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At the recent meeting of the Social Science Association at Saratoga, Mr. Frederic H. Betts, of this city, read a paper tracing at considerable length the historical development of patent laws, and traversing with singular skill and cogency the arguments of those who oppose the theory and practice of granting patents for new and useful inventions. The positions taken by Mr . Betts are those which have been advocated in detail, over and over again, in this paper--those which every friend of industrial progress and the rights of inventors will justify and applaud. And he developed his thesis so coherently, so forcefully, and with such aptness of illustration, that his paper makes the most readable and convincing argument for mantaining the integrity of our patent law that we have seen for a long time. In view of the probable renewal of the assault upon onr patent system in Congress next winter, the paper is as timely as it is admirable. In every congressional district the friends of the patent system--that is, as to its underlying principle and policy-- should see to it that their representatives do not go to Washington without an opportunity, at least, for becoming acquainted with the actual standing of patent rights in law and equity and sound industrial policy, as therein set forth. Mr. Betts begins by sketching the early history of patent rights for inventions, tracing meanwhile the development of the idea that patents are to be regarded as a fair bargain, the inventor contracting to contribute a new item to the stock of common knowledge of practical utility for purposes of trade, the public offering in return the means of retaining the exclusive use of the invention for a term of years. He then takes up and answers the objections raised against patent laws, both theoretical and practical, and proves the claims of inventors to be consistent with natural justice. He shows that the right of property in ideas, so far from being exceptional in the case of patents for invention, is widely recognized a.m.ong men, and that its increasing recognition is oue means of estimatingprogressin civilization. ? To the objection that inventions are intangible, incapable of precise definition, and unsuited to be the basis of property rights, he replies by showing that all civilized men recognize and respect incorporeal rights. The difficulty of defining the exact limits of such rights may be great, but that has never been successfully urged as a reason for their abOition. Of all incorporeal rights, that of character and reputation is the least capable of measurement, yet for that very reason it has been most jealously guarded. The objection that any individual inventor is but one of many working in the same field, all drawing from the common stock ofknowledge and experience, and that to grant a patent to the first claimant is to set up a barrier to further progress, is considered at length and effectually disposed of. The allegedf'act of the frequent simultaneous invention of the same device by several independent workers is show) to be untrue; and the asserted hinderance to progress by patenting the successive steps of it, is equally shown to be inconsistent with common experience. On the contrary, the evidence is abundant that the grant of patents directly and powerfully promotes the progress of science and the arts. Particularly interesting and valuable is the review of the growth and progress of ideas in respect to patents as shown in judicial decisions and legislative enactments--a development of a true appreciation of the rights of inventors, due not to mere change of sentiment, but to an increasingly full and exact understanding of the nature of trade and the proper province of laws in relation to it. This section will be found of special value in combating those reactionists who so boldly assert that the progress of thought is in a direction opposed to the principles underlying patent laws. In closing, Mr. Betts proves statistically the exact coincidence of industrial progress with the increase in patent rights. Patents and trade go hand in hand. Take away the motive of invention and an important ally of improvement is destroyed. ' This has been the experience of industrial nations the world over. And American experience has shown that the more widely that motive is brought to bear on all classes, the more accessible patents are made to the multitude, the more rapid will be industrial progress . the more steadfast and general the country's industrial prosperity. Mr. Betts' paper will be found in full in this week's issue (No. 197) of the SCIENTIFIC AMEBICAN SUPPLEMENT. The Movement of Breadstffs and Provlillons. The movement of breadstuffs continues extremely active. The receipts of flour at this port the week ending Sept. 23, were 104,361 barrels, chiefly by rail. The receipts of grain were: By Canal. BaUroad. Coastwise. Total. Wheat, bush.................1.389.400 817,770 OO 2,057,370 Corn, bush.................1,075,450 45,850 .... 1,121,300 Oats, bash.................... 150,015 .... 178,915 Rye, bush................... 804,800 7,602 40 312,802 Barley, bush.................. 13,000 29,068 588 41,656 Total bush...............2,560,550 1,050,305 1,188 3.613,043 The clearances of sailing vessels and steamers carrying breadstuffs from this port, the week ending Sept. 19, numbered oiie hundred and five. The total grain export was 50,643 barrels of flour; 2,329,279 bushels of wheat; 973,506 bushels of corn; 44,317 bushels of oats; and 107,613 bushels of rye. During the same week there were exported 4,529 barrels of pork; 6,259,932 pounds of bacon; 3,293,133 pounds of lard; 2,466 pounds of beef; 611,005 pounds of butter; 2,684,468 pounds of cheese; and 917,021 pounds of tallow. The Highest Telegraph Station. A telegraph station has been lately established at the Ryffel Hotel, under the Ryffelhom, in the Valais. It is about 8,500 feet above the level of the sea, and is the highest telegraph station in Europe. A Swiss paper has claimed that it is the highest telegraph station in the world, but this is a mistake. The station on Pike's Peak, in the Rocky Mountains, is 14,000 feet above sea level, and is, therefore, something higher than that at the Ryffel Hotel. The Ship otthe Future. After pointing out the great faults and failures of the present style of ocean vessels, a writer in the Amerioan Ship avers that the ship of the future will carry no ballast. If a sailing vessel, her sail area and displacement will be so well balanced that;, if the rudder were lost or disabled, the vessel could be guided on her course by her sails. The center of effort of sails and of gravity of vessel will be adjustable, so as to harmonize with the griping influences of the lee line of flotation. The ships of the future will be profitable, for they will be built for and under a specific service, on scientificpriiiciples; they will be designed, built, loaded, and navigated, as they have never been, with direct reference to their equilibrium of stability, the safety of vessel and cargo, with the lives of those on board. The rating characterization .of vessels will then be determined by an international, or an independent, board; the British Lloyds will have passed away, only to be remembered as a corrupt organization. The material of vessels will be steel for metallic, and bent timber frames for wooden vessels. Under this new dispensation of genius, ocean,mail, and passenger steamers will be nonsinkable, and make their Atlantic trips in six instead of seven-and- days, with a roll angle not exceeding eight degrees.
