“Then there are cases of disputed claims by rival inventors, which are embarrassing to a department; we do not know who has a claim to a Patent, and sometimes when we buy a Patent of one person we are told that we have done a great injustice to another. I remember that when we paid for the Griffith patent screw, which was cutting off a small portion of the screw, I had repeated letters from Sir Howard Douglas, telling me that it was a great injustice to him; that he had invented all this, and that his fame was diminished, and that his rights were taken from him by the Admiralty, who had most unjustly and unfairly paid Mr. Griffith. Those cases are continually arising, and of course they are very inconvenient for a department: they not only take up a great deal of time, but they very often prevent some very desirable process being gone on with.” Admiral Robinson said— “There have been twelve upon the construction of ships since 1861. Mr. Bush Construction of ships. Mr. J. Clare Construction of ships. Mr. P. Drake Construction of ships. Mr. A. Lamb Construction of ships. Mr. W. Rae Keels, stern posts, &c. Mr. Thomas and Col. De Bathe Mr. G. Clarke’s target. Mr. Truss Animal fibre. Armour plates. Mr. Beslay Preservation of iron. Capt. Wheatley Position of guns in ships. M. De Lapparent Carbonising timber. Commander Warren Bow rudder. Mr. Feathers Construction of ships. Messrs. Woodcraft, Smith, Ericsson, Purchase of Patents for screw Lowe, Blaxland, and Mr. Currie. propellers. Capt. Carpenter Screw propeller. Capt. Trewhitt Disconnecting apparatus. Mr. Griffith Screw propeller. Mr. J. O. Taylor Screw propeller. W. Ireland Cupola. Messrs. Laird and Cowper Trimming coals in ships. —— Distilling apparatus in ‘Defence.’ “In those cases the patentees claimed compensation for infringement?—Yes; and it was necessary for the Admiralty to have recourse to their solicitor, and to enter into a very long correspondence.