Journal of the Society of Arts : Volume XLIX, No. 2527 [‎697r] (19/36)

I
April 26, 1901.]
JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF ARTS.
43i
years ago, but, at the present time, it was a very
high and noticeable hill, and pilgrims going to
the Hinglaj shrine invariably visited that active mud
volcano on their way there.
Sir Henry Mange, C.I.E., said it would be very
interesting to know whether Alexander and Nearchus
were in touch with one another during the retreat
from India. He had seen it stated in an old record
that Alexander signalled from the hills to Nearchus
by means of steel mirrors. It was somewhat remark
able that 2,000 years afterwards the very first experi
ments which led to the development of the helio
graph, and its introduction into the armies of the
world, were conducted on the same ground.
The Chairman moved a hearty vote of thanks to
Sir Thomas Holdich for his exceedingly interesting
paper, which was carried unanimously.
Sir Thomas Holdich, in reply, said that with
regard to Sir George Birdwood's criticism of the
title of the paper, in calling it “A Retreat from
India ” he was under the impression that Alexander
'■*—f^to go. He believed the army mutinied and
declined to go further. As far as he knew, Alexander’s
idea was not to halt where he did in India, but extend
his conquests as far as the Ganges. The line of the
Indus gave him a most acceptable route for further
exploration. That Alexander originally contemplated
when he went to India to return by the Indus and
the Persian coast he certainly was not aware of. He
thought it was beyond doubt that Alexander knew
his way, that the country had been explored before
hand, and that the sea coast was known, because the
Phoenicians must have sailed in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
certainly as far east as India, before Alexander’s
time. The very fact of Alexander taking a pilot on
board proved that conclusion. He had never heard
of the legend attaching to the Island of Kais. He
had heard innumerable legends in his journeys up
and down the Persian coast, but he had never heard
that particular one of the original story of Dick
Whittington. He believed his friend, Air. Ffinch,
would bear him out that it was the rats which were the
nuisance of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
SIXTEENTH OR DINAR Y
MEETING.
Wednesday, April 24th, 1901 ; the Right
Honourable the Lord Chief Justice,
G.C.M.G. [Knight] Grand Cross of [the Order of] St Michael and St George (accolade). , Vice-President of the Society, in
the chair.
The following candidates were proposed for
election as members of the Society :—
Andrew, George Edward, H.AI.S. Resolution,
Channel Squadron.
Dobbing, Frederic C., J.P., Calderwood, Chislehurst,
Kent.
Donkin, D., Albemarle, Wimbledon-common, S.W.
Harrowby, Earl of, 9> Grosvenor-gardens, SA\ .
Aides, William, 114 , Alelody-road, Wandsworth-
common, S.W.
Roe, Captain B. O., Kulu, Punjab, India.
Snell, Charles Scott, 51 , Victoria-street, S.AV.
Swarup, Bishan, Jenapur, Orissa, India.
Williams, Rose Lilian, 2 , Royal Ycrk-villas, Clifton*
Bristol.
The following candidates were balloted for
and duly elected members of the Society :—
Biddulph, Airs. John, 20 , Onslow-square, S.W.
Downes, James Rathbone, East Surrey Water
Company, Redhill.
Duncan, J. H., 39 , Coleman-street, E.C.
Holland, Commander G. E., R.I.M., D.S.O., Port
Officer, Rangoon, Burma.
Johnson, Wallace C., AI.Amer.S.C.E., Niagara Falls*
New York, U.S.A.
Nicoll, John, Adderley, Alonifieth, Scotland, and
Calcutta, India.
Oliver, James William, Dehra Dun, N.W.P., India.
Savill, Howard S., Northumberland and Northern
Counties Club, Whitehall-court, S.W.
AVray, P. Remus, 42 , Tollington-road, Holloway, N.
The paper read was
PATENT-LAW REFORM.
By Alex. Siemens.
During the last few years a growing dissatis
faction has manifested itself with the working
of the Patent-laws in this country, and various
suggestions have been made as to how they
could be improved, most of wdiich advocate a
strict preliminary examination.
As the Society of Arts initiated the agitation
which led to the ‘ ‘ Patents Act, 1883,” it may not
be out of place to raise the question again
before its members, and this paper is intended
to start a discussion on the subject by making
suggestions how alterations of the present law
might be made to the advantage of the public
as well as of the inventor.
In order fully to appreciate the present
position of the Patent-laws, it will be useful to-
give a brief outline of their historical develop
ment, and also to indicate a few of the
characteristic points of foreign Patent-laws by
way of comparison.
The earliest grant of a monopoly appears to
have been made by Edward III. in 1331 when
he granted letters of protection to John Kempe,
a native of Flanders, to enable him to set up
the industry of cloth-making in England ;*
but this Royal prerogative was not often
exercised until the reigns of Henry VIII. and
* Wallace and Williamson, the Law of Letters Patent for
Inventions, page 3.