This is one of the very few good things which
the Government ac- complished in the late session. It is the establishment of an office, by act of Parliapent, (2 Vic. c. 17,) which enables the inventor or pro- prietor of any new design easily and cheaply, to obtain the exclusive copyright of irfOr a short geriod. Upon payment of three guineas, any design is7regiSfeied ; and by the act of registration its proprietor has the "sole right" to it, whether it be for a "pattern or print, to be Worked into or worked on, or printed on or painted on, any article of Ananufacture, being a tissue or textile fabric,—except lace and linens, rotten,, &c. which are protected by various other acts ; or " for the 'modelling, or casting, or the embossment, or the chasing, or the en- graving, or fbr any other kind of impression or ornament, on any arti- cle of manufacture, not being a tissue or textile fabric ; or for the shape or configuration of any article of manufacture." Models, castings, em- bossments, chasings, and engravings of metal, are protected for three years ; other designs fbr twelve months. No person, without licence of the proprietor, is able to use, print, work, or copy such registered designs or any original part thereof'; or to publish or sell, or adopt it wholly or partially, by makino.t' addition to or subtraction from it ; un- der a penalty of not less than five and not exceeding thirty pounds for every offence ; which penalty is recoverable by summary proceeding beffire justices of the peace. The monstrous trouble and extravagant cost of obtaining, a patent, created a strong necessity fur au office of this kind, which will obvi- oush a most beneficial influence on the arts. Deservedly and sorely will it perplex the 'Brummagem pirates, who chiefly thrived upon wholesale plagiarisms and robberies of other men's brains. Before the passing of this act. man v a rash inventor spent thousands of pounds to accomplish that which jai: next-door neighin mar lay in wait to pirate and re,,p the fruits of. Although this measure has been in operation since tile 1st of July, seareely a single act of registration has been effected. The public know nothing about it ; for the Whig officials seem ashamed of the meritorious deed, which they have kept it profound secret. Not a single notice of it, excepting a solitary unmeaning ad- vertisement, have we seen in any of the public papers, though every nunufficturing town in the king-dont would rejoice to learn the exist- ence of such an office. We shall keep a watch un its proceedings.
Previous page
