REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS. PATENT OFFICE, January, 1848. SIR: In compliance with the provisions of the act of Congress, entitled An act in addition to the act to promote the progress of science and the useful arts," approved March 3, 1847, the undersigned has the honor to submit his annual report. During the year ending December 31, 1847, the whole number of applications for patents, is fifteen hundred and thirty-one. The whole number of caveats filed during the same period is five hundred and thirty-three. The number of patents issued in 1847 is five hundred and seventy-two, including fourteen re-issues, three additional improvements, and sixty signs; classified and alphabetical lists of which, with the names of the patentees, are annexed, marked K and L. Three disclaimers were, during the same time, entered. Within the same period, five hundred and eighty patents have expired; a list of which is annexed, marked M. There were during the year, nine applications to extend patents about to expire, six of which were rejected and three granted by the board, estab lished by the act of July 4th, 1836, to hear and determine that class of applications. The claims embraced in the respective patents issued during the year 1847, are also annexed, marked P. The number of applications for patents examined and rejected during the year 1847, is five hundred and fifty-seven; being very nearly as many as were granted. Many of the rejected cases may, however, be re-considered, and perhaps, upon farther examination, passed, and patents issued for the inventions or improvements claimed by the applicants. paid in on applications for patents, caveats, re-issues, disclaimers, addiThe receipts of the office during the year 1847, including duties and fees, $63,111 19; of which sum, $8,008 43 have been repaid on applications tional improvements, extensions and for copies, amount, in the whole, to withdrawn, and for money paid in by mistake, as per statement marked A. For salaries $16,350; temporary clerks, $6,937 57; contingent expenses, The expenses of the office during the year 1847, are as follows, viz: bia, sitting on appeals from the commissioner of patents, $100; library, $8,657 77; compensation of the chief justice of the District of Colum$1,049 58; agricultural statistics, $465; amounting, in the whole, to the sum of $33,559 92, as per statement marked B. There was also expended during the last year, under the act of March 3, |