Italy.-Civil Engineer Alfio Dini, Cremona, Italy, will furnish particulars concerning the erection of large electric works at Cassano. It is also proposed

to build an electric railway between Cremona and Milan.

Mexico. The Licenciado Benjamin Barrios, in the city of Mexico, has received a concession for building an electric tramway between the capital and the city of Puebla.

Roumania.-An electric cable railroad is to be built from Sinaya to Birful-cudor, Roumania.

RAILROADS.

Argentina. The following-named firms in Buenos Aires have received concessions for constructing new lines of rail in Argentina: Rafael Arranda, Christophle y Compañía, Compañía de Ferrocarril Francés.

Belgium.-Proposals will be received at the Bourse in Brussels for supplying the Belgian railroads with 64 passenger cars and 320 freight cars.

Chile. The ministry of industry and public works at Santiago, Chile, will furnish details concerning the construction of a railway line which is projected to unite the port of Quintero with the station of Calero on the Chilean State Railway. The Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway Company will build a branch line to the mines of Collahuasi in Chile.

East India. The Southern Mahratta Railroad Company of East India will receive at their office, Westminster 46, Queen Ann's Gate, London, SW., proposals for supplying 20 locomotives with tenders.

Japan. The construction of the following railway lines is projected in Japan: From Okayama to Uno Bay, 18 miles in length; from Gifu to Nagasa, 43 miles. Electric and elevated railroads are also being built in Japan.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING AND WATERWORKS.

British India. The town of Darjeeling, British India, will introduce electric lighting.

England. The towns of Beaumaris, Wales, and Andover, England, project the erection of electric-lighting plants.

Roumania.-The town of Guirgiu will construct waterworks, and the town of Botoschani an electric-lighting plant.

Spain. The municipality of Almendralejo, Province of Badojos, Spain, will introduce electric lighting.

The municipality of Huelva, Spain, will receive plans for waterworks, reserving the right to use the accepted plans by paying $4,000 for the same.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

Abyssinia. The telephone system of Abyssinia is to be largely extended. Argentina.-The ministerio de marina, in Buenos Aires, contemplates the building of a light-house at Recalada.

The Prunitiva Gas Company, of Buenos Aires, will lay gas mains to new quarters of the city.

Austria. The K. K. General Direction der Tabaks-Regie, Vienna, Austria, will receive bids for the delivery of 69,000 packages of wire tacks, also of 80,000 reams of brown wrapping paper.

1026 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD.-AUSTRALIAN DUTY.

Belgium.-Eleven electric cranes are to be contracted for by the city of Ghent, Belgium.

Brazil. It is reported that Brazil is about to reorganize its navy at an expenditure of $71,000,000. Three battle ships of 12,500 tons each are to be bought; also 3 cruisers of 9.200 tons each, 3 torpedo destroyers, 12 torpedo boats, 3 coal ships, 3 submarine boats, and I towboat.

Chile. The Government of Chile projects the building of a large rolling mill. Address the Ministerio de Industria y Obras Publicas, Santiago, Chile.

France. The Association des Industriels de France, No. 3 Rue de Lutèce, Paris, has offered a prize of $1,500 for the best electric-current meter which is submitted to them by December 31 next.

Greece. The ministère des finances at Athens, Greece, will receive proposals for furnishing a yearly supply of cigarette paper to the governmental monopoly administration.

Holland.-The minister for the colonies, at The Hague, Holland, will soon award contracts for the delivery of a large quantity of iron plates, spikes, screws, wire, etc.

Morocco. There is a growing demand for sugar in southern Morocco. South Africa. The city of Bloemfontein, Orange River Colony, South Africa, has voted $500,000 for a bridge.

GEORGE H. MURPHY, Vice-Consul-General.

FRANKFORT, GERMANY, October 6, 1904.

Australian Duty on Magazines.

(From Daily Consular Reports, Nov. 12, 1904.)

Under date of August 27, 1904, United States Consul-General John P. Bray reports from Melbourne that, following up a trade inquiry, he received the following letter from the comptroller-general of the Australian customs:

The question of charging duty on magazines, etc., containing 15 per cent. or more of advertising matter has been under consideration, but it has been decided that for the present, at any rate, no such charge will be made on advertising matter contained in bona fide newspapers, magazines, or other printed literary matter. Duty, however, at the rate of 3d. (6 cents) per pound will be charged on and after September 1, 1904, on all catalogues, price lists, and trade circulars introduced through the post or otherwise, whether sent as single copies or in bulk. Exporters may, if they so desire, weigh the matter in bulk prior to posting, assess the duty at 3d. (6 cents), per pound, and forward the amount payable to the postmastergeneral at Melbourne for transmission to the customs department.

Northern Nigeria.

Proclamation of July 26, 1902.
(Continued from page 1002 and concluded.)
Witnesses May Be Summoned.

42. For the purpose of any application or opposition or other matters requiring the decision of the Registrar or the Attorney-General, they or either of them may, and at the request of any party to be heard shall, cause summonses under the seal of the court to be issued for the attendance of witnesses and may examine witnesses on oath and administer oaths for that purpose under this part of the Proclamation,

and every witness so summoned shall be bound to attend at the time and place mentioned in such summons and shall be paid his expenses according to the scale for the time being allowed to witnesses on trials in the Court, and shall continue in attendance until the matter shall have been disposed of, and produce any document in his power, possession, custody, or control which he shall by such summons be required to produce.

Proceedings and Costs Before Attorney-General.

43. The Attorney-General may from time to time make, alter, and rescind rules regulating references and appeals to the Attorney-General and the practice and procedure before him under this part of this Proclamation, and in any proceeding before the Attorney-General, under this part of the Proclamation, he may order costs to be paid by either party and any such order may be made a rule of the court.

Exhibition at Industrial or International Exhibition Not to Prejudice Patent Rights.

44. The exhibition of an invention at an industrial or international exhibition, within or without His Majesty's Dominions certified as such under the hand of the Registrar, or the publication of any description of the invention during the period of the holding of the exhibition, or the use of the invention for the purpose of the exhibition in the place where the exhibition is held, or the use of the invention during the period of the holding of the exhibition by any person elsewhere, without the privity or consent of the inventor, shall not prejudice the right of the inventor or his legal personal representative to apply for and obtain provisional protection and a patent in respect of the invention, or the validity of any patent granted on the application, provided that both the following conditions are complied with, namely:

(a) The exhibitor must, before exhibiting the invention, give the Registrar the prescribed notice of his intention to do so; and

(b) The application for a patent must be made before or within six months from date of the opening of the exhibition.

Power to Require Model on Payment.

45. Where the invention is one which admits of being represented by a model, the Registrar may require the patentee at his own expense to furnish him with a model of the invention.

Assignment to High Commissioner of Certain Inventions.

46. (1) The inventor of any improvement in instruments or munitions of war, his executors, administrators, or assigns (who are in this Section comprised in the expression the inventor) may (either for or without valuable consideration) assign to the High Commissioner on behalf of His Majesty, all the benefit of the invention and of any patent obtained or to be obtained for the same; and the High Commissioner may be a party to the assignment.

(2) The assignment shall effectually vest the benefit of the invention and patent in the High Commissioner on behalf of His Majesty, and all covenants and agreements therein contained for keeping the invention secret and otherwise shall be valid and effectual (notwithstanding any want of valuable consideration), anđ may be enforced accordingly by the High Commissioner for the time being.

(3) Where any such assignment has been made to the High Commissioner he may at any time before the application for a patent for the invention, or before

publication of the specification or specifications, certify to the Registrar his opinion that, in the interest of the public service, the particulars of the invention and of the manner in which it is to be performed should be kept secret.

(4) If the High Commissioner so certify, the application and specification or specifications, with the drawings (if any), and any amendment of the specification or specifications, and any copies of such documents and drawings, shall instead of being left in the ordinary manner at the Registrar's Office, be delivered to the Registrar in a packet sealed by authority of the High Commissioner.

(5) Such packet shall, until the expiration of the term or extended term during which a patent for the invention may be in force, be kept sealed by the Registrar, and shall not be opened save under the authority of an order of the High Commissioner or of the Attorney General.

(6) Such sealed packet shall be delivered at any time during the continuance of the patent to any person authorized by writing under the hand of the High Commissioner to receive the same, and shall, if returned to the Registrar, be again kept sealed by him.

(7) On the expiration of the term or extended term of the patent, such sealed packet shall be delivered to any person authorised by writing under the hand of the High Commissioner to receive it.

(8) Where the High Commissioner certifies as aforesaid, after an application for a patent has been left at the Registrar's Office, but before the publication of the specification or specifications, the application, specification, or specifications, with the drawings (if any), shall be forthwith placed in a packet sealed by authority of the Registrar, and such packet shall be subject to the foregoing provisions respecting a packet sealed by authority of the High Commissioner.

(9) No proceeding by petition or otherwise shall lie for revocation of patent granted for an invention in relation to which the High Commissioner has certified as aforesaid.

(10) No copy of any specification or other document or drawing, by this section required to be placed in a sealed packet, shall in any manner whatever be published or open to the inspection of the public, but save as in this section otherwise directed, the provisions of this part of this Proclamation shall apply in respect of any such invention and patent as aforesaid.

(11) The High Commissioner may, at any time by writing under his hand, waive the benefit of this section with respect to any particular invention, and the specifications, documents, and drawings shall be thenceforth kept and dealt with in the ordinary way.

(12) The communication of any invention for any improvement in instruments or munitions of war to the High Commissioner or to any person or persons authorised by him to investigate the same, or the merits thereof, shall not, nor shall anything done for the purpose of the investigation, be deemed use or publication of such invention so as to prejudice the grant or validity of any patent for the

same.

Holder or Assignee of Patents Obtained in Other Countries May Obtain Letters of Registration.

47. It shall be lawful for the High Commissioner in his discretion, on the application of any person being the holder or assignee of any patent granted or issued in Great Britain or any other country for any new discovery or invention, and upon such proof as the High Commissioner may deem sufficient, that such person is the bona fide holder or assignee of the said patent, and that the same is

in full force, and upon payment to the Treasurer of the sum of Fifteen pounds, to grant letters of registration under the public seal of the Protectorate to the holder of such patent as aforesaid or his assignee, and such letters of registration shall be deposited in the Registrar's Office, and shall be deemed to be Letters Patent issued under this Proclamation for such invention or improvement, and shall have the same force and effect as Letters Patent issued thereunder, and shall enure to the benefit of the holder during the continuance of the original patent in the country in which it was issued or granted, and no longer, and all the provisions of this Proclamation shall apply to such letters of registration in the same way mutatis mutandis, and as fully as to Letters Patent or an instrument in the nature of Letters Patent issued under this Proclamation.

International Arrangements for Protection of Inventions.

48. (1) If His Majesty is pleased by Order in Council to apply the provisions of Section 103 of the Imperial Act, entitled "The Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883,' to the Protectorate, then any person who has applied for protection for any invention in England, or in any foreign State with the Government of which His Majesty has made an arrangement under the said section, for mutual protection of inventions, shall be entitled to a patent for his invention under this Proclamation, in priority to other applicants; and such patent shall take effect from the same date as the date of the application in England or such foreign State (as the case may be).

Duration of Protection.

(2) Such application shall be made within seven months from such person applying for protection in England or the foreign state with which the arrangement is in force.

Nothing to be Deemed an Infringement Before Acceptance of Complete

Specification.

(3) Nothing in this section contained shall entitle the patentee to recover damages for infringements happening prior to the date of the actual acceptance of his complete specification in the Protectorate.

Use Within Certain Periods Not to Invalidate Grant of Patent.

(4) The publication in the Protectorate during the respective periods aforesaid of any description of the invention, or the use therein during such periods of the invention, shall not invalidate the patent granted for the invention.

Manner of Applying for Grant of Patent.

(5) The application for the grant of a patent under this section shall be made in the same manner as an ordinary application under this Proclamation.

Application of this Section to Foreign States.

(6) The provisions of this section shall, in the case of foreign States apply only in the case of those foreign States with respect to which His Majesty from time to time, by Order in Council, declares the provisions of the aforesaid Section 103 of the said first recited Imperial Act to be applicable, and so long only in the case of each State as such Order continues in force with respect to that State.