The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-29
TIE NATIONAL EXHIBITION.
Address Of the Hon. 8. g. Fisher. United States
Commissioner Of Patents.

Address OF Inc Hon. 81 =. Fisher. United states
Commissioner Of Patents.
There was large attendance OF visitors at the
National Exhibition last evening at the Rink.
attracted not only by the more than thousand and
one attractions OF the exhibition ITSELF but also by
the expectation Of an address by the Hon. S. 8.
Fisher. The chair was taken by Mr.. Orestes Cleve.
land.
Mr.. FISHER said that ne wished to deal frankly
with his audience, and to tell them at the outset
That 1t was not his Intention that evening to give
them lecture on American Industry, but to read
them an address that he had written and carefully
prepared comprised details as to the progress
OF patents In this country. When he left Washing
ton ne had no expectation that he should
be called upon to give any address at this exhibition.
Among the earliest recollections of his boyhood were
visits paid by him to exhibitions Of mechanical
works at Castle Garden ana at Niblo's. or
what was exhibited there he could only
recollect that there were models OF steam
boats, Of ships, and Of engines, which generally
wound up with grand pyrotechnc display, and on
one occasion the finale was grand bombardnent.
his Young ewes not TO- see and that was that neary
every article bore the magic word Patent" That
was In the days Immediately after the passage
or the great Patent act III 1885, out Of which
came the distinct American system OF granting let
tiers patent. At that early time the Patent ONCE
its wings lite world OF new.nedged American
Inventions He supposed that 4 upon the
Ss n Ss been s sTh .a no aras
bearing the word "Patent'' would ''i be
admitted, nearly all the articles now on exhibition
door. For the increase Of the NUMBER OF patented
articles and the increase of an inventive
institutions were mainly responsble-a respon-
s sb!lity that they need not be ashamed Of.
These exposiions had fostered rising talent and IN
had become rich who would not have been able to
have had his invention brought under the notice OF
the public. During TIE last forty years there had
been O great increase In the number OF labor.
saving machines, and the work Of the Patent Office
and OF kindred institutions and exhibitions OF the
character of this national exhibition was for the
purpose OF protecting and developing the unknown
genius Of our country. The Patent Once was more
exhibitions were charged with development or as he
supposed they would probably phrase it-the
Genius, that Of industrial exhibitions protection
to American Industry" In 1886, in the Patent
ing clerk, and that then thought 10 be sufficient
to do the work OF examination. Now there
were sxty;tw H7,, examiners and they were
p!0yes was also employed, while the number OF ap.
plicatons was considerably over 10000 per annunl.
This year the number OF patents granted would ave-
rage over 2I5 per week, or a. 900 IN the year. He
might, perhaps, be allowed to say few words on
the difference in the mode Of granting patents.
in several countries In England all applications
were granted without an examination OF the iuyen-
ton or the inventors claims In Prussia some
the invention but In no case were the appllca tons
for patents investigated by corps OF scientific
examiners, with drawings, models and sci
enlinc appliances at hand to ascertain the
utility and originality of the various projects. This
was the case il America and the result was the re-
lection by The examiner of the Patent Onlce Of
nearly one-third Of the applications; yet the
result was that as many patents were issued
In the United States as IN the whole OF
Europe. This was brought about mainly
by the Americans being an Inventive people; every
class IN America was an inventive class. The wo-
men great inventors and they did moi conline
themselves to art Giles that had relation wearing
apparel. Mr. Fisher gave several amusing iustra
lions Of peculiar adaptations OF the inventive pewers
One man had desired TO patent pill Tor the extract
ing OF worms by delicate line and tiny hook con-
ceaed in s,omachlc Dill. A lady wanted to patent
a hook which should also serve US paper
cutter, as a skirt support as paper file,
chlld's pin, q bouquet holder and shawl
protector. Mr. Fisher then referred at some
length to the principles on which the patent laws
were founded, and closed very interesting address
by expressing his opinion that the American sys-
TEN. which gave seventeen years OF protection TO
the inventor, the mos. practicable and equita-
ble The address at It's close was largely applauded