The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-11
Amnuai Report OF the Commissioner Of
Patents.

The Hon. J. Hour the new Commission
er Of Patents, has just made bis annual re-
port. 1t IL an interesting document, con-
tanning many important suggestions looking
TO an improvement Of the present patent
laws. and giving complete summary of the
operations OF this valuable braDeh Of the
government for the year 1857. The opera
tions Of the Office for the past year are as
follows:
Number Of applications for patents al;
number of patents granted Including de.
signs, reissues aud additional improyements,)
! 1910; number Of caveats fled. LOO: do.
| applications for extension Of patents, Il !;
do patents extended, IL g.; do. patents ex-
PRED, $40. Of the patents granted there
were TO citizens Of the United States,
1858, to subjects Of Great Britain, "a to
subjects Of France, 10; to sabjects OF other
foreign nations, 5.
The largest number Of patents were
granted to citizens OF the State Of New
York, being s55 in number; to Massachu-
sets, All to Pennsylvania, 3l4 Ohio,
235 Delaware, 10; Maryland, 81; Dis
trict of Columbia, 80; Virginia, IS, North
Carolina, IA Tennessee, IA; and so on
down to Kansas, /. During the months Of
October, November aud December, the bust
ness Of the patent Office declined rapidly,
yet the number of patents issued during the
year 1857 exceeded by 405 the number is
sued during the preceding year. Each sue
cessive year shows regular increase Of the
number issued. On this subject the refest
says:
THE restless activity which has distin-
gushed the inventive genius Of the country
during the past year has been confined to no
class or pursuit. Alike from the walks Of
science, the workshops Of the mechanic, and
the broad lands Of the husbandman, inven-
tons have come thronging TO this Office,
demonstrating how completely the national
intellect is emancpated from the shackes Of
the past, and with what intense zeal it is
pursuing that career of glory which is open
before it. While every part OF the field of
invention has been assiduously occupied, that
relating to agriculture has been most fruit
tul. OF the Twenty-Five hundred and ten
pateats issued, four hundred and thirty-eight
cotton gins, rice cleaners, and fertilizers
included-were for agricultural processes
and implements. This is the most grateful
feature in the years operations; for as the
virtues OF Cincinnatus have ever been found,
| like that iustrious patriot, at the pillow, so
every improvement in the arts and sciences
tending to develop the strength and advance
the prosperity Of the tilers OF the soil, in
broadening and deepening those foundations
on which, alike in calm and in storm, the
republic must rely for its sec :rity.
"The characteristics of the inventions OF
the past year have been decidedly utiltarian-
But little attention seems to have been be.
slowed upon articles Of mere luxury. The
unceasiug inquiry has been for agencies ca
pable Of yielding the largest amounts OF the
elements OF human comfort, with the least
possible expenditure Of human labor. This
is certainly movement in the direction Of
the highest type OF civilization; for until
the masses OF mankind shall have been re.
lieved from the pressure OF the ceaseiess toll
which renders life in its WEAKNESS but re-
Fiction OF the tabled tortures of Sisyphus, i,
will be in vain to expect for the mental and
1 IuOThl uhtutt vi oIl UtDit tudu TIT
morning twilight OF that development, who's
MONDAY splendors have been so long tn,
dream and the hope OF the philanthropist
Each discovery made, like
fire kindled in dark place. while enlarg
ing the horizon OF science. has laid bare yet
other and wider fields to be traversed by it,
ever Frightening pathway. In reviewing
the triumphs of invention and discovery II
every department of the arts and sciences
for the last three quarters of a century am
in marking their beniicent influences ia soi
tening the asperties and exalting the dignity
OF human labor. there is abundant cause ioI
heartfelt exultation. The blessings thus diff
fused are d universal as the air we breathe
and, amid all the changes. social and p0liti
cal to which we may be exposed, they vii
pass away, only 10 give place 10 some higher
and nober fruit Of the same indomtabe &c
Mus which produce them. But while ther,
ia thus in the past so much to excite 0ul
pride, there is in the future yet more to tx
cite our hopes. II that future is to be mea
,urd by the strides of that past, rapid a:
has been our advancement, it is but reason
able to infer that we have scarcely crosse
the threshold oil the Temple oi human know
ledge and. magnificent a. may seem th'
trophies we have treasured up, it woule
hardly tie an exaggeration to say borrow
the thought OF the great Newton that W,
have gathered as yet but few pebble
and shells on the shore OF that ocean o
truth, whose depths still Ire unexpored be
foru Us.
/, appears from the report sha, France i:
the only country in which a greater number
OF pateats have been granted thas in the
! United States. With population OF nearly
,hirty-six millions, there we're issued OILS.
patents; in the United States, with popu
ation of tweaty-three millions, 2.9l0 Gr,a,
Britain and Ireland with larger population
than the United States. issued 81 ) during
the past year.
The system OF patent laws of the United
States Is perhaps the most complete ever