards Cursitor-
street is in course of demolition for the Purpose of widening
that street and of building offices and chambers. The cost
of this site will, therefore, in all probability be increased.

How THE LORD ritovon ov PERTH WAS
KNIGHTED.—Probably the fellow citizens and
country friends of Lord Provost Boss <re taken by d
touching him with r.::e
naked blade, first on the le ft then
sur-
prise when, immediately after the unveilingthe statue,
the Queen, borrowing a sword from ocieral Grey, ‘.,rdered
his lordship to kneel down,
an
ehoUlder, and thee on the
right, ordered him to rise tap" Sir David ROM" The
newly-created knight hireaell was not much less surprised
than any who witnessed the imposing ceremonial. No
id about doubt, as we stated last week, the Cotirt Journal bad gos-
sp
such an honour being
in reserve
had no intimation of it till within half-an-hour or less
of its being conferred upon him. When the procession
for ut
our the
Lordpro probability
eat of
but his lordship himself
was formed at the general station, and just before it
started, Sir Geo. Grey, aceotuPanied by the Hon. Arthur
Kinnaird, called on the Lord Provost in his carriage, and
asked his Christian name. " David," says his lordship ;
" because," said Sir George, " the queen intends to confer
upon you the honour of knighthood." His lordship said
he hoped not; whereupon Sir George replied, " there must
be no refusal," and went and took his place in the proces-
sion. It was like her NajestY. She meant to honour,
through its chief magistrate, our ancient city, and so ordered
it that her purpose could not be thwarted. The citizens of
Perth, we ha7o no doubt, will duly appreciate the honour
conferred Upon them through Sir David Ross; and as for
Sir David hitbeelf; Sr° have only to wish that; he may long
worthily enjoy dig honour conferred upon him by his
Sov ereign,—Per tirshire Acitcrtimr.
GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION.—Ito Majesty'e
Emigration Commissionerg have given notice of
their intention to receive tenders on Thursday next, the
Bth inst., for a ship to convey emigrants to Sydney, Ne,
South Wales. The ship is to be prepared for the reception
of her passengers on such day between the 10th and 17th
of October as the Commissioners may name, and if not
already furnished with a water-distilling apparatus, must
be supplied with the necessary fuel for working a new
apporatus, to be placed on board by the Commissioners.
DEATH FROM A WASP STING.—A little boy,
named Poole, residing with his parents at Upton, St.
Leonard's, was last week stung between the fingers by a
wasp. His mother adopted the usual homely remedies, but
he remained ill during the night, and died the next
morning, having previously to being stung enjoyed excel-
lent healh.