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A law somewhat similar to that about to be introduced into England, substituting stamps lor the present system of patent right, has been passed in Prance. The French system does not, however, do away with the existing laws or patents, but leaves it at the option of the patentee to follow either method ol protection as he likes; and to be subject to the fees of that alone. A law introducing stamps has, accordingly, been promulgated in France, which are divided into two classes, the one called " timbre marque," to protect the name or mark of the manufacturer, the other " timbre garantie," to protect his ownership of an invention. These stamps are to be made of various sizes, on paper and metal, of a circular form, with an empty space in the centre for the manufacturer's legal mark or signature ; the former are to be sold to patentees at one per cent, on the price of the articles for which they are intended, and the latter (" timber garantie") at two per cent., and the counterfeiting of them will be punishable by law. The " Genie Industriel " calculates that this system, if generally adopted, would produce a revenue sufficient to pay more than half the annual budget of the country.
