The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-29

Ihc FNient OnAce.
When an inquistve stranger visits Washington. and
turns out TO see its ons the first question asked by
citizens is, 'Have you the Patent Office You
must not leave Washington without visiting its splendid
gallery seeing its various curosties, and examining the
beautiful models which have emanated from the inven
tive genius OF countymen" In word, there s no
public institutions in Washington which is worthy
of attention. which gratifes the liberal curiosity of
the visiter and presents such striking display of the
ingenuity of free people 1t is every day multiplying
its specimens of art and advancing to maturity under
the care of its accomplished superintendent, Edmund
Burke, esq.
With these few remarks beg leave to introduce to
our readers the following extract from the letter of the
foreign correspondent OF the National lneleencer pub
lished in that journal of Wednesday morning Its writer
pays fine and just compliment to the institution and
its superintendent, and increases the pride with which
every American must view it, by contrasting ii with the
meagre and stinted establishment Of England What this
correspondent says of the agricultural department only
increases the regret which felt at seeing this depart
men cualed OF much of its usefulness by the action OF
the last Congress:
LONDON, September a. 1877
must be admitted that London exces all other cities in
the arts Nor this TO be wondered at when the time and
money which have been spent in maturing them taken
try SO young as the United States should exhibit any
t.itons which worhiy enter into competition with
those England and ii will scarcely be credited that
Of those the former should eTee those established
for similar object in the latter ONE ,., Yet mus. be ALLOW
reception and restoration Of the insane in the United States
are at least well conducted as those in England, and
produce at beneficial result whilst the system
prison discipline looking at that discipline with view
superior to that Of the latter Our object no, institute
any nvdious comparison, but simply direct attention
may adopt what is found be best in the practice
either, and that human happiness may be thereby adj
vanced.
The striking thing, however, which has yet fallen
under the cognizance Of the writer the total in
ton similar to the Patent Office in Washington To enter
into defence Of the importance of this latter institution
nurse Of mechanical invention and improvement, and the
patron and rewarer of successful exeron. The collection
of models there public inspection gives the fullest
information respecting all that has hitherto been done by
American skin and genius in the principal mechanical sci
don has such storehouse of inventions; there is gov
eminent collection of this kind There are few dusty and
imperfect models be in the lower the Soci
ETY. of Arts ia the Adelph, and there is oleraby good
Polytechnic Institution Regent street have heard the
Patent Office in Washington sneered by those who,
portance, and ridcued as .sUnee SANS Toyshap bn,
] am convinced that much individual advantage and
Collection Of English inventions being s G s rra
tously exposed to public Inspection in London. The ex-
believe exceed $40 (9 steng) besides the expense Of
the model &c whilst in England the issuing Of letters
extending England Eos aso esen SHs
Scotland, ELS more and if to Ireland Also SI35 more;
ish islands alone fsl5 sterling, nearly ST. 400 lit ex-
tends to the Channel islands the British colonies add
fered Tia. enough money is derived from the issuing Of
BY ne e. % % the of ade
ventions 1t that the English inventor is not subject
to the expense having working model of his invention
demo befOr pal birth has
specifications and drawings prepared subjected 10
very considerable expenses over and above the
Some persons have doubted the utility of moderate
the and small with which se and say n
Obtained the United States have led the waste of much
inventions practical value whatever No donb some
Of the models in the Patent Office will excite smile and
intellect and the folly which too often employs
the hands and the head but these things as drop in
inventions which have simpfed labor multiplied pro-
ducts and improved fabrics which would been stran
gcd their birth but for this nursery humble genius
this collection of the trophies of minds over mat
ter 1t would be in bad taste to give in this connection,
brief enumeration of what American skill has
achieved in the walks Of mechanical SKILL would be
ay which in ali pobab her pna
yas from what the ingenious protector behed Patent
which the government accorded, and the trilng ex
pense Tor which that protection enjoyed.
These reflections have been suggested by the receipt
perusal of the official report of your Commissioner Of Pat
the year 1886 May hope that neither you nor
mis- sion from this distance1
1t appears be subject of great national importance to
foster and encourage the of everyday life those
branches of science and skill which lie the very root of
agricultural and manufacturing progress, which add to
nations wealth and power, by giving man additional
hands and arms and means OF subduing the earth and
turning its products easier and increased advantage II
is gratifying, therefore, find your Patent Office flourish
ing, and furnishing proofs OF its utility in the long list of
nventionssome OF them of the highest value-whcb du
ring the past year it has recorded This not the place
for further alon to its contents well known as they must
be your readers; and the subject introduced merely
he impor off
the great advantage which would be derived from the es
tabishment of similar one, and from liberal pat
ent-rght system in fh1s country
We have however, set Of politicans-poiticai como
Suis, suppose they would call themseves-in England
who deprecate improvements in machinery being adj
to the interests of the working man. who make war
upon hreshing machines and spinning ennies as chean
eners OF human labor and who would hold the very npen
mode OF sewing by machinery which exhibited nj
your national fair in Washington eighteen months ago MS
the very derH among the faors" would be useless no
reason with such men their arguments have, however
decided 'Gd capfandum cpgs' character and there
fore, them and their disciples, establishment Of n
Patent Office or an exhibition of patents like yours in Lon
don, would be great bugbear.
There is omission in the report of your
OF Patents for the last year, which is be much
that is the agricultural statistics There is no very ne
cessary connexon is true between agricultural statistics
and the Patent Office; but the former perhaps more
closely connected with the latter than with any other de-
parnent OF At all events so long as an
agricultural department. either independent office or
as branch OF board Of trade and commerce or part of
bvedw general Statistics was very
10 fnI n h1z