or acts or bring law suits in the civil courts, whether commercial or administrative, before any jurisdiction of the Kingdom or its colonies, nor engage in any mortgage business.

Any proceedings and law suits already started will be suspended by law and will only be allowed to be continued after

the war.

3. The terms of Article 1 are not applicable to AustroHungarian subjects of Italian nationality, provided always that the act which they intend to carry out is authorised by a special Decree of the Minister of the Interior.

The terms of Article 2 are not applicable to AustroHungarian subjects of Italian nationality who can produce a certificate from the Ministry of the Interior showing that they are of Italian nationality.

4. The present Decree comes into force on the day of publication.

We order that the present Decree, sealed with the Seal of the State, shall be inserted in the official collection of Laws and Decrees of the Kingdom of Italy, and we enjoin on all whom it may concern to observe the same and to cause it to be observed. Given at Rome, the 24th day of June, 1915.

SALANDRA.
ORLANDO.
MARTINI.

THOMAS OF SAVOY.

ITALIAN DECREE granting to British Subjects and French Citizens the benefits contemplated in Article 2 of the Decree of June 20, 1915, No. 962,* relative to the extension of the time fixed for Payments in respect of Industrial Property.-Rome, September 25, 1915.†

(Translation.)

THE Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce:

In view of the Decree of June 20th, 1915, No. 962, relative to the postponement of payments in respect of industrial property;

In view of the communications from the British Government dated August 27th, 1915, and from the Government of the French Republic dated August 31st.§

Whereas the conditions required by Article 3 of the Decree for extending the benefits therein contemplated to foreign holders Gazzetta Ufficiale," October 5, 1915. § Page 905.

* Page 900.

""

t

‡ Page 904.

of patent rights are satisfied in the case of Great Britain and France;

On the proposal of the Inspector-General of Industry;

Decrees:

That the benefits contemplated in Article 2 of the Decree of June 20th, 1915, No. 962, relative to the extension of the time fixed for the payment of dues and for the performance of the acts required in order to maintain industrial patent rights in force, or to apply for their extension, are applicable to British subjects and French citizens and to persons assimilated to them. The present Decree will be published in the Italian Official Gazette together with the communications referred to above from the British and French Governments.

Rome, September 25th, 1915.

ANNEX I.

The Minister,

CAVASOLA.

The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Italian Ambassador in London.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

August 27, 1915.

I DID not fail to refer to the department of His Majesty's Government concerned that Note (n. 7600) which you were good enough to address to me on the 27th ultimo relative to the Decree issued by the Italian Government to postpone the term fixed for the payment of dues and for the performance of other acts required by the Italian Laws on industrial patents, trade-marks and trade designs and models.

I now have the honour to inform Your Excellency that while under the Rules of the United Kingdom dealing with extensions of time in the case of Patent applications and proceedings the discretion to grant or refuse these is vested in the ComptrollerGeneral of Patents, substantial reciprocity is in fact accorded to Italian citizens under the Rules in question, the differences between the two countries being rather differences of procedure than of substance.

In the United Kingdom the application of an interested party for an extension of time need not in any sense be formally made. No fee is charged, and the application may be made through an agent or by letter, at any time during the existence of the Rules, that is to say, during the period of the war and for six months afterwards.

No formal evidence is demanded, the applicant having merely to satisfy the Comptroller-General that he has been prevented "by circumstances arising from the state of war" from making the payment or doing the act.

I am satisfied that there is no danger that any genuine application will be rejected, and I understand that the ComptrollerGeneral is prepared to permit any Italian citizen resident in Italy who, during the period fixed by the rules, duly makes a request for an extension, to obtain it without difficulty and without further payment, on the mere statement that he had been prevented by the state of war from making the necessary payment or doing the necessary act within the prescribed time.

I have the honour to request Your Excellency to be so good as to communicate the above information to the Italian Government in order that, in view of the advantageous conditions under which Italian subjects are able to obtain an extension of time in regard to the registration of patents in the United Kingdom, reciprocal benefits may, if they see fit, be extended to British subjects in Italy in accordance with the suggestion contained in Your Excellency's Note under reply.

ANNEX 2.

The French Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Italian
Ambassador in London.

Le 31 août 1915.

Par une lettre en date du 29 juillet dernier, Votre Excellence a bien voulu me communiquer le texte d'un decret du LieutenantGénéral du Royaume d'Italie, en date du 20 juin 1914, aux termes duquel les titulaires de brevets d'invention, qui seraient empêchés par des circonstances dues à l'état de guerre d'effectuer le paiement des annuitiés de leurs brevets et accomplir les actes nécessaires pour la conservation de leurs droits, jouiront d'un délai moratoire jusqu'au dernier jour du trimestre, qui suivra celui, où la paix aura été publiée.

En accusant réception à Votre Excellence de ce document, j'ai l'honneur de lui faire connaître, pour compléter les indications contenues dans ma lettre de 10 juillet dernier, que si ces dispositions sont reconnues applicables aux Français et ressortissants français par décret du Ministère royal de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et du Commerce, conformément à l'article 3 du décret dont il s'agit, les sujets et ressortissants italiens continueront en France à bénéficier entièrement, en ce qui concerne notamment le paiement des annuités de brevets, des dispositions moratoires de notre décret du 14 août 1914 suspendant les délais en matière de propriété industrielle. La condition de réciprocité prévue par l'article 5 de la loi du 27 mai 1915 se trou. verait ainsi effectivement remplie.

ITALIAN DECREE granting to Austrian Subjects the benefits contemplated in Article 2 of the Decree of June 20, 1915, No. 962,* relative to the extension of time for Payments in respect of Industrial Property. -Rome, February 5, 1916.†

(Translation.)

THE Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce: In view of the Decree of June 20th, 1915, No. 962, relative to the postponement of payments in respect of industrial property;

In view of the note dated January 12th, 1916,‡ written by the Spanish Embassy at the request of the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

Decrees:

As a result of the application to Italian subjects of the special measures issued in Austria for the extension of the time fixed for payments and for facilities in respect of industrial property, the existence is recognised of the reciprocity of treatment required by Article 3 of the Decree of June 20th, 1915, No. 962, for extending the benefits contemplated in that Decree to Austrian subjects.

The present Decree will be published in the Italian Official Gazette, together with the above-mentioned note.

Rome, 5th February, 1916.

The Minister,

CAVASOLA.

ANNEX.

The Spanish Ambassador to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Rome, le 12 janvier 1916.

SE conformant à un désir lui exprimé par le Ministère I. et R. des Affaires Étrangères, l'Ambassade Royale d'Espagne a l'honneur de porter à la connaissance du Département Royal des Affaires Étrangères que, si les dispositions de l'article 2 du Décret Italien en date du 20 juin 1915, n. 962, seront reconnues applicables aux sujets autrichiens par décret du Ministère Royal de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et du Commerce d'Italie, conformément à l'art. 3 du décret dont il s'agit, les sujets italiens bénéficieront des mesures d'exception ci-dessous énumérées, rendues en Autriche à la suite de la guerre en matière de propriété industrielle, savoir:

1. Dispositions moratoires en ce qui concerne le paiement des annuités de brevet, selon le § 2, alinéa 2 et suivants de l'ordonnance ministérielle du 2 septembre 1914 B. d. L., n. 232, avec les modifications et compléments apportés par l'ordonnance ministérielle du 17 mai 1915, B. d. L., n. 123;

2. Le maintien des brevets, malgré la suspension du paiement des annuités, selon le § 2, alinéa 2 et suivants de l'ordonnance ministérielle du 2 septembre 1914, B. d. L. n. 232, avec les modifications et compléments apportés par l'ordonnance ministérielle du 17 mai 1915, B. d. L. n. 123;

3. La réintégration pour délais manqués, selon le § 4 de l'ordonnance ministérielle du 2 septembre 1914, B. d. L. n. 232;

4. La suspension de la publication des demandes de brevet d'invention, selon le § 7 de l'ordonnance ministérielle du 2 septembre 1914, B. d. L. n. 232;

5. La prolongation du délai prévu pour produire les preuves de la priorité des demandes de brevet, selon l'ordonnance ministérielle du 2 septembre 1914, B. d. L. n. 232.

En vue de ces concessions si larges, le Département I. et R. de travaux publics d'Autriche se plait à croire que le Gouvernement Royal d'Italie ne refusera pas de reconnaître la réciprocité en la matière.

Le Département Royal des Affaires Étrangères trouvera sous pli le texte des ordonnances ministérielles précitées.

L'Ambassade Royale d'Espagne se permet donc recourir à l'obligeance habituelle du Département Royal des Affaires Étrangères, en le priant du vouloir bien lui faire tenir, dès que faire se peut, une amiable réponse à la présente.

ITALIAN DECREE granting to German Subjects the benefits contemplated in Article 2 of the Decree of June 20, 1915, No. 962,* relative to the extension of time fixed for Payments in respect of Industrial Property.-Rome, February 19, 1916.†

(Translation.)

THE Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce: In view of the Decree of 20th June, 1915, No. 962, relative to the postponement of payments in respect of Industrial Property;

* Page 900.

† "Gazzetta Ufficiale," February 25, 1916.