The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-06
THE BRITISH AND AMERICAN PATENT OFFICES

THE BRITISH AND AMERICAN PATENT OFFICES.
The London Engineer has the following article, com.
pairing the English and American patent offices
We had no idea OF the crbbed csbined and confined
nature of our little nest, in comparison with the
vast aviary In which have been accustomed to be
heeced by our transatlantic friends before had the
plans drawn out the same scale, or we think
should have hestated to make such expose OF de,
icences the plans being prepared and promised TO
our readers feel bound to bring them TO tho light
let the consequences be damaging they may, We
read of the sizes OF the various rooms OF the Amer
Office stated in the published description of it, and
we had seen the plan and further, knew well tho
ms and outs of Patent Office but never un-
ill the plans placed side by side did the comparison
appear so ridiculous. We do not say that of the
closets of the American Office large as our pat
emit library but really the space occupied by the
tire building is vastly greater than own little
jewel in Chancery lane that we are at loss TO
know what use possibly be made OF it, 1t Is true
that the plan of the American Office we have given it.
is not vet completedone portion having 10 be built
portions being occupied by different departments
State yet for all this the building was designed for
the Patent Office alone and to the purposes OF this Office
alone will il very shortly be devoted, so that We may
Justly conclude, from the size of the entire building.
what the Americans entertain OF the importance Of
the patent business of their country In of de-
partnents the space Is confined that have
mended the attendants spring Shoes that they
would after little practice, be able to jump each
others heads there being room TO pass between the
shelves and the backs of the chairs of those sitting at the
there is only sufficient in the corrugated iron out
house contain few copies of each of the printed spe
cifcaions which space will be wholly inadequate when
the specifications of the patents granted under the old
law all printed AS to museum of models, it does
exist except in of the boilers ut Kensngton
and rs events to which referred last week.
give signs of explosion in that quarter--no safety
valve having yet been discovered--it Is not inn
possible that the models may again have to be
placed in their respective cases. and consigned to the
cellars from which they taken Now this all too
bad especially when consider that the patent fund,
notwithstanding the excessive fees Of the law officers has
accumulated to the extent of about Patentes
will never, at time suggested have any part
of this fund returned to them, and why, want to
know would it not be well employed in building
spectacle office in remaining in the treasury The
business done in Patent Office is not loss important
than that of the United States Office then what makes
the difference in the views entertained to the
Of space required for the proper transaction OF that bust
ness The real fact suspect is that difference of
opinion exists to the space required, but there
some underlined to which it supposed the
lated fund may be hereafter applied and which time has
yet revealed We beg to suggest that this expected
revelation, when it is made, should be nothing
than that the whole fund.- If necessary should be expend
ed in building Patent Office, containing ample
space for every department, including museum for
models and venture to hope, further, that the
ation will show that situation Chancery lane is in
every respect the best for such building