The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-04 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

His Majesty the King of the Belgians took leave of
her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert yes-
terday morning, at Buckingham Palace, on his return to
Brussels.

His Majesty was accompanied by their Royal High-
nesses the Duke de Brabant. the Count de Flandres and
the Princess Charlotte of Belgium, and also by his Royal
Highness the Prince Augustus of Saxo Cobourg and his
Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen. The suite
included the Countess de Montanclos, Llcly in Waiting
to the Princess Charlotte, and Colonel Baron de Meer-
kerke and Count Albert de Briery, in attendance on the
King and the Belgian Princes.
Her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness the
Prince Albert accompanied his Majesty the King of the
Belgians and the other illustrious guests to their car-
riages, attended by the ladies and gentlemen of the
household in waiting. Her Royal Highness the Duchess
of Kent had arrived at Buckingham Palace at an early
hour from Clarence House, St. James's, and also took
leave of his Majesty the King of the Belgians and the
other roPmbers of the royal circle.
The King and the illustrious party and suite left
Buckingham Palace at half-past eleven o'clock, A.M.,
for Woolwich, to embark on the Vivid steam-packet,
Commander Smithett, R.N., for Ostend, en route to
Brussels.

The Earl of Morley, Lord in Waiting to the Queen,
Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Seymour, Groom in `Waiting
to Prince Albert, his Excellency M. Van de Weyer, his
Majesty's representative at this Court, and Colonel the
Hon. Sir Edward Cast, Comptroller of his Majesty's
Household in this country, attended his Majesty the
King of the Belgians from Buckingham Palace to Wool-
wich.
His Majesty the King of the Belgians paid a visit to
her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, at Glou-
cester House, on Wednesday afternoon, to take leave of
her Royal Highness.
His Royal Highness the Prince Albert, attended by
the Marquis of Abercorn. Colonel the Hon. Charles
Grey, and Lieut.-Colonel Francis Hugh Seymour, left
Buckingham Palace at ten minutes past eight o'clock,
A.M., yesterday for the Eastern Counties Railway ter-
minus, to proceed to Ipswich.
The Queen, accompanied by the Princesses Helena
and Louisa, and attended by the Countess of. Gain-
sborough, Lady in Waiting, took a drive in an open car-
riage and four yesterday. Lord Charles Fitzroy and
Colonel Buckley, Equerries to her Majesty, attended on
horseback.
The Royal Family took their usual exercise yesterday
in the garden of the Palace.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent dined with
her Majesty last evening at Buckingham Palace.
Her Majesty, accompanied by her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Kent, honoured her Majesty's Theatre
with her presence last evening. The Royal suite con-
sisted of the Hon. Amelia Murray, Hon. Lucy Kerr,
Lady Augusta Bruce, the Earl of Morley, and Lord
Charles Fitzroy.
The Queen's private band was in attendance, in Buck-
ingham Palace, on Wednesday evening, attar dinner, tied
performed the following pieces:—
Overture, " L'Enfant Prodigue" Anber.
Fackeltanz ..• ••• Meyerbeer.
Selection Ballet, " Masaniello"
•Auber.
The Rev. Thomas M'Lauchlan (Gaelic Free Church)
and Mr. Blackadder of Edinburgh had an interview yes-
terday with Sir George Grey at the Home-office, on the
subject of the destitution in the Highlands and Islands
of Scotland.
The Lord Advocate of Scotland, and Mr. Cowan, M.P.,
accompanied the deputation.
• Mr. Brownrigg, Governor of the Australian Agrieul-

THE PROPOSED PATENT LAW
AMENDMENT BILL.
(From the Expositor.)
We have been favoured with a copy of the printed
Bill, the result of the labours of Lord Granville, a Com-
mittee on the patent laws. The following is a sum-
mary of the leading features of the proposed measure:—
The Lord Chancellor, the Master of the Rolls, the
Attorney and Solicitor-General for England, the
Lord Advocate for Scotland, the, Attorney-Ge-
neral for Ireland, and such other persons as the
Crown may appoint, are to be "Commissioners of
Patent Inventions," of whom three are to form'a quoiem,
the Lord Chancellor or Master of the Rolls being one.
Any one wishing to secure en invention is first to
lodge a petition and declaration, accompenicd by a pro-
visional specification. These, when lodged, are to be
Consecutively numbered, and the application is then re-
ferred to one of the law officers.
The provisional specification is immediately referred
to examiners appointed by the Commission, who are,
if satisfied thereon, to certify that the specification de-
scribes the nature of the invention. Upon filing this
certificate at the Great Seal Patent-office, the invention
is provisionally protected for six jnonths; and this pro-
tection may be extended to nine months. If the exe-
aminer consider the title too large, or insufficient,
amendments may be required or allowed by him, and
against his decision the applicant has the right of appeal
to the law officers. Persons who have provisionally re-
gistered under the existing Protection Act are further
protected"by filing their present certificates.
On obtaining provisional protection, the applicant may
proceed to use and publish his invention without preju-
dice to letters patent; and the patent may bear date from
the day of the application. This also extends to the
protection at present enjoyed by exhibitors at the Great
Exhibition. The patent must, however, have passed the
seal before the expiration of the protection, otherwise
the patent will be of no effect.
No proceediags can be had for infringements com-
mitted prior to the actual sealing of the patent.
The applicant may, as soon after provisional registra-
tion as he sees fit, give notice at the Commissioners'-
office of his intention to apply for letters patent, and the
application shall thereupon be advertised; and persons
may then oppose by having written objections to the
grant within a specified time. The objections
are referred to one or more of the examiners,
who are to inquire as to novelty and as to other
points, and who may, if they think fit, grant both appli-
cant and opponent a copy of the report. Either party
has the right of appeal to the law officer, who may make
such order as he sees just; and be may also sifter and
amend the title, provisional specification, certificate, or
appeal accordingly. He may also order by whom the
costs of appeal and reference are to be paid.
On receipt of the report the law officer grants a war-
rant, with the usual instructions for sealing the patent.
The warrant is an authority for making and sealing let-
ters patent for the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland; and upon delivery of such warrant at the
Great Seal-office a patent for the three kingdoms is
granted. There are, therefore, no intermediate steps
between the law officer's warrant and the seal, as here-
tofore. The warrant must go to the Great Seal-office
within three months, otherwise no patent can be obtained
under it.
Patents granted under the Act are to be void unless
there be paid, on or before the expiration of three years,
the sum of 401., and a further sum of 801. on or before
the expiration of seven years. These sums are addi-
tional to the fees payable on or before the grant, end
to stamp duties, the amounts of all of which we give
below.
Persons having patents for England at the passing of
this Act, and if the invention has not been publihed,
may apply for an extension to Scotland or Ireland; and
the Queen may order such extended patent to be sealed
free of any charge, but subject to the payments referred
to at the end of three and seven years.
The use or publication of an invention in a foreign
country is a bar to a valid patent, so that patents of im-
portation will henceforth cease unless the applicant ob-
tains provisional protection before the invention is used
or published abroad.
The Bill provides for the due depositing of the speci-
fication and drawings, and orders an index to be kept.
The specifications are also to be printed and cold, and
such printed copies are to be admitted as evidence.
Copies are also to be given to the public libraries, and a
number, not exceeding twenty-five, is allowed to the
grantee, without payment.
Pre-existing specifications may be removed from the
present offices and deposited at an office to be provided;
where also future specifications are to be lodged for
public inspection.
A book, called " The Register of Patents," is to bo
kept at the Great Seal-office, which is to record the
filing of specifications, disclaimers, amendments, exten-
sions, confirmations, or the expiry, vacating, or cancel-
ling of patents, and such other matters affecting the va-
lidity as the Commissioners may direct. A copy of this
book is to be open to the public.
At the same office there is to be kept a book entitled
" The Register of Proprietors," where may be entered,
in manner as the Commissioners see fit, the assignment of
whole or part of a patent, any licence to use, giving the
name and district of the licensee, and of all matters relat-
ing to the proprietorship of the patent; and any person
may have a copy of entries in such book on payment of
the proper fee; and such copy shall be good in evidence.
The patentee is to be considered sole proprietor until
entry of the assignment or licence shall have been
made in such book. A copy of this book is open to
public inspection.
The right of entering disclaimers and memoranda of
alterations, as also the law regarding an extension or
prolongation, remain pretty much as at present. An
extension or prolongation, however, are only available
for the part of the United Kingdom for which the
original patent was granted.
In reference to infringements the defendant, on plead-
ing, is to deliver particulars of the objections on which
he means to rely, and no objection shall be raised at
the trial other than has been contained in the parti-
culars of objections. The particulars must likewise
state in what manner the invention is alleged to have
been used or published prior to the date of the patent.
Persons whose offices aro to be abolished by the pass-
ing of the Act may receive compensation either by an-
nuity or a gross sum, at the discretion of the Com-
missioners.
Tao following is a schedule of fees to be paid for a
patent for the three kingdoms:—
On leaving petition for grant of letters patent £5 0 0
On notice of intention to proceed with the ap-
plication ... • • •-• ... 5 0 0
On sealing of letters patent ... 5 0 0
On filing specification 5 0 0
At or before the expiration of the third year 40 0 0
At or before the expiration of the seventh year 80 0 0
On extension of petiod of provisional protec-
tion ... ..• ... 10 0 0
On leaving objections to granting of letters
patent ••• ••• •••
Every search and inspection
Entry of assignment or license
Certificate of assignment or licence
Filing application for disclaimer
Caveat against disclaimer

... 2 0 0
... 0 1 0
... 0 5 0

... 0 5 0
.., 5 0 0
... 2 0 0

STAMP DUTIES TO RE PAID,
On warrant of law officers for letters patent... 5 0 0
On certificate of clerk of the patents of pay-
ment of the fee payable at or before the
expiration of the third year 10 0 0
On certificate of clerk of the patents of pay-
ment of the fee payable at or before the
expiration of the seventh year ... 20 0 0
Such is a general sketch of the new Bill. As reiards
the facility by which poor inventors may obtain a patent,
it is a great step. Any bonii fide inventor, on payment
of 51., may have six months' protection, provided his in-
vention appears to the examiners to be fairly set forth ;
and he may, by paying altogether 251., have a patent
for the three kingdoms for three years. He has thus,
for a small amount, the power to test his invention, so
that the arrangement is, on this point, a very great im-
provement. We regret to see that the specifications of
useless inventions are not to be specially cancelled, but
we assume that in effect the non-payment of the sums
at the periods stated will be held as a virtual acknow-
ledgment of failure, and be considered as such in disputed
cases.

We adhere to the opinion we expressed last week, that
the patent ought to be granted only after a successful
experiment has been made, the applicant having
protection in the meantime, and that a patent should be
a reward, but, if abandoned patents are not to be
ltuwsill
against successful discoveries, much the same
r .
.e.
be attained. We trust, however, one or other of the
conditions will be insisted on in Parliament, for we hold
some such provision of nearly as much importance as the
question of fees.
As a whole, we accept the proposed
.Aet grati-
tude,of reform. Hereafter any
capitalists, and
and as a large measure
inventor will be able to treat openly with
make decidedly better terms for
.h.imself than when, as
heretofore, he risked the loss of his patent by confiding
his secret to any one with whom
,
he desired to treat.
He will now deal in open market, and with a reasonable
time for negotiation and subsequent experiment. The
disposed capitalist will, therefyre, be to deal on more
liberal terms to the inventor than where he was called
upon to expend.ll.rge sums before he could form any
sound opinion of the actual value of the invention. We
only hope that no factious opposition will delay the im-
mediate passing of the Act through both Houses, as well
for the sake of these who, under protection, have risked
the loss of their rights as inventors, by exhibiting at the
People's Palace, on the faith of beimg enabled to obtain
a cheap patent within the time allowed them, as for
those whose energies have been stimulated by the Expo-
sition, and whose discoveriel resulting therefrom we hope
, to hail as the first fruit of the new law.