[8] For this translation I am indebted to the Foreign-office, to whose reports I have been politely allowed access.
[9] This admirable document is prefixed, see [page 185].
FROM THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT MEMORIAL.
The project of law, which is accompanied by an extensive memorial of explanation, contains the following stipulations:—
Article 1.—From and after the 1st of January, 1870, no fresh Patents for inventions and improvements, or the first introduction of objects of art and industry, shall be granted, those only excepted for which application shall have been made previous to that date.
Article 2.—The term for Patents formerly granted or deliverable within the provisions of Article 1 of this law may be extended in accordance with the law of 25th January, 1817. (Vide “Staatsblad,” No. 6.)
The memorial says, inter alia:—
“In order to let Netherlands industry and Netherlands people reap the benefit of the bulk of improvements in industry, the best course to take appears to be the repeal of the Patent-Law.
“The first requisite of a reform of the existing legislation on Patents would be to more completely guarantee their rights to inventors, they being by no means sufficiently protected by the provisions of the law now in force.