New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-06
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER
OF PATENTS.

Patent OFFICE, Nov. !, 1884.
SIR: have tie honor TO report to you that the
business of the Patent Office is DoT IN moye satls-
factory condition than at any previous period sincs
nv connection with It.
The number of cases undispOsed of in the office on
the first day of January last was reported to be 5s2
That number however, was ascertalned through an
erroneous method Of computation BY an actual
count the number OF cases on hand at that time WAS
ascertained to be s23. A correct mode of cOmputa-
ton was then introduced so that the exact condition
Of the business of the Office can hereafter be readily
calculated from the monthly reports.
This arTeaTage in the business OF the Office though
much less than it had been six months previous, was
such that several months always elapsed after the
making of I'm application before il could be disposed
Of which Of great dissatisfaction to all
applicants for patents.
During the three first months Of the present year
the increase in the business of the Office such that
DO sensible diminuon in the srrearsges ee ted
In order TO accomplish desirable an object, It was
deemed expeden to place several OF the assistant ex-
anil ers in the performance OF duties Of principal ex
aminers. In that manner the end sought 10 now
almost and will soon be entirely attained
Inste al Of tx principal examiners, each with two
assistants have, since the lst Of April hal practi
cally eleven principal examiners, each with one
assistant. Most OF the rooms entirely filed
up with their work and all will probably be so by the
first day Of December next We have already, since
the let Of January last, issued upward OF 500 pat
ents and within the year the number will probably
reach the 600 which will be about double the num-
acted upon within few days after they are made,
have DO doubt that the arrangement by which thi,
result has been produced was judicious, and has
proved satisfactory to the parties Interested. think
II should be continued, the only method Of dispos
ing of the increasing business Of the office with the
proper promptituoe and Dispatch.
About one year since had the honor 10 invite your
attention TO the importance of several proposed
amendments to the patent laws The reasons then
given for the alterations suggested remain in full
force now, and the recommendations then made are
now repeated.
The amendments Of most immediate and pressing
necessity those mekicg provision for taking test
uoDy those in relation 10 appeals and those prescrb
ing new rate Of fees.
Many questions Of great moment are frequently
pending before the Patent-Ofice, depending for a
correct decision upon the testimony OF witaesses aud
there is power provided to compel witness to
give testimony. Nothing is more common than for
witness to refuse to attend examination or 10 re-
fuse TO give testimony after he has attended 10 the
great perversOn Of the ends ust,e and the object
CT the patent law.
The law now allows any person who appeals from
the decision of the Commissioner to select which OF
the three Judges of the Circuit Court he chooses be.
fore whom TO bring the appeal. The Chief Justice of
that court will probably never again be able TO en-
tertaln an appeal, so that bringing appeal before
bin Is tantamouIt to its postpoDement during the
term OF bis natural life, and even after his death there
may De- some question 10 whether the delay will be
at an end. BY an abuse Of this law a case hes been
ru-Ptbueu IN tuls HlbDLef Tor near 40 years and Is
threatened with indefinite postponement to the great
oene OF the party who is probably entitled to the
patent.
The rate of fees was fixed at time when the red
value OF money much greater in proportion 10 its
nom al value than at present The pay of the clerks
and laborers employed in the Office has been very
much Increased by Congress, ana in various other
ways the expenses of the office have been greatly
augmented, while the fees have remained unchanged
In addition to thsse the force Of the office ~
been considerably increased during the present wear
II ORDER TO dispose OF the accumulation of business
above referred to-
lie consequence of ell these causes has been that
curing the current year the expenses Of the Office
nave been continually exceeding the revenues aud
sucs VIII continue 10 be the-case until an augmenti
iicI OF thcse rev enues shall be provided for.
Inc permanent augmentation of the examining
corps or rather such reorganization will place
al us members on proper foOtiag, is a subject
worthy OF consideration. The assistant examiners
WHO are performing the duties OF principal examiners
Hsy Jusiy expect, at no distant Day, the comps1si
iIob attached TO those duties and responsibilities II
Wonic rot only be highly gratifying to me- but woli
DC nothing more than justice 20 them n have the
mems and Il authority 70 make their compens i'iOn
commensurate with tie grade and character OF heir
seiDal services.
bill .as fremed BY the ssus:e Committee At the