He accordingly took ship for London, and arrived there
in the following November, poor in means, but rich in his great
idea, then his only property.
As Koenig himself said, when giving an account of his
invention:-- "There is on the Continent no sort of encouragement
for an enterprise of this description.
The system of patents, as it exists in England, being either
unknown, or not adopted in the Continental States, there is no
inducement for industrial enterprise; and projectors are commonly
obliged to offer their discoveries to some Government, and to so
licit their encouragement. I need hardly add that scarcely ever
is an invention brought to maturity under such circumstances.
The well-known fact, that almost every invention seeks, as it
were, refuge in England, and is there brought to perfection,
though the Government does not afford any other protection to
inventors beyond what is derived from the wisdom of the laws,
seems to indicate that the Continent has yet to learn from her
the best manner of encouraging the mechanical arts. I had my
full share in the ordinary disappointments of Continental
projectors; and after having lost in Germany and Russia upwards
of two years in fruitless applications, I at last resorted to
England."[1]
After arriving in London, Koenig maintained himself with
difficulty by working at his trade, for his comparative ignorance
of the English language stood in his way.
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