A German Out After Cash.
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THERE MUST be a good number of inventors and patentees amongst the readers of The Commercial .1 totar, and if any of them have received copies of two letters—evidently circular letters—which I have received from a German at Bonn. on the Rhine, they will do well to hesitate before they send him the "1 to 2 pounds" after which he hankers.
The first letter came to me five or six weeks ago, and was so involved that I could not make head or tail of it, except that the gentleman wanted "1 to 2 pounds "—that was perfectly clear—and that he wanted me to give him an interest in a patent of mine, .apparently on the ground that he had applied for a patent on a similar device but had found one
of my recent patents anticipating him. . His last letters runs as follows :—
" I receivedyour esteemed letter, and inform you that a Orroection has to be made still at your invention that the patent may be granted in all foreign states and a quick and good selling may be performed.
"I am already in the possession of a copy of your British Patent. I can procure you qucikly and easely the renewing as well as the license for patent. Will you kindly send me by retorn of post and registered 1 to 2 pounds to cover the first costs, that 1 may send you in less than 2 days a copy of the new apply for patent. You have no further costs, because I take from every selling 5 per cent, from the selling price.
"Will you kindly write me in which foreign States you wish the patent to be granted and liciw high every selling-, price may be. Special communications and question will if possible. send in the German language.
"Awaiting an early reply; I am, "Yours sincerely,
Seeing that, under the International Convention, 12 months Only is allowable from the date of registra.. tion of an English. patent during which a patentee . can applyfor a patent in a fereign country, and see"ing also that it IS a Very rare thing fOr the British '
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Patent Office to issue a patent inside the 12 months, it may be taken as a .fact that, if the man in Bonn is in possession, as he says, of a copy of a new British patent specification, no foreign patent—in Germany or any other country—if not already applied for, can now possibly be obtained, however much the inventor would desire it, so that the request to send him " 1 to 2 pounds " is just a try-on to get " something for nothing." Still, I should hardly think that any British inveritor who is clever enough to get a British patent in the automobile connection will be likely to be deceived in this way. Should any readers of The Com: merciaNtotor, however, have received this communication and be seriously considering it, I give them Punch's advice to those about to marry--don't!
HENRY STURMEY.