Articles (except sealed packages which are not letters) mailed in either country which are likewise entitled to pass in the domestic mails of that country free of postage are also entitled to transmission free of postage to the other country. How Articles may be registered at the same charge and in the same manner as for domestic mail. ever, if a "return receipt" is desired, the article must be indorsed on the outside with the words, "Return Receipt Demanded." MEXICO. Articles of every kind and nature which are admitted to the domestic mails of either country are admitted to the mails exchanged between the two countries, except as follows: 1. Articles of miscellaneous merchandise (fourth-class matter) not sent as bona fide trade samples are required to be sent by Parcels Post. 2. Commercial papers and bona fide trade samples are transmissible at the postage rate and subject to the conditions of the Postal Union mails. 3. See also under "Prohibited Articles-Foreign Mails." All articles are required to be fully prepaid with postage stamps, except letters on which one full postage has been prepaid will be forwarded and the amount due collected upon delivery. Articles (except sealed packages which are not letters) mailed in either country which are entitled to pass in the domestic mails free of postage are also entitled to be transmitted free of postage to the other country. Articles may be registered upon the payment of the domestic rate, but if a "return receipt" is desired they must be indorsed with the words, "Return Receipt Demanded." CUBA. All mail matter passing between the United States and Cuba is subject to the domestic classification, conditions and rates of postage. PARCELS POST. Table showing countries to which parcels may be sent, the dimensions, weights and rates of postage. Germany Guatemala Nicaragua New Zealand Venezuela *For a parcel not exceeding one pound. For each additional pound or fraction. This table shows time unclaimed letters marked "poste restante" are held by various countries. British Honduras. · British India. Bulgaria. Canada. Ceylon. Chill. Colombia. Costa Rica. Danish West Indies. Dominican Republic. 2 mos. 1 to 4 mos." 6 mos. 3 mos. 1 mo. 2 mos. 2 mos. 2 mos. 1 to 4 mos. 4 mos. 1 to 2 mos. 1 to 3 mos. 6 mos. 3 mos. 10 days. 1 mo. 2 and 3 mos. Montenegro. Montserrat Island. Portugal. Roumania. 4 mos. 4 mos. Russia St. Christopher. 2 mos. 2 mos. Dutch Guiana. Dutch West Indies. St. Lucia. 6 mos. 6 mos. Ecuador.. 6 mos. 2 mos. 2 mos. 3 mos. 3 mos. 6 mos. 2 mos. 3 to 6 mos. 2 mos. St. Vincent. 2 mos. 1 mo. Salvador. 2 mos. 2 mos. Servia. 3 mos. 3 mos. Seychelles. 3 mos. Sierra Leone.. 2 mos. 2 mos. 3 mos. Spain.. Gambia.. 2 mos. 1 mo. Straits Settlement. Germany. 3 mos. Sweden... 3 mos. 3 mos. 3 mos. Gold Coast. 2 mos. Great Britain. 3 mos. Greece. Grenada 1 mo. 3 mos. Tobago. Trinidad. Turkey.. Uruguay.. Switzerland. 3 mos. 3 mos. Venezuela. 2 mos. 2 mos. 2 mos. 2 mos. Four months when the correspondence is addressed to Calcutta, to Madras, to Bombay, to Aden, to Rangoon or to Kurrachee; and for one month only when to other destinations. Two months in country post offices: one month in city offices. Ordinarily one month; if addressed to persons aboard of vessels, three months. $Four months if addressed to persons on board of vessels. Railroad Distances and Cime of Mail Cransit. (Prepared expressly for The American Almanac by A. P. Johnston, of the Southern Railway Company.) The following table of railroad distances and time of mail transit between the larger cities of the United States, gives the number of miles by railroad, compiled from schedules showing the actual running distance of the average trains, and the time taken in transit. As New York, Chicago and San Francisco are the three principal objective points in the United States, the distances have been computed from these places, but by simple calculations one can readily determine the approximate distance between any other cities. The time of mail transit gives the actual time it takes from city to city on mail trains, but does not take into consideration the time consumed by the post offices. This can be almost eliminated in the case | of the larger cities, where mail trains are frequent, and so one can easily determine how long it will take for a letter mailed in New York to reach Chicago. Both tables are computed for the shortest practicable routes. Min. 45 45 35 45 45 05 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 Same as Old Point Comfort. Postal Distances Between New York and the Most Tmportant Foreign Lities. Adelaide (South Austral ́a) Aden (Arabia). Akyab (British Burmah). Algiers (Africa). Ambriz (Africa) Amsterdam (Netherlands). Antigua (Leeward Islands). Antwerp (Belgium). Aspinwall, see "Colon" Auckland (New Zealand). Bahia (Brazil).. Bale (Switzerland). Bangkok (Siam). Barbados (West Indies). Barcelona (Spain). Batavia (Java). Bathurst (Africa) Bayonne (France) Berlin (German). 4,000 Inhambane (Africa). Isles de Los (Africa). London 22 .London 34 12,800 Little Popo (Africa). New Orleans] 9 ..London 42 4,385 Madeira Island. Name of Place. Miles. 5,655 Jacmel (Haiti). Jeddah (Arabia). King George's Sound (W. Aust.). San Francisco 43 14,015 5 1,820 Kurrachee (British India) . London 28 10,330 2,145 La Guayra (Venezuela). 4,235 Madras (British India). Brisbane (Queensland, Australia). San Francisco 34 12,190 Magdalena Bay (Mexico) Brussels (Belgium). ..London 9 3,975 Malaga (Spain) Budapest (Hungary). .London 10 4,910 Malta Island Buenos Ayres (Argentine Republic). Bunder Abbas (Persian Gulf). ..London 34 9,500 Maranham (Brazil). Bushire (Persian Gulf) ..London 30 9,750 Marseilles (France) Busreh (Persian Gulf) Cadiz (Spain). Cairo (Egypt). Calcutta (British India). Caldera (Chili). Callao (Peru), Cameroons (Africa). Cape Coast Castle (Africa). Cape Haitien (Haiti). Cape Town (South Africa) Carthagenia (Colombia) 5,375 Mauritius Island.... 6,280 Mayaguez (Porto Rico). .London 10 Mazatlan (Mexico). 5,455 Melbourne (Victoria, Australia).. San .Panama 31 Mexico City (Mexico).. 8.010 Mollendo (Peru). 1,460 Monrovia (Liberia, Africa). Montevideo ((Uruguay).. Moscow (Russia).. 5,545 Moulmein (British Burmah) 4,650 Muscat (Muscat).. San Francisco 10 4,795 12,265 4,145 3,750 4,615 .Panama 28 4,655 Cienfuegos, via Havana. 5 Naples (Italy).. Ciudad Bolivar (Venezuela) 11 2,715 Nassau (Bahamas). Cobija (Bolivia). Panama 37 5,135 Natal (Africa).. Nice (France). Colon (Colombia).. Panama 6 2,281 Nuremberg (Bavaria). Congo (Africa).. Odessa (Russia) Con tantinople (Turkey). Coquimbo (Chili).. Copenhagen (Denmark). Crete (Turkey).. Curacao (West Indies). .London 10! 5.405 .Panama 32| 5,685 Pago Pago (Samoa). 5.835 Panama (Colombia). 7 2.355 2,030 Papeete (Tahiti). San Francisco 13 4.212 Cyprus (British).. London 16 6,345 Para (Brazil).. Delegoa Bay (Africa) London 30 11,520 Paris (France). 8 4,020 Demerara (British Guiana). 11 2.605 Payta (Peru), 1,920 Penang (Straits Settlements). Panama 16| 3,545 .London 32 11.735 16 5,425 9,120 Faroe Islands. Fernando Po (Africa) London 14 4,740 8,745 Fiji Islands. Florence (Italy). London 10 Frankfort-on-Main (Germany) London 9 4,800 Goboon (Africa).. .London 47 Geneva (Switzerland) .London 9 Genoa (Italy). Gibraltar London 9 . London 13 New Orleans 7 Perth (West Australia). 6,605 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). 7,395 Rotterdam (Netherlands). POSTAL DISTANCES BETWEEN NEW YORK AND MOST IMPORTANT FOREIGN CITIES.-Continued. Santander (Spain). .London 10 .London) 91 4.520 Santiago (Chili). Panama (38 7 1,325 Santos (Brazil). 25 Panama 37 5,910 Savanilla (Colombia). 13 London 9 4,780 Senegal (Africa).. .London (27 .R. R. 6 4.010 Seychelles Islands (Indian Ocean).. ..London 37 Shanghai (China). .London 45 London 10 4,740 Shanghai (China) .San Francisco 25 4,875 Turin (Italy).. 6,010 Turk's Island (Bahamas) 2,380 Venice (Italy).. 7,125 Wellington (New Zealand) 3,680 Yarmouth (Nova Scotia) 4,460 Zurich (Switzerland). How to Procure a Patent. (Revised for The American Almanac by the United States Patent Office.) Any person who has discovered or invented any new or useful art, any machine or manufacture, or any new and useful improvement upon a prior invention is entitled to a patent. Of course, it is specified that this invention or discovery shall not have been patented or described in any publication in the United States, or elsewhere, and that it shall have been unknown to others in this country for more than two years before the date of the application. If the invention is proved to have been abandoned, however, the fact of prior existence does not prevent the issuance of the patent, while the positive proof of an invention or production of any new ornamental and original design for manufacture or other valuable discovery, entitles the inventor to receive patent protection, upon the payment of the requisite fees, after due procedure in accordance with the law. The application for a patent must be made in writing to the Commissioner of Patents, at Washington, D. C.. and, at the same time, the applicant must deposit with the Patent Office a written description of his invention or discovery in which he must set forth clearly, concisely and fully, the manner and process of making, constructing, compounding, and using the new discovery. In the case of a machine, its principle must not only be explained, but the inventor must demonstrate how he intends to apply that principle in order to distinguish it from other inventions, and he must be particular to point out each and every part, improvement or combination which makes this invention different from those that may already have been patented. These specifications and claims must be signed before two attesting witnesses, and the applicant must make oath that he believes himself to be the inventer or discoverer of some art, machine, or composition of matter that has hitherto been unknown and unused. He must also make oath that the invention has not been patented to himself or others, within his knowl edge, anywhere in the world for more than two years prior to his application, or that an application for a patent has not been filed in any foreign country by himself, or by others with his consent, more than seven months prior to this application in this country. If, by chance, application for patent has been filed in some other country, the inventor must state the countries in which the application has been filed, giving the date of application, and must specify that the discovery has been unknown and unused in the United States. The receipt of letters patent from a foreign government will not prevent the inventor from obtaining a patent in the United States unless the article on which the foreign patent was granted had been in use seven months prior to the application in this country, in which case no patent shall be granted in this country. If the applicant is a citizen of this country the oath may be taken before any person authorized by law to adninister such oaths, but if the applicant is a resident of a foreign country the oath may be administered before a minister charge d'affaires, consul or commercial agent who holds a commission under the Government of the United States or before some public notary who is authorized to administer oaths by the nation of which the inventor is a resident. When this preliminary step has been taken, and the fees required by law have been paid, an examination of the invention will be made by the Patent Office, and, if it is shown that the applicant is entitled to patent protection, such a patent will be issued by the Commissioner. Patents, as well as all interest therein, are assignable in law, and the patentee or his legal representatives are entitled to dispose of exclusive rights under such patent for any specified part of the country. Each patent is granted to the patentee, his heirs or assigns, for the term of seventeen years, and during this period he possesses the exclusive right to make, use, or dispose, of the invention or discovery in all parts of the United States. Joint inventors are entitled to joint patent, but neither can claim one separately. Inventors who discover and invent, independently, improvements on the same machine are not entitled to a joint patent for such independent inventions, but when one person furnishes the capital which enables another person to complete an invention they are entitled to protection as joint patentees. If an application for foreign patent has been filed more than seven months prior to the application for patent in the United States protection in this country will be denied, but if it appears that an inventor believes himself to be the sole discoverer of his invention at the time of his application for a patent, the fact that his inven tion, or any part of it, had been known or used in some foreign country before his application was filed will not prevent the issuance of patent protection by the United States. If by reason of a defective or insufficient specification, or on account of the patentee claiming more than he had any right to claim as his own invention, the patent had become inoperative or void, a reissue may be granted, unless it is shown that the error was not the result of accident or mistake, but was made with fraudulent and deceptive intent. In cases of reissue, the applications must again be sworn to by the inventors, if living. If any citizen of the United States is satisfied that he has made a new invention or discovery, and yet desires to have further time in which to perfect his work, he may file a caveat in the Patent Office, as the result of which he may obtain protection for his labor for the term of one year. Caveats may also be renewed to the extent of one year, and during the two years the papers will be filed in the confidential archives of the Patent Office, where they will be preserved in secrecy. The original application, however, must contain all possible specifications and facts setting forth the distinguishing characteristics and purpose of the new discovery. When possible, drawings showing the application of the invention or improvement should be provided. The cost of caveat protcetion is $10.00 for the first year, and the same amount in cases of renewal. The other fecs, all of which must be paid in advance, are as follows: For each original application for a patent, $15.00; for each original patent issued, $20.00; in design cases: for three years and six months, $10.00; seven years, $15.00; fourteen years, $30.00; for each application for the reissue of a patent, $30.00; filing each disclaimer, $10.00. Certified copies of patents and other material in manuscript will be furnished by the Patent Office on the payment of ten cents per 100 words and twenty-five cents for the certificate; for certified copies of printed patents eighty cents, but uncertified printed copies of any specifications or drawings will be provided at the cost of a few cents. The office is also prepared to furnish photographic copies of any drawing, foreign or domestic, in the possession of the department, at prices ranging from fifteen to twenty-five cents in accordance to the size of the photograph. If patents are assigned each assignment must be recorded; if 300 words or under, $1.00; if less than 1,000 words, $2.00; if more than 1,000 words, $5.00. The payment of these fees must be made in cash or by money order. How to Secure Loypright Registration. The following rules for copyright procedure have been approved by the Librarian of Congress for The American Almanac for 1903: There are three classes of people who are entitled to copyright protection under the laws of the United States: (1) the author of any literary, musical, dramatic or artistic work, who is a citizen of the United States; or, (2) a subject of a foreign country to whose citizens the privilege of copyright in the United States has been extended, and, (3) any person to whom an author entitled as above to copyright protection for his works has assigned his copyright rights, in which case the registration is entered for the proprietor." Of course editors, translators, dramatizers and compilers have equal rights under the law, but they are regarded as "authors." In making application for copyright protection the first step to be taken is to transmit to the Librarian of Congress a printed copy of the title of the book or other article for which such protection is desired. The applicatien blanks, which must be signed before registration can be made, are furnished, free of charge, by the Librarian upon written request. In sending the title of the book, or other article, however, it must be remembered that the law distinctly stipulates that printed titles only may be accepted, and while it is permissible to typewrite the title in its proper place on the blank furnished by the Librarian of Congress, such titles are accepted only at the risk of the sender and printed titles are always preferable. If a musical composition is to be copyrighted the printed title page of the music should be sent, but the transmission of a typewritten title applies to this case as it does to that of the literary composition. Songs without music are not copyrightable is musical compositions, but as "books." If a painting, drawing, statue or model or design for any work of the fine arts is to be copyrighted a full description of it must be filed with the title, if there be one, as well as a photograph taken directly from the work of art itself. It is absolutely necessary that the titles or descriptions for record should be sent before any copies of the articles which they are to protect have been distributed, for the law states explicitly that such titles must be deposited in the mail within the United States, addressed to the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C., on or before the day of publication in this or any other country. In the case of works published in parts or volumes the title of each part must be entered as if it was an inde pendent work, while newspapers, magazines or other periodical publications must record the title of each number, distinguished by its proper volume, number, and date. The same rule applies in the case of engravings, photographs or other works of art published with variations, or music in different arrangements. In each instance cach pose, or other characteristic of difference must be entered with its distinguishing mark clearly differentiated. The second step in securing copyright entry is the act of depositing two copies of the article for which title has been recorded in the mail within the United States, not later than the day of publication in this or any other country. If it is a book, map, dramatic or musical composition, two copies of the composition itself are necessary. If it is a painting, drawing, statue or model for a work of the fine arts a photograph of the original work complies with the requirements of the law. In every case, however, the final deposit must be in addition to the printed title. Sending two copies of a book or other articles is not sufficient. The law stipulates that a title and two copies must be sent, and the only exception is in the case where three complete copies are sent, each copy bearing the printed title in its entirety. The two copies which are deposited must be complete copies of the best edition issued, and for each new edition a deposit of one copy must be made. When a book is published serially in a periodical, two copies of each number of the magazine containing it must be deposited, and if afterward it is published in book form two copies of this volume must also be deposited. If these deposits are not made a penalty of $25.00 is incurred. In the case of dramatic compositions it has been the practice of the Copyright Office to accept two typewritten copies of the drama, but the courts have recently decided that such typewritten copies do not comply with the law, and, under these circumstances printed copies only should be filed. For the same reason manuscripts, original drawings, paintings, statuary, etc., are not accepted as copyrightable. The general title of a newspaper, or periodical, apart from the contents, is not entitled to protection under the copyright law. In the case of periodical publications, however, application for entry may be made in advance by sending the printed title heading with the proper variations as to volume, number and date in advance of a number of issues, and the completion of the entry may be made by the deposit of two copies of the periodical on its day of publication. Owing to the difficulty of insuring the receipt of these copies by the Librarian of Congress "on or before the day of publication," as required by law, the publisher may obtain a receipt from the Postmaster in his city, or town, showing in case of need, that the necessary copies were mailed within the limit of time specified. The third and last step necessary to secure a valid copyright is the printing of a copyright notice on each copy of the article protected, for if such notice does not appear upon every copy produced, infringement of the Copyright cannot be prosecuted. The wording of the notice is determined by the copyright statute and must be one of these two forms: A penalty of $100.00 is imposed upon any person who shall insert the notice of copyright, or words of the me purport, upon any book or article which has not been copyrighted, whether such article be subject to copynight or not; or who shall knowingly issue or sell any article bearing such notice which has not been copyrighted, or who shall import any book or article bearing the notice of copyright when the requirements of the law have not been complied with. The copyright fees, as prescribed by law, are as follows: For recording the title of a book, or other article, the production of a citizen or resident of the United States, fifty cents; for a certificate of copyright, as evidence of the entry of the title, fifty cents; for recording the title of a book or other article, the production of a person not a citizen or resident of the United States, $1.00, and this fee is required to be paid whether the applicant for protection be the author who is not a citizen, or the proprietor who may be a citizen of the United States. In this case, also, a fifty cent fee is charged for certificate. For every copy under seal of the record of entry of any title, fifty cents; for a certified receipt for the deposit of the two copies required by law, fifty cents; for recording and certifying any instrument of writing for the assignment of a copyright, $1.00; for each copy of such assignment, $1.00. All remittances should be made by money or express order, and, while currency will be accepted, postage stamps must not be sent as fees. The term of copyright is for twenty-eight years, but, within six months before the expiration of that period, the author, or, if he be not living, his widow or his children may have the copyright extended for a further term of fourteen years, but this renewal requires the filing of the title a second time, the deposit of the two copies and the payment of the regulation fees. In addition to this the certificate of extension of copyright must be published, for four weeks, in one or more newspapers printed in the United States, and this publication must take place within two months from the date of the renewal of copyright. Copyrights are assignable in law by any instrument of writing in which the name of the assignee and assignor and the title of the book or article assigned appears. It should also contain a statement of "valuable consideration" and must be recorded in the copyright office within sixty days after its execution, "in default of which it shall be void as against any subsequent purchaser or mortgagee for a valuable consideration, without notice. Copyright cannot be obtained for the same book or article under different titles, for ideas, methods, schemes and systems, for blank books or books, like score cards, in which blank spaces have been left to be filled in later. Advertising novelties or devices, coats of arms, coined words or names, coupon systems, engravings or manufactured articles or cuts for advertisements, games, letter heads, names of companies or corporations, or products or substances, stage scenery or titles, as such, are among some of the many things for which copyright protection is denied |