New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-25
THY AMERICAN INVENTORS GO TO
ENGLAND.

fNGL1ND.
! To me Editor OF The Tribune.
! SIR: In your issue Of Nov. q. notice article
| in relation 10 Mr.. Sherman, and his new process,
| OF making Steel, in which article you state tina,
| yOu know nothing of bis Steel, or the process
except what is gle aned from foreign paper; and
! then ask why il should be necessary for him to
! 20 abroad to have ii tried-and why the British
LEIGHTON OF Washington" and the Lords Of the Adm'
rally" take much interest in American invention
Twill try TO answer these inquiries, briefly possible
As to his process that IS Fecre IL being 90 simple and
cheap and its results marvellous that he does not
care to make public by patenting IT, For year past
have had my desk piece Of the steel taken from
large number Of specimens made by his process under
the superintendent Of disinerested parties, who Ger
tify to the fact; and finer specimen OF cast Steel
probably cannot lie produced anywhere He broughi
specimens OF all styles here, and submitted them TO ah
sorts of tests, by the naval and other officials in which
they gave wonderful results piece Of the steel cold
being hammered and bent double and then Strengthened
and bent the other way repeatedly like bar Of lead,
without the slightest fracture.
What he desired 70 sell his invention 70 the Gov
errment but Of he failed Finding encourages
ment at home he then submitted it TO the British
Legation who thought enough OF II TO report 10 their
Government, which took interest enough in II Ia invite
him 10 and submit 10 them ana hence the trials
Of It there by the Lords Of Admiralty Hence will
he seen the only why Mr. sherman and IN.
process OF making steel goes 10 EngH pr a rl "i
STAYING here lne simple ,st 1at o IRE dn o G0'
Th idea OF leaving everything to private enterprise
many Of the best enterprises Of The age which, by
little encouragement On the part OF The Government
benefit OF the whole country don't say that the Cow
ernment ought to buy his process, Iut am fuly per
suadrd that would le infinitely better TO spend ew
millions in that way and then give the inventions %
the people for the benefit OF ali, than 1t is buy such
But even our patent laws are So framed dsqn,
mate against our citizens England, 10 beneht her
manufacturers, grants patents 10 any ohe-ho matter
whO-Latiye or fore gucr, WHO even introduces an IN
own citizens, though BE- Is an original inventor II
! there be found dngrciere a. ne r0rd even de-
JIM rd - ~ e fiIcd annually IN our
Patent ofce by reference 10 some old book froa
800 years old, Of whish there are probably not nay
dozen copies in the country, and 81 tie existence VI
which tie public are entirely ignorant.
Not only his but ne ne" Patent law gotten mp by Com
missioner Fisher last Winter even went further and gave
20 Canadians advantages denied By them 10 citizens.
BY the law Canadian and all other foreigners ars
placed ON equality with own citizens, while
Che Canadian law does Tot permit an American citizen 10
take patent there At all, unless he shall have rsi re-
sided one year In the dominion which 81 course is aDou
equivalent 10 absolute prohibition II would seem 10
be enough TO have netcd 10 them The same degree Of In
crafty that they need out to U.S. especially patent
here il worth at least ten times much one there
would be 10 IL may have been very fjsrdt in Com
missioner fisher to have thus framed the b "a t'e inter
esi Of Canadians; but fan 10 see its justice Ia our own
But even that Is not AL by turning TO the debates
the senate last Winter, you viii sec hat major Sumner
]
Ing the Government 70 take aud the patented nycn
tor OF any citizen trtiO remuneration NJ ony kiid,
ally INTRODUCED resolution which was ps sed instruct
ing the Committee Patents to inquire INTO the cXped
Bit what i st1Dgc, of al Is the fact that such an
idea should emal ate from NewEgglaud and p'cia.y
from who. like him. talks loudly OF equal ani
exact justice 10 all men" l. Il any wonder mat, Win
such ncoTagement that held ont By 5iessrs supnei
ard Morrill, Mr. sherman slOdd prefer 10 take his ia
venton TO Ensandi Suppose he had rciraiis't h'7t
aud enteayOred 10 enlist capitalists 70 cpgals IN SIS
I N,.itp Hf lie m
TO put their money ~ ~ Win the prospect tiat IT aly
moment tho Cover mcnt might fezs and Ir, It itself
hns not Is preventing them from having tic Govern
cr5r1mc-, but instead, ~ comp,;itor Ia tho
market No one would be .oi enough Ia put u,l.r IN
IT, Or in any Ing cAc that tie Government ml-.t posst
r ae liz renee exists also in the policy O. the two
Governments in lc,eF.uce 70 paying Inventors. ON
Government has advertised several times FOR improved
FrcArs for adoption 10y the Army and Navy and nom
100 eompete arns submitted at ch trial. at
10 tie Inventors OF from 500 10 81 ol, 10 ~
nothing OF Their time and eNlcnse IN attending TIE was
and Vet HoI one Of liem reetred Jat iag at t
haaI ., hS G@re,nn9ti Aot only tLaL pt IAN ~
tLyn With tD0 charges o. Eyu9cr aud G't, gi"si ami
thnt. too without any nJii.o that hey 80 ~ 's sn
Wa, MOI possible tLat more dian tnsir cia'+S c"nd
ever he put 10, u uty even D. arcuci'' ~. ~, co.
irory, when Lug Id wanted -tis 20 ,.rV it' & i''-
vcrtiscd L. ali Tie World lig liz Wo'it i-t' .i
sum ~ sod e. tNosc ~ e"i,rc ,-e -, &
est. think, we ~ 90 ard &c ieN =, ~ 80 DE- -
switzerland offered 81 ftOlrr Nc zee SUE aug 10 100, ~
e s P pant year The mr. II the Ba
Of the East ladies 70 siye pSe OF tlo io tEs
tive plant line production aud utilization az Which II
desirafJ r., - courage thor. In TIE way England
ia, VANS rCmuneTatcd her inventors liDesdi! without
I"atinc tBe hundreds of thousands OF pounds sterling
nestle. m s OF nobility conn rred on such men ~ Ann
,g and HhitN Oru for their cannon, 'e gave to Col
oeD his Improvement in fuses. 10 Nal Palsei
fr bi. cle s60Or. % Col James The rank AID
b or ~ knighihood the accidental discovery Of ia
movements in phoothography, and 10 MI Osborne FOR
E .1Uc intention, $500 besides al increase OF s5OO
amin 10 his salary. 81 these parties being IN th,m
niuy Of TIE Government al the time. More recently
Er.aud gwen To the widow Of sneider the American
iryrntor the altc ration Of the Enhcd re tie oi
$50 on. besdes $1,000 previously given TO him. How
ferenf ths ffoi the treatneLt OF inventors by
own Here instead of being paid for theft
their practice as testified Recently ny the
Chief OF OrtnAnc.1 Is 70 seffe take any nyeatlon
they want wherever they can ind II, without
stopping to inquire wio~e IL la whether 10 j. willing
Mi Gully this. bat when inventor Offers his
invention Government, askr II u tsst H. he IL
simply met with rebut kept waiting Ia prctAny
until his aId patience are both exhausted, and hc
taught the Lesson that hope deferred the heart
sick" How ofen this repeated during the
war scores huldredsyea thousandsof loyal citiz LIS
can testify.
such IN brief Is the difference between the policy Of
En- gland that encouraging Inventive
and manufacturing enterprises One l. all for u
the all against II. l. H. ther wonder that
terprzes America 10 ind In En gland the protection
and oura cement denied them at home tiow not
Yours, &C., W. {. Do'-.s
WasAingtoA- D. C., Nov. "a. 1870.