§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, he wished to ask a Question of the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack, of which he had given him private Notice. Three years ago, in a remarkable speech, the noble and learned Lord introduced a Bill upon which he had evidently bestowed much pains to consolidate and amend the Laws on Patents—a Bill which passed their Lordships' House, but which was not so fortunate then, or in the two next Sessions, in "another place." The noble and learned Lord justified the measure by the desire expressed by those who were in favour of patents, as well as by those who were against them, that the law should be altered; and he stated his conviction that if these laws were not amended, and if the objections urged against them were not remedied, the days of patents were numbered and. an end. must come to them altogether. With the heretical opinions he (Earl Granville) held on the subject, he should hear of this catastrophe with equanimity, and he was not so sure of the orthodoxy of the noble and learned Lord on this matter to be sure that his peace of mind would be much disturbed. Be that as it might, it would be satisfactory to the public to know whether Her Majesty's Government intend to deal, or not to deal, with this question during the present year?
THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, it is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce again the Bill which was before Parliament last year, for the consolidation and amendment of the Patent Law. If Her Majesty's Government thought that the Bill would be generally acceptable to those who were interested in the subject, they would have been prepared to introduce it again; but it was not clear to them that the Bill would meet with such a reception out-of-doors as would secure for it precedence over other measures, also of very great importance, which would occupy the attention of Parliament during the present Session.