The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-06-14
Progress of American Gonius sad Inveatiop.

Progress. of American Geniu. sad Invsation.
We have received from Professor Walter r. johnson
OF this city, copy of his interesting and valuable ad
dress, delivered before the Maryland Institute for thd
Promotion OF the Mechanic Arts, upon the subee, Of
Mechanical Industry and the Inventive Genius Of
America" We have glanced IFS pages, and find d
replee with interesting facts in relation to the history
and progress Of invention and the mechanic arts of othe
countries well as We also graiihed I'd
find in it elevated and ennoblng sentiments in relation d
the value and responsibility Of the occupations OF the ART
san and the dignity Of labor which show that It's autho
himself feels and acknowledges the liberalizng influence
which science never fails TO exert upon the minds OF id
cultiyaors The author devotes few Of his last page
to consideration OF the present patent system OF It'd
United States and the operations Of the Patent Office
The following interesting resume of the latter cop
for the benefit OF our readers. The Professor remark
that
The patent laws of the United States have now bes
in existence fifty nine years From their commencement
down to the LIST of January, lsi9 the number OF patent
issued have been l6 2os, and this number would doubt
less have been much greater had the laws continued al
they before 1886, when the system Of examination
prior TO the grant OF letters patent established Uni
der that SYSTEM large proportion OF all the application
is rejected some oT want OF essential novelty and
Others for want of suitable care and ability in preparing
the required specifications and other documents. Not|
wihstandng this ii may be mentioned fact indlca
tive OF the high degree TO which inventive genius is ex
cited among us, that the number of patients granted i'd
lS4s-exclusve OF lew granted to fOrelsners-was 6ie
To what subjects all this ingenuity has been devoted
and how it has been divided among the different banche
OF art inquiry al interesting and practical, and
| will endeavor concisely TO state the result.
l. OF the whole l6.20s patents issued, 1860 or 2Q1
per cent have had for their object agriculture, It's nsru
menis and operations. This, as might he anticipated
from the interest and Importance OF that department
of industry, is the largest class.
q To the ufaeurc Of firous and teIte substances
and paper, l,579 patented inventions, 97a per VI
the whole number, have been devoted
g. For tdior.fc purposes comprising lamps fire PLACES
Stoves grates furnaces for heating buildings, tookp,
apparatus and preparation OF fuel i79, II per cet
OF the whole number of patents, have been granted
A. To metaliurgy and the manufacture OF metals AMI
instruments therefor, i3sl patents or s5 per cent OF M
whole number.
S. For chemical purposes. manufactures and compound
including medicines dying, color making, dstng, sosp
and cande-making morias, cemenls, &c, 1851 patents
or CAT per cent.
g. For Hydraulics and pneumatics, including water
wheels, wind mills, and other implements operated on
by air water, employed in the raising and delivery
of fluids, 976 patents exactly 602 per cent OF the e
tire number, have been granted
n For lumber working, including machines and tool
tor preparing and manufacturing such as saving planning
morsng, shinge and stave, carpenters and coopers Im
PIGMENTS, $50 patents, or $50 per cent.
s. For household furniture, machines and mpleme niI
for domestic purposes, including washing machines
bread and cracker machines leather dressings &c., 72l
patents, or 46 per cent. OF the whole.
g. For grinding mills, and mill gearing, containing
grain mills, mechanical movements and horse powers
7So patents or 1923 per cent.
10 For navigation and maritime Implements CON-
prsng all vessels for conveyance water, their con
stucton, rigging, and propulsion diving dresses and life
preservers, 6l5 patents, $40 per cent
IL. Steam and gas engines including boilers and fur
naces therefor, 654 patents, 4 .03 per cent
IL. Cpl engineering and architecture, comprss
wok ks on ra and common roads, bridges, canals whavr
docks, rivers, wers DAMS and other internal mprow
ments, building ROOFS &c, have had 500 paents-3.T
per cent. of the whole.
49, Leather MANUFACTURES, including tanning and des.
ing making of boots shoes, saddery and harness, 81
patents, 344 per cent
H. Land conveyance comprising carriages, cars AM
other vehicles used roads, SIS PATENTS ~ per cent
l5 Fine arts, polite and ornamental, including music,
painting sculpture, engraving, books, printing, binding
and jewelry, AIS patents, ? 90 per cent
l6 Mechanical potrsrs, viz: lever screw, &c, aP
piled TO pressing, weighing, raising and moving weights
402 patents, 2 Al per cent
II. Stone and day manufactures, including machins
for pottery, gass-making, brick making, dressing and
preparing stone, cenens, and other building materials
33S patents, 2.0S per cent.
Is Wearing apparel, articles for the toilet, &c, ill.,
GLIDING instruments for manufacturing them, 2s7 patents
LII per cent.
10 Mathematical instruments, philosophical, optca,
clocks, cbronometers, &C. 25s patents l.59 per cent
90 Surgical and medical instruments including truss
es, dental instruments, bathing apparatus, 253 patents
lOo
81 Warike implements fire and parts thereof, in
GLIDING the manufacture of shot and gunpowder, 23o pal
tents, or only al per cent.
% And finally, miscellaneous and very Heterogeneous
class, forbddng systematic arrangement le2 patents,
l.l2 per cent.
OF all this varied multitude of objects towards whiG
the inventive genius of America has for the last itt
nine years been directed il will be remarked that the rl
four classes, viz agriculture, which yields food to man
and beast; the manufacture Of terfiic flores, which
ords clothing and various furniture; metaurgy which,
rnll shat ,Irprt
ooOrfc processes, which give heat and light for the CON
fort and manifold uses OF daily life comprise OF The
entire number of inventions which have been patented
the United States
Another remark is, that though this aggregate OF a
the patents issued, agriculture and erHe flores occu
the two highest places; yet when compare shorld
and more recent periods the last two years. Tor exam
pie, we find that meofurgy and oaorfc processes have
both had higher proportions OF the entire number
patents issued during that period, than either agncuts
the fertile fibre class The multitude of important d.
that time, has turned vast amount of inventive powt
in that direction. One should not therefore, be surpls
to learn that there is at this moment perfect rush
gold washing machines into the Patent Office, all ut
maely bound-ke the rest OF the worll-.o Califona
The great and constantly increasing consumption oil COZ
may, IN like manner, account for the large increase
late years OF the oatoric class of inventions. AnolhS
remark worthy OF attention the small number OF lnvet
lions which have had in view the implements and maj
serve to Indicate that is, after al essentially
loving nation.
In respect 10 the distribution OF the inventions nj
annually patented in the United States, few facts nj
not be without interest During the years 1S47 and lsh
out OF ,l65 patents granted the State OF New York