Office of the Historian

No. 29.
Mr. Jay to Mr. Fish.

[Extract.]
American Legation,
Vienna, March 7, 1872. (Received March 28.)
No. 418.]

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Sir:

Count Andrassy returned to the subject of the exposition, from which he anticipates large advantages to this empire; and I remarked that my attention had been called to an article in the Scientific American, (of which I send you a copy, with my No. 414, dated February 29,) which suggested that the existing patent-laws of Austria did not afford to foreign inventors and manufacturers sufficient protection, and that this fact might tend to defer Americans from sharing largely in the [Page 50] exhibition; and I added that one or two American manufacturers in Vienna had also spoken to me on the subject.

The Count said that he was not himself familiar with the Austrian law of patents, but that in Hungary he had had occasion to take the ground that it was all-important that the genius of inventors should be encouraged and protected, and that he had pointed to the example of the United States as showing the wisdom of such a course, and its bearing upon the national wealth; that the suggestion, as bearing upon the exposition, was of immediate importance, and that he was greatly obliged to me for mentioning it, and hoped I would be good enough to address him a note which would go to the proper channel, as any suggestion from an American source on this point would be very valuable.

I did not hesitate to say that I would cheerfully comply with his request in advising him of the suggestions which had been made to me in reference to the points on which the operations of the existing laws bear hardly upon American manufacturers; and he said that, in return, he would inform me whether they would be prepared to amend the law generally, or to make any exception in favor of Americans by a special convention.

I find that the matter is one in which some of our inventors and manufacturers are already a goool deal interested, and in which their interest may become vastly increased, should they be largely represented at the exposition.

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I am, &c,

JOHN JAY.