§ The House went into Committee on this Bill.
§ Mr. Jervisobjected to that part of the Bill which contained the definition of a patent, and moved an Amendment.
Mr. Lloyd, as a member of the Committee, would give the Amendment his most decided opposition. The definition was the only really important part of the Bill, and had been agreed to almost unanimously by the Committee. He was sorry the hon. Member who proposed the Amendment, had not attended the meeting 383 of the Committee and heard the reasons assigned for the adoption of the definition. It was almost unfair of that hon. Member not having attended the Committee, to come down to that House and oppose the definition by an Amendment which seemed to him, unintelligible verbiage. He hoped his learned friend would not press a Motion which would have the effect of destroying the Bill.
§ Mr. Rotchsaid, no clause had received more attention by the Committee than the one under consideration; for, knowing it to be the almost vital one, they had spent hours and days in drawing it up. His hon. and learned friend had said, that the law as it at present stood was clear and definite enough. Now how did that stand? Why the books showed that no two Judges took the same view of it, which led to great difficulties.
§ Mr. Godsonthought it was important, for the security of inventions, that the law on the subject should be settled. He hoped his hon. friend would not press his Motion, but would allow the Report of the Committee to be made. The recommendation of the Select Committee was, that the Bill be divided into two Bills.
§ Mr. Aglionbywas afraid that the Bill would prevent the increase of improvement in manufacture, and be productive of endless litigation. He wished that the further consideration of the Bill should be postponed till the next Session, and he called upon the House on behalf of the manufacturers of the country, to postpone the Bill. He was quite satisfied that the whole county of Lancaster would rise up against it.
§ Mr. Godsonsaid, that he had received letters from almost every county in England, proposing an alteration in the law on the subject of patents, but more especially from Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds, at which places, as well as at London, public meetings had been held, and the greatest anxiety displayed on the subject. The object of the Bill was the protection of the poor but ingenious inventor, who, from want of capital, was encroached upon by the rich.
§ Mr. Aglionbywas an advocate for paying ingenuity, but there were daily taking place throughout the trade of the country minor improvements, which he considered the present Bill would have a tendency to check.
Mr. Lloydobserved, that if he thought the tendency of the Bill would be to injure manufacturers, he should be the last man to support it: but he was convinced it would have a directly contrary effect. He hoped, for the honour of the county of Lancaster, that the House would receive a denial of the statements made by the hon. Member.
The House resumed, and the Report, that the Committee had divided the Bill into two Bills was brought up. To be taken into further consideration.