The postage stamps of Canada

National Archive Archives nationales
of Canada du Canada

THE

STAMPS

OF

CANADA

By BERTRAM W. H. POOLE

Ill

THE

POSTAGE

OF

STAMPS

CANADA

By BERTRAM W. H. POOLE
Author of Various Philatelic Books

SEVERN-WYLIE-JEWETT CO.
HANDBOOK No. 20

Price 25 Cents

PUBLISHED
SEVERN- WYLIE- JEWETT CO.
.Publishers l[ekeel's II'eekly Slaml A'ews
BOSTON, MASS.

INDEX

Introduction
('hapter I--Its Postal History

Chapter
'hapter
('hapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
('hapter
('ha4)ter
('hapter
('hapter
('hapter
('hapter
Chapter
('hapter
Chapter
('hapter
Chapter
('hapter
('hapter
('hapter
('hapter
('hapter
('hapte r
Chapter
('hapter
('hapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter

[I--A Postmaster's Provisional
Ill--The First Issue
1V--The Second Issue
V--The Perforated Pence Stamps
VI--The First "Cents" Issue
VII--The First l)ominion Issue
VIII--The lc Orange of 1869
IX--The Large 5c Stamp
X--The Small "Cents" Stamps
XI--The 20c and 50c Stamps of 1893 -
Xll--The 8c Stamp of 1893 -
Xlll--The Diamond .lubilee Issue
XIV--The "Maple Leaf" Issue of 1897
XV--The "Numeral" Issue of 1898
XV[--The '"Map" Stamp of 1898
XV[I--The "2 Cents'" Provisionals
XV[II--The Bi-sected Provisionals
XIX--The 2c Carmine -
XX--The 20c Value of 1900 -
XXI--The Queen Victoria Seven Cents
XXII--The King Edward Issue
XXIII--The Quebec Tercentenary Issue
XXIV--King George Stamps
XXV--The War Tax Stamps
XXVI--A Proposed Commemorative Series
XXVII--Official Stamps
XXVIII--The Special Delivery Stamp
XXIX--The Registration Stamps
XXX--The Postage Due Stamps -
XXXI--The "Officially Sealed" Labels

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67
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THE POSTAGE STAMPS OF CANADA.

By ]3ERTRAM W. I-i. POOLE.

[ NTRODUCTION.

Canada was originally the French col-
ony of New France, which comprised the
range of territory as far west as the
Mississippi, including the Great Lakes.
After the war of independence it was
confined to what are uow the provinces
of Quebec and Ontario--then known as
Upper and Lower Canada. At the con-
federation (1867) it included only these
two provinces, with New Brunswick and
Nova Scotia; and since then it has been
extended by purchase (1870), by acces-
sion of other provinces (British Colum-
bia iu 1871 and Prince Edward Island in
1873), and by im0erial order in council
(1880), until it includes all the north
American continent north of United
States territory, with the exception of
Alaska and a strip of the Labrador
coast administered by Newfoundland,
which still remains outside the Do-
minion of Canada. On the Atlantic the
chief indentations which break its shores
are the Bay of Fundy (remarkable for
its tides), the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and
Hudson Bay (a huge expanse of water
with an area of about 350,000 square
miles); and the Pacific coast, which is
small relatively, is remarkably broken up
by fjord-like indentations. Off the
coast are many islands, some of them
of considerable magnitude,--Prince Ed-
ward Is., Cape Breton Is., and Anticosti
being the most considerable on the At-
lantic side, Vancouver and Queen Char-
lotte Is. on the Pacific; and in the ex-
treme north is the immense Arctic archi-
pelago, bound in perpetual ice.
The surface of the country east of the
great lakes is diversified, but character-
ised by no outstanding features. Two
ranges of hills skirt the St. Lawrence--
that on the north, the Laurentians,
stretching 3,50,0 miles from Lake Su-
perior to the Atlantic, while the south-
ern range culminates in the bold capes
and cliffs of Gasp6. The St. Lawrence
and its tributaries form the dominating
physical, feature in this section, the
other rvers being the St. John, the

Miralnichi, and the Restigouche in New
Brunswick. Eastern Canada is practi-
cally the Canadian part of the St. Law-
rence valley, (330,000 square miles), aud
the great physical feature is the system
of lakes with an area of 90,000 square
riffles. In additiou to the tributaries of
the St. Lawrence already mentioned, the
Dominion boasts the Fraser, the Thomp-
son, and the greater part of the Colum-
bia River in British Columbia; the Atha-
basca and Peace Rivers, wlfich flow into
Lake Athabasca, and out of it as the
Slave River, which in its turn issues
from the Great Slave Lake and flows
into the Arctic Ocean as the Mackenzie
River (total length 2,800 miles); the
Albany and the Churchill, flowing into
Hudson Bay; and the Nelson, which dis-
charges from Lake Winnipeg into Hud-
son Bay the united waters of the Assini-
boine, the Saskatchewan, the Red River
and the Winnipeg.
West of the Great Lakes the scenery
is less varied. From the lakes to the
Rockies stretches a vast level plain of a
prairie character, slowly rising from 800
feet at the east end to 3,000 feet at the
foothills of the Rockies.
The eastern and western portions of
the Dominion are heavily wooded, and
comparatively little inroad has been
made on the forest wealth of the coun-
try. It is estimated that there are
1,200,000 square miles of woodland and
forest, chiefly spruce and pine, including
about a hundred varieties; consequently
the industries connected with the forest
are of great importance, especially since
the development of the pulp industry.
The central prairie plain is almost de-
void of forest. Agriculture is the domi-
nant industry in Canada, not only in
the great fertile plains of the centre, but
also on the lands which have been
cleared of forest and settled in other
parts of the Dominion.
The Cauadian climate is cold in winter
and warm in summer, but healthy all the
year round. With all its extremes of

cold it oermits of the cultivation in the
pen air of grapes, peaches, tobacco, to-
matoes, and corn. The snow is an es-
sential coudition of the prosperity of
the timber industry, the means of trans-
port iu winter, the protector of the soil
from frost, and the source of endless en-
joyment in outdoor sports.
The French Canadians are almost ex-
clusively the descendants of the French
iu Canada in 1763, there being practically
no immigration from France. The French
language is by statute, not by treaty, an
official language in the Dominion Parlia-
ment aud in Quebec, but not now in any
other province, though documents, etc.,
may for convenience be published in it.
English is understood ahnost every-
where except in the rural parts of Que-
bec, where the habitants speak a patois
which has preserved mauy of the char-
acteristics of 17th century French.
The Indian people, nnmbcriug a little
over 108,000 in 19112, are scattered
throughout the Domiuion. They are
usually located on reserves, where
efforts, not very successful, are made to
interest them in agriculture and indus-
try. Many of them still follow their
ncestral occupations of hunting and
fishing, and they are much sought after
as guides in the sporting centres. The
Dominion govermnent exercises a good
deal of parental care over them and for
them; but the race is stationary, if not
declining.
The constitution of Canada is of a
federal character, midway betweeu the
British aud United States constitutions.
The federated provinces retain their lo-
cal legislatures. The Federal Parliament
closely follovs the British model, and
the cabinet is responsible to the House
of Commons. The members of the Sen-
ate are appointed by the governor-
general in council, and retain their seats
for life, and each group of provinces is
entitled to so many senators. The nmn-
hers of the commons vary according to
the population. The local legislatures
generally consist of one house, though
Quebec and Nova Scotia still retain their
.upper houses. The Federal Parliament
s quinquennial, the local legislatures
quadrennial. The lieutenant-governors
o the provinces are appointed by the
governor-general in council. The ov-
ernor-general (atpointed by the King,
though paid by Canada) has a right to
disallow or reserve bills for imperial
consent; but the veto is seldom exer-
cised, though the imperial authorities
practically disallowed temporarily the
preferential clauses of 1897. The Con-
stitution of Canada can be altered only

by Imperial Parliament, but for all prac-
tical purposes Canada has complete self-
goverument.
In 1534, Jacques Cartier landed on the
Gasp coast of Quebec, of which he took
possession in the name of Francis I,
King of France. But nothing was done
towards permanent occupation and
settlement until 1608, when Samuel de
.Champlain, who had visited the country
m 1603 and 1604, founded the city of
Quebec. lkleantime French settlements
were made in what is now the maritime
provinces, but known to the French as
Acadia. France claimed, as a result of
this settlement, exclusive control of th.e
whole immense region from Acadia west
to Lake Superior, and down the Missis-
sippi to the Gulf of Mexico. But the
control of this region was not uncon-
tested. England claimed it by right of
prior discovery, based mainly on the
discovery of Newfoundland in 1497 by
John Cabot.
In the north the charter granted in
1670 by Charles II to Prince Rupert to
found the Hudson's Bay Company, with
exclusive rights of trading in the Hud-
son Bay basin, was maintained till 1869,
when, on a payment of $1,500,000, their
territory was transferred to the newly
created Dominion of Canada. A long
struggle was carried on between Eng-
land and France for the dominion of the
North American continent, which ended
in the cession of Acadia by the treaty
of Utrecht in 1713, and the cession of
Canada by the treaty of Paris in 1763.
Of all its Canadian dependency France
retained onlv the Islands of St. Pierre
and Miquel6n, off the coast of New-
foundland, and the vexatious French-
shore rights.
During the war of American Inde-
pendence Canada was invaded by the
Americans, and the end of the var saw
a great influx of loyalists from the
United States, and the formation of two
uew colonies--New Brunswick and Up-
per Canada (noxv Ontario). The treaty
of peace in 1783 took away from Canada
territory now included within Minneso-
ta, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Wisconsin. In 1791, owing to differ-
ences of race, Upper Canada was separ-
ated from Lower Canada; but discon-
tent resulted in rebellion in 1837-8 which
occasioned Lord Durham's mission and
report. The results of that were the
granting of responsible government to
the colonists, and in 1840 the re-union
of the two provinces. But the different
elements, British and French Canadians,
worked no better together than they had
done while separated; and in 1867, as

CnATa II.--A Postmaster's Provisional.

Postage stamps were first placed on
sale to the public in Canada on April
g3rd, 1851, as we shall show later, but,
according to an interesting article which
appeared in the London Philatelist for
June, 1904, it seems possible that at least
one postmaster anticipated events slight-
ly by issuing a stamped envelope of his
own shortly before the regular govern-
mental stamps were ready. It will per-
haps simplify matters to reproduce the
article in its original form, ViZ.:--
CANA)A : HAND-STAMPED 3D ENVELOPE
OF 1851.
We are indebted to Mr. E. B. Green-
shields, of Montreal, for the following
very interesting information :-
The following facts may be of in-
terest to collectors of the stamps of
British North America. Some time
ago a cover was offered to me, which
seemed to me to be absolutely genuine,
yet I had never, up to that time, heard
of such envelopes being in existence.
This letter was posted in NewCarlisle,
Gaspe, Lower Canada, on April 7th,
1851, and was stamped "Three Pence"
in two lines, inside a square, with a
black border of neat design around
the sides. Across this was written,
"Letter R. W. Kelly Apl. 1851".
The letter was addressed to Toronto,
C. W., and on the other side was
stamped the date the letter was re-
ceived, "Apl. 16 1851". I sent the
envelope to Mr. Donald A. King, of
Halifax, and received the following
reply from him:-
HALIFAX, N. S., February 22nd, 1904.
"Dear Sir,--I have yours of 19th
inst. with cover, and am much obliged
for your kindness in permitting me to
have alook at it. It is new to me. I
have no doubt it is absolutely genuine,
and probably was made by the Post-
master at New Carlisle to save trouble
in stamping the letter '3d' as was then
the custom. It is just possible that the
writer (whose name appears to be en-
dorsed on the envelope) was the Post-
master there. A reference to the Post-
master-General's report for that year
would give his name. As far as my
memory serves me, the Canadian
stamps were not then in issue, though
an advance circular may have been
sent out. I have shown the cover to
a friend of mine who is an expert in
typography, and he assures me that
the printing is as old as dated, and
that such type and border could not

be procured now at any cost. The
only thing that I have seen that re-
sembles it in any way was a cover
from Prince Edward Island, prepaid
with a square of white paper stamped
3d and cancelled. This was an adhe-
sive, and used some years after stamps
were in use. As in your. case, it had
been recognised as paying post.ag.e.
As to the value of your cover, it is
impossible for me to say, but very
considerable to any collector of British
North America.
Yours faithfully,
DONALD A. KING."
Following up the clue given to me
by Mr. King, I wrote to the Post
Office Department at Ottawa, and re-
ceived the following courteous an-
swer :-
OTTAWA, 2rid March, 1904.
"Sir,--I am directed to acknowledge
receipt of your communication of the
26th ultimo, inquiring whether R. W.
Kelly was Postmaster of New Car-
lisle, Co. Gaspe, Quebec, in 1851, and
in reply am directed to inform you
that R. W. Kelly, doubtless the same
man., was Postmaster of New Car-
lisle in 1851. Owing to the incomplete-
ness of the early records of the
department, which was then under the
direction of the British Office, the date
of Mr. Kelly's appointment cannot be
ascertained. He appears to have been
Postmaster from 1851, however, until
his resignation on the 9th April, 1855.
As regards your inquiry as to
whether postage stamps were used on
the 7th April, 1851, and your state-
ment that you have an envelope sent
on that date from New Carlisle to
Toronto with 'Three Pence' printed on
it, inside a fancy bordcr, I have to
say that postage stamps were issued to
the public for the first time on the
23rd April, 1851, and that stamped en-
velopes were not issued until some
years later. The stamped envelope to
which you refer may have been an
envelope so stamped on the prepay-
ment in the New Carlisle Post Office.
of three pence, the required charge for
postage.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
WILLIA SMITH, Secretary."
It will be noted from the conclusion
of this letter that, according to the
department at Ottawa, one might in-
fer that the use of such a stamp would
not be irregular. This is confirmed by

the following extract from a reply to
a letter a friend of mine wrote to
Ottawa at my request :-
OTTAWA, March 2nd, 1904.
-"I took those questions of Mr.
Green.shields over to Mr.  of the
Post Office Department. He tells me
that before the first issue of stamps,
which took place on the 23rd of April,
1851, each Postmaster had a steel
stamp which he used to mark the
amount prepaid on the letter. These
stamps were of different patterns, and
it is probably the impression of one of
them that appears on Mr. Green-
shield's envelope. In some of the
smaller post-offices they continued to
use these stamps as late as 1875.
It is rather a singular coincidence
that if the inquiry had been, regard-
ing the position of Postmaster, more
than one day earlier, the Canadian
records would not have shown
whether the man named had held
office or not, the reason being that it
was on the 6th of April, 1851, that the
Post Office Department was trans-
ferred from the Imperial Government,
and all records prior to that date are
in the possession of the Imperial au-
thorities."

It seems strange that more of these
covers have not been found. Such
well-known authorities on the stamps
of British North America as Mr.
Lachlan Gibb and Mr. William Patter-
son, of Montreal, and Mr. Donald A.
King, of Halifax. had not seen any
until I consulted them about this one.
I think it is very interesting to hear
of a stamped envelope like this being
used by the Post Office just before the
issue of postage stamps.
So far as we have been able to find
out the above constitutes all that has
been published regarding this envelope.
We can find no further mention of it in
the columns of the London Philatclist
or of any other journal published since
1904 nor does Mr. Howes so much as
refer to it in his recently published
monograph on Canada's postal issues.
Yet, on the face of it, the matter seems
one worthy of extended investigation by
some Canada specialist or other. Its
history, as given above, is similar in
many respects to the history of many of
the much sought after Postmaster's pro-
visional stamps of the United States and
there is a possibility that this envelope
may represent a legitimate postmaster's
provisional.

CHAPTER III.--Thc First Issue.

In common with the other Colonies
of British North America Canada was
granted the privilege of administrating
its own postal service in 1850, and in
the same year an Act was passed pro-
viding for the change. It is hardly
necessary to quote this Act in full
though the following extracts are of
interest :-
CAr. VII.
An Act to provide for the transfer
of the management of the Inland Posts
to the Provincial Government, and for
the Regulation of the said department.
II.--And be it enacted, that the In-
land Posts and Post Communications
in this Province shall, so far as may
be consistent with the Acts of the Par-
liament of the United Kingdom in
force in this Province, be exclusively
under Provincial management and
control; the revenues arising from the
duties and postage dues receivable by
the officers employed in managing such
Posts and Post Communications shall
form part of the Provincial Revenue,
unless such monies belong of right to

the United Kingdom, or to some other
Colony, or to some Foreign State, and
the expenses of management shall be
defrayed out of Provincial Funds, and
that the Act passed in the Eighth year
of Her Majesty's Reign, and entitled
An Act to provide for the manage-
ment of the Customs, and of matter
relative to the collection of the Pro-
vincial Revenue, shall apply to the said
Posts and Post Communications, and
to the officers and persons employed in
managing the same, or in collecting or
accounting for the duties and dues
aforesaid, except in so far as any pro-
vision of the said Act may be insus-
ceptible of such application, or may be
inconsistent with any provision of this
Act.
VIII.--And in conformity to the
agreement made as aforesaid between
the Local Governments of the several
Colonies of British North America, be
it enacted that the Provincial Postage
on letters and packets not being news-
papers, printed pamphlets, magazines
or books, entitled to pass at a lower
rate, shall not exceed Threepence cur-

9

i. e. Queen Victoria). In each of the
angles is a large uncolored numeral "3".
Mr. Howes tells us that this stamp was

designed by Sir Stanford Fleming, a
civil engineer and draughtsman.
The beaver, depicted on this stamp,
rejoices in the scientific name of Castor
fiber. It is a rodent of social habits and
was at one time widely distributed over
Europe and North America. It is now
practically extinct except in Canada and
even there it is said to be in great dan-
ger of extermination. Full-grown ani-
mals vary in length from thirty to thirty-
six inches. They are covered with short,
thick fur, which is of considerable value
and their structural peculiarities are
well worth noting. The beaver is fur-
nished with powerful incisor teeth, with
which it is able to bite through fairly
large trees, and its fore paws are very
strong. Its hind feet are webbed, so
that it is a powerful swimmer, and its
tail is flattened, and serves as an excel-
lent rudder. Its ears are small and
when laid back prevent any water en-
tering them. Beavers generally live in
colonies, and show remarkable intelli-
gence and ingenuity in the construction
of their homes or "lodges" and in the
building of dams, where water in the
vicinity of their dwellings has become
too shallow to suit their tastes. These
dwellings are often constructed on the
banks of rivers, but the Canadian beaver
is particularly fond of building lodges in
the centre of large expanses of fairly
shallow water. These are made of turf,
tree-trunks, and other materials, and are
often used as store houses for food re-
serves, as well as for living in.
The 6d stamp follows the usual up-
right rectangular form and its central
design consists of the portrait of Prince
Albert, the Royal Consort. The por-
trait is enclosed within an ulSright oval
inscribed in a similar manner to the 3d
but with, of course, "SIXPENCE" on
its lower portion. The numeral "6" is
shown in each of the four angles. Al-
bert Francis Charles Augustus Emanuel
the younger of the two sons of Ernest,
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, was born
in 1819. He was carefully educated at
Brussels and Bonn (1836-8), where he

showed himself an ardent student, ac-
quired many accomplishments, and de-
veloped a taste for music and the fine
arts. King Leopold and Baron Stock-
mar had long contemplated an alliance
between Prince Albert and Princess
Victoria, and the pair were brought to-
gether in 1836. When the succession of
Victoria was assured the betrothal took
place, and on February 19th, 1840, the
marriage, which was one of real affec-
tion on both sides, was solemnized in
the Chapel Royal, St. James Palace.
The Prince Consort's position as the
husband of a constitutional sovereign
was difficult, and in the early years of
his married life his interference in mat-
ters of state was resented. Ultimately
he became "a sort of minister, without
portfolio, of art and education", and in
this capacity won much esteem and popu-
larity. He also interested himself in
agriculture and in social and industrial
reform. To him was due the Great
Exhibition of 1851, which resulted in a
balance of a million dollars available
for the encouragement of science and
art. His personal character was very
high, and he exercised great influence on
his children. He was an ideal consort,
and entirely worthy of the title "Albert,
the Good". On December 14th, 1861,
he succumbed to an attack of fever, and
was buried in St. George's Chapel,
Windsor. His remains were afterwards
removed to the mausoleum at Frogmore.

The lod stamp is very similar in de-
sign to the 6d denomination but bears
the portrait of Queen Victoria. The
life and reign of Queen Victoria are
matters of such general knowledge that
biographical details are hardly neces-
sary. A few words, however, regarding
the source of this handsome portrait,
which was used to adorn so many of
the earlier British Colonial stamps, will
not be amiss. Mr. Howes tells us that
this portrait "was taken from the fuI1
length painting by Alfred Edward
Chalon, R. A., which was ordered bv
the Queen for her mother, the Duchess
of Kent, as a souvenir of Her Majesty's
first visit to the House of Lords. The

12

certain as there are no official records
relating to this though, as a supply was
received on May 2nd, they were doubt-
less issued some time during the same
month. The 12d was issued on June 14tb
as we shall show later.
The three values of this series, as well
as other denominations in pence issued
later, were withdrawn from use on July
1st, 1859, when decimal currency was
introduced. By means of much diligent
search through Post Office Reports and
other records Mr. Howes has deter-
mined that a total of 3,528,700 3d
stamps were issued and a total of
402.900 of the 6d value. Some of both
these values were issued with perfora-
tion late in 1857 or early in 1858. Un-
fortunately there is no means of sepa-
rating these from the imperforate ones
as shown by the official figures but if we
use the somewhat rough-and-ready
means of reckoning afforded by cata-
logue quotations it would seem that of
the above totals about three million of
the 3d and 325,0oo of the 6d were
imperforate.
The 12d value, as every collector
knows, is a very rare stamp. Even had
the full supply of 51,000 stamps, re-
ceived in the first and only consignment
from the manufacturers on May 4th,
1851, been issued, it would have been a
rare variety, but as a matter of fact,
the greater portion of the consignment
was destroyed and only 1510 were ac-
tually issued. An interesting article
published in the Metropolitan Phila-
telist in 1902 shows that this denomina-
tion was first issued on June 14th, 1851,
and supplies were made to various post
offices as follows :--

No. Stamps
June 14th, 1851, Hamilton, 300
Oct. 17th, 1851, Chippewa, 100
Nov. 13tb, 1851, Thorold, 20
Nov. 25th, 1851, Toronto, 200
Mar. 8th, 185, o, Montreal, 200
Sept. 14th, 1852, Ingersoll, 100

Apr. 5th, 1853, Ottawa (then known
as Bytown), 100
Oct. 20th, 1853, Sherbrooke, 15
Jan. 13th, 1854, Smith's Falls, 50
Jan. 20th, 1854, Ottawa, 100
Feb. 8th, 1854, L'Islet, 15
Feb. 27th, 1854, Ingersoll, 20
Mar. 22nd, 18.54, Sault S. Marie, 25
May 15th, 1854, Port. du Fort, 15
Oct. 21st, 1854, Rowan Mills, 50
Oct. 26th, 1854, Melbourne, 50
Oct. 27th, 1854, Montreal. 100
Dec. 4th, 1854, Smith's Falls, 50
Total stamps, 1,510
The consignment sent to Smith's
Falls on December 4th, 1854, was the

last distributed. While we can trace no
official notice referring to the discon-
tinuance of this denomination, or the
actual date at which it ceased to be
used, the writer of the article referred
to above says that the balance of 49,490
stamps were destroyed on May 1st, 1857,
"in accordance with the practice of the
Department in cases of the discontinu-
ance of stamps" though as this was the
first Canadian stamp to be discontinued,
a precedent could hardly have been es-
tablished.
The following interesting excerpt
from the Stamp Collectors" Magazine
for April, 1870, states that the 12d value
was discontinued in 1855 and it also
lays considerable stress on the scarcity
of used specimens of this stamp, viz:--
One of our readers observing from
a reply we made to a correspondent
in the last October number, that we
were in doubt as to whether the 12d
was ever actually used, has been good
enough to write the Deputy Post-
master-General on the subject and has
obtained from him the following
reply :--
"Ow, 28th October, 1869.
DAR SXR :--In reply to your note of
the 26th inst., let me say that the
twelve penny postage stamps were is-
sued to the public in 1851, but did not
find favor, and so few were sold--
only a fev hundred altogether in
three or four years--that they ceased
to be issued in 1855.
I am, dear Sir, yours very faithfully,
W. A.
This is satisfactorily conclusive as
to the emission of the stamp in ques-
tion; but if even only a few hundreds
were used, we are surprised that no
used copies turn up. Were they used
otherwise than for postage? Mr.
Philbrick informs us that no unused
copy of the stamp was ever seen by
him, nor does he know of its exist-
ence. Plenty of proofs on India paper,
etc., exist, but the paper of the stamp
was laid and thin, of a hard texture.
An extract from the Stamp Collectors"
Monthly Gazette, published at St. John,
New ]runswick, in September, 1869,
shows that the rarity of the 12d was al-"
ready recognised as witnessed by the
fact that "even $5" could be obtained
for a specimen. We give the paragraph
in full :-
This stamp, as some of our readers
are aware, was in use but a short
time, so short, that many persons,
even those residing in Canada, knew
nothing about it. One gentleman liv-

14

ing in Quebec, to whom we had writ-
ten on the subject some time ago, in-
formed us that we must have been
laboring under some mistake, when
we asked him for some particulars
about it. He told us that no such
stamp was ever issued; but a subse-
quent letter from him told a totally
different tale (as was expected)--he
gave us a few facts, and that was all
we wanted. It was first intended for
postage to England, and was actually
used for a time. The postage was
afterwards reduced and the 10d stamp
took the place of the 12d. The latter
is now (the genuine) one of the rarest
in existence, and very readily obtains
such prices as $4.00 and even $5.00
for one specimen. Proofs are often
offered for sale on India paper, with
the word 'specimen' written on one
side. Amateur collections must con-
tent themselves with this last, for it is
utterly impossible to obtain the real
Simon Pure article for less than the
stuns we name, and even then, it is
doubtful whether it can be had at the
price or not. The color of the gen-
uine stamp is black, it is an adhesive,
and contains a portrait of Queen Vic-
toria in an inscribed oval, with figures
12 at corners.
All three values of this first set were
issued imperforate and while the 3d, of
vhich at least three millions were is-
sued, varies but little in shade, the 6d,
printed in comparatively small quan-
tities, provides a number of striking
tints. In his check-list, Mr. Howes
gives "black-violet, deep-violet, slate-
violet, brown-violet, dull purple, slate,
black brown, brownish black, and green-
ish black", and we have no doubt the
list could be considerably amplified,
though the above should be sufficient
for the most exacting of specialists.
The catalogue gives two distinct sorts
of paper--laid and wove--for all three
values, with a sub-variety of the latter,
designated "thin", for the 3d and 6d de-
nominations. But specialists are not
satisfied with this meagre classification
and recognise numerous other varieties
such as trick white laid, soft white
wove, thin and thick grayish, thick hard,
thick soft, ribbed, etc. Mr. D. A. King,
in his article in the Monthly Journal,
says, "There are fourteen varieties that
we are able to distinguish", and he gives
a general classification of their charac-
teristics as follows :-
Series I, II, IV and V.---The tex-
ture of these papers is virtually the
same, and it is indeed often difficult,
particularly in the case of the 6d, to

distinguish between the laid and wove
papers. The lines in the laid paper
are of a most peculiar character, and
cannot, as a rule, be brought fairly
out by holding the stamp between
one's eyes and the light. The best
way to test these two papers is to lay
the stamps, face down, on a black
surface, and let the light strike them
at about an angle of fifteen degrees,
when the laid lines are brought most
plainly into view. It is necessary,
however, to place the specimens so
that the light will strike them par-
allel to their length, as the laid lines
run horizontally in the 3d, and verti-
cally in the 6d and 12d.
Series III.--This is an entirely dif-
ferent paper to those mentioned above.
The laid lines are most distinct, while
the paper is of a different texture and
color from the regular gray shade.
Series VI.--The paper of this series
is almost as thick as that employed
for series XII. There is a vast dif-
ference, however, in its appearance, as
the paper of series VI. is much hard-
er than that of series XII. It feels
greasy when rubbed between the
thumb and finger, and the color of the
paper is distinctly different from that
shown by series XII.
Series VII, VIII and IX.--We are
able to divide the thin-ribbed papers
into three varieties, which the descrip-
tion plainly indicates. They are very
distinct, and can be distinguished
by a moment's inspection without
hesitation.
Series X.--This is a very peculiar
sort of paper, which is quite fragile,
and will not bear much handling. It
is quite as soft as that of series VII.
Series XI.---This paper is also, of a
peculiar texture ; the surface presents a
sort of hairy appearance, and the qual-
ity is better than Series X, although
not as tough as series XII.
Series XII and XIII.--This paper
presents, even when looking at the
face of the specimens, so entirely dif-
ferent an appearance to that employed
in any of the other series, that a ref-
erence to the back is hardly neces-
sary. It is found in two thicknesses,
which have the same appearance, and
seems to have been employed for all
the values except the 12d.
Series XIV.--We are surprised that
this variety has hitherto escaped no-
tice. It is so distinct, both in paper
and color, from any of the other 6d
stamps. It has only been found in
shades of a peculiarly brownish purple
which is a color entirely different

1.5

from that presented by specimens on
any other of the papers, employed.
It is an exceedingly rare variety.
It would indeed be a task for the
most intrepid of specialists to try and
complete his Canadian stamps on such
ambitious lines, to say nothing of ac-
quiring the ingenuity necessary to dif-
ferentiate between them. Their phila-
telic importance is, in our humble opin-
ion, not a matter of very great conse-
quence. At that period, hand-made
paper was still being used to a very
large extent and even machine-made
paper was not manufactured with the
nicety of standardisation that is pos-
sible with the improved machinery of
to-day. Consequently, the sheets of
paper, even in such a small commercial
quantity as a ream, would generally
show considerable variation in texture.
Thin and thick sheets were frequently
mixed to obtain the necessary weight
per reana specified iu any particular
grade of paper. No particular quality
of paper was, apparently, specified for
the manufacture of these stamps, and
so long as it looked much about the
same it is very obvious the printers
made no particular effort to maintain an
exact standard. It is even questionable
that the wove and laid varieties mark
distinct consignments or printings of
the stamps. Indeed, so far as the 12d is
concerned at any rate, both varieties
must have been included in the same
consignment. But, more serious still,
from the point of view of those col-
lectors who consider the wove and laid
papers should be treated as major va-
rieties, Mr. King admits that "the lines
in the laid paper are of a most peculiar
character" and that "it is often difficult
to distinguish between the laid and the
wove papers", while Mr. Howes states,
"It happens sometimes that it is quite
difficult to distinguish the laid paper, a
very careful scrutiny or even the ex-
treme resort to the benzine cup being
necessary to bring out the watermarked
lines, and perhaps then only in a half
suspicious way." Writing in the Can-
ada Stamp Sheet (Vol. IV, page 142),
concerning the 12d value, Mr. John N.
Luff stated, "It is my opinion that both
the wove and laid papers are quite
genuine and I think it is possible that
both varieties might occur though there
was only one lot sent out by the print-
ers. It does not, of course, follow that
the entire batch was printed on the
same day or that two varieties of paper
may not have been used. The early
printers were not always very particu-
lar about their paper, provided it was

somewhat alike in a general way. Some
collectors claim that laid paper is often
of such nature that the lines do not
show in some parts of the sheet, and I
believe there is evidence to support this
theory."
It is quite within the bounds of pos-
sibility that the paper generally used
for these stamp.s was intended to be
what is known as "wove" to the trade,
and that the "laid lines" originated in a
purely accidental manner and are rather
on the order of the "laid paper" va-
rieties found in connection with the
first 8c and 12c stamps of Sarawak.
In short, it is probable that in some
sheets at any rate the laid lines showed
only in part. At best, therefore, it
would appear that the "wove" is but a
minor variety of the "laid" or vice
versa, and while both varieties, as well
as other varieties easily distinguished,
such as the very thin and very thick,
are of interest to specialists, they
throw no light whatsoever on the his-
tory of the stamps, and do not, from
all the available facts, represent sepa-
rate printings, so that their philatelic
importance (aside from comparative
rarity as minor varieties, with its
accompanying variation in monetary
worth) is not of a particularly high
order.
One peculiarity resulting from the
use of papers of such varying quality is
an apparent difference in the size of
stamps of the same denomination. For
instance, the stamps on the thinner
kinds of paper generally measure 22 x
18 ram., while those on thicker paper
measure 22 x 17 ram. and papers of
other thicknesses provide still other
measurements. These differences in size
(fairly considerable in relation to the
comparatively small area of a postage
stamp) proved very puzzling to col-
lectors of twenty years or so ago for,
though it was felt that the stamps came
from the same plates, it was at the
same time found impossible to account
for such varieties, except on the hy-
pothesis that all the impressions of the
plate were not all applied alike or that the
hardening of the plates before printing
resulted in contraction in parts with a
consequent variation in the size of dif-
ferent impressions. The same sorts of
varieties have been noticed in many
other stamps printed by the line en-
graved process, notably in such stamps
as the "pence" Ceylons, and proper in-
vestigation finally proved beyond a
shadow of doubt that these differences
in size were due to nothing more than
uneven contraction of the paper after

16

.printi.ng: It must be understood that
m printing stamps by the line-engraved
method the paper usually has to be
slightly wetted (this was an invariable
rule at the time these early Canada
stamps were printed) and it can be
easily seen that the wetting would have
quite different results on different quali-
ties of paper. Some would be more ab-
sorbent than others and would stretch
while damp and contract again when
drying. The amount of wetting admin-
istered, would, also, result in differences
even m the same quality of paper.
These variations in the size of the de-
sign, therefore, while interesting in
themselves as examples of paper va-
garies, are of little, if any, philatelic
importance.
Bi-sected stamps were not used in
Canada to auything like the same extent
that similar varieties were used in the
other British North American provinces.
The 6d is catalogued as having been
divided diagonally and the halves used
as 3d stamps, though there can have
been uo real necessity for such bi-sec-
tion. A bi-sected stamp of quite an-
other character was mentioned in the
Monthly Journal for April, 1898, as fol-
lows :-
The Post ONce describes a so-
called "split provisional" of the early
3d stamp, which is described as con-
sisting of one and a half of the un-
perforated 3d on wove, upon an entire
envelope postmarked "Port Hope,
July 16th, 185'5, Canada, Paid 10c."
Our contemporary does not appear to
perceive that the postmark plainly in-
dicates that the supposed half stamp
is really only a badly cut copy; the 3d
of Canada passed for 5 cents, and as
this letter is plainly marked "Paid
10c", the stamps upon it evidently
passed as two 3d, not as one and a
half, which would have corresponded
to no rate of postage.
The same journal, two months later,
made more extended reference to this
variety and while its bona-tides as a
"split" is established its use as a half
stamp is as much a mystery as ever.
We cannot do better than give the
paragraph in full:-
In the New Issues column of our
number for April, we called in ques-
tion the character of a supposed
"split" three pence stamp of Canada,
which had been chronicled in the
Post ONce, New York. In reply to

1851.

our criticism, Messrs. Morgenthau &
Co., the publishers of that magazine,
have most kindly forwarded to us the
letter bearing the divided stamp, and
have requested our opinion upon it.
The specimen is such a curious one
and presents, we think, such a puzzle
for philatelists, that we have taken
the liberty--which we hope its owner
will pardon--of having a photographic
block made from it, and we give a
full size illustration, showing both the
stamps and the postmarks, herewith.
As our readers may perceive, we were
quite wrong in suggesting that the
"split" stamp was merely a badly cut
copy, as it appears to have been care-
fully bi-sected diagonally and to have
been intended to pass as a half stamp,
making up, with the entire stamp to
which it is attached, a rate of 4d.
If this were all, though the specimen
would be a great rarity--indeed, we
believe it to be unique--it would not
be necessarily a great puzzle to us.
It is true that we do not know of any
4d rate in Canada, and there never
was a 4d stamp in use there; but
still, such a rate might have existed,
although there was no possible means
of making it up except by the use of
at least three d stamps; but the
puzzling part about this letter is that
it is addressed from Port Hope in
Canada to New York, the single rate
from Canada to the United States
was 10 cents; the letter is marked
"CANADA P.4ID o Cts."by the side
of the stamps, and that rate was six-
pence in Canadian currency. The
whole document appears to us to be
perfectly genuine and bona-fide; we
have examined it with a skeptical
mind and a powerful magnifying
glass, and we can only say that if it
is a "fake" it is wonderfully well
done. On the other hand, if it is
genuine, the half stamp must have
done duty as a whole one, because it
certainly took two 3d stamps to make
up the 10 cents rate. The puzzle
remains a puzzle to us, but we are
grateful to iessrs. Morgenthau for
their courteous reply to what may
have appeared a captious criticism.
Reference List.
Engraved and printed by Rawdon,
Wright, Hatch & Edson, New York,
on laid or wove paper. Imperforate.
1. .d vermilion, Scott's No. 1 or No. 4.
-'2. 6d violet, Scott's No. 2 or No. 5.
. l"-d black, Scott's No. 3 or No. 6.

17

central oval. The inscribed band aronnd
this contains the words CANADA
PACKET POSTAGE at the top, and
SIX PENCE STERLING atthebottom,
the two inscriptions occupying so much
space that there was no roonifordivid-
ing ornaments of any kind. In the
upper and lower left hand corners is "6d
stg." and in the right hand corners
"7d cy." is shown. A word of explan-
ation regarding the use of the word
PACKET in the inscription is neces-
sary. This does not refer to any parcel
post (indeed, there was no parcel post
at that period) as has sonietimes been
erroneously asserted, but refers to the
fast mail steamers of the day which xvere
then known as "packets". This denom-
ination, as shown by the extract from the
Postmaster- General's report printed
above, was intended for use on single
letters sent to England via the Canadian
packets.
This 7d stamp vas, according to Mr.
Howes, printed in sheets of 120 arranged
in ten horizontal rows of twelve each,
each sheet showing the imprint of the
maufacturers eight times on the margins
as in the case of the values issued pre-
vious to 1857. Only one consignment,
consisting of 834 sheets (100,800stamps)
was received, and as 17,670 of these were
still on hand vhen the decimal currency
was introduced in 1859, a simple calcu-
lation will show that the total quantity
issued was 82,410 stamps.
Although there had been a real need
for a halfpenny value since the first adhe-
sives made their appearance in Canada--
as shown by several rates it was impos-
sible to prepay in stamps without them--
it was not until 1857 that a stamp of this
denomination vas placed in use. The
followin-g circular announced their im-
pending issue :-
POSTAGE ON NEVSPAPERS AND PERI-
ODICALS.
POST OFFICE DEPARTIIENT.
TORONTO. ISth July, 1857.
Under the Post Office Law of last
Session taking effect from 1st August,
1857, Newspapers printed and pub-
lished in Canada, and mailed direct
from Office of Publication, xvill pass
free of Canadian Postage.
Periodicals so printed, published,
and mailed when specially devoted to
Religious and to General Education, to
Agriculture, or Temperance, or to any
branch of Science, will pass free from
any one Post-Office to another within
the Province.
Transient and re-mailed Papers
and Periodicals will pass by Post if

prepaid by Postage stamp-one half-
penny if not exceeding 3 oz. in weight,
and 2d if over 3 oz.
Postage Stamps of the value of one
halfpenny each will be sold to the
public at all the principal Pos Offices
(including all Money Order Offices),
with a discount of 5 per cent. upon
purchases of not less than twenty
stamps and will be available in pre-
payment of Newspapers and Period-
icals, and of Drop and Town Letters.
R. SPrNCE. Postmaster-General.
The Royal Philatelic Society's book
gives the date of the above notice--
July 18th, 1857--as the date of issue of
the new stamp but, as Mr. Howes ob-
serves "it is more likely that the stamp
was issued on 1st August, the day the
new rates took effect."
Although this stamp is generally con-
ceded to be the last of the "pence"
values to be issued, until more definite
information regarding the date of issue
of the 7d can be procured, this sup-
position can rest on no more substantial
basis than that of mere conjecture.

The design is quite unlike that of any
of the other values expressed in pence
and consists of the conventional profile
portrait of the Queen shovn on so many
of the stamps of the British Empire,
within an oval band inscribed CANADA
POSTAGE, at the top, andONEHALF
PENNY, at the bottom. There are no
numerals or inscriptions in the corners
but merely a plain pattern of diagonally
crossed lines. Mr. Howes states "the
stamp was printed in sheets of 100, ten
rows of ten, with the right marginal
imprints as described for the series of
1851."
From the Postmaster-General's report
we gather that 1,341,600 halfpenny
stamps were received prior to October
1st, 1857, though whether these were all
in one consignment or not is not quite
clear. At any rate iudging from the
statement in the same report that "the
Department has been led to take meas-
ures for obtaining sheets per-
/orated'" it would appear t'hat the above
quantity comprised all the imperforate

2O

perforate varieties are all legitimate, and
undoubtedly genuine, having been seen
in pairs, or in single copies with mar-
gins beyond cavil". Mr. Charles L.
Pack writing in the London Philatelist
regarding these varieties says :--
I have the lc and 5c postmarked in
1860 and 1861 at Toronto and Pres-
cott, Canada West. I also believe that
these varieties were on sale at Kings-
ton, Canada West, at about that time.
I have also the 2c and 10c in un-
doubtedly early used condition.
Bisected varieties of the 5c and 10c of
this issue are known though, as Mr.
Howes states of these varieties, they
"were never authorised and seldom
used". The Philatelic Record for
October, 1888, mentions a part of a
cover with a 10c and half of a 5c side
by side which were evidently used in

prepayment of the 12r/2c rate, while Mr.
Howes records the existence of a pair
of the 5c used with a half stamp of the
same denomination to make up the 12Ic
packet rate. The same writer records a
diagonal half of the 10c used as a 5c
stamp from Bowmanville, Upper Cana-
da, on February 15th, 1860. Whether
these "splits" were the work of private
parties or were made by postal officials
to fill a temporary shortage of certain
values will probably never be knovn.
leference List.
1859-64. Engraved and Printed by the Ameri-
can Bank Note Co., New York. on
white wove paper. Perforated 11.
10. lc pink, Scott's No. 14.
11. 2c rose, Scott's No. 18.
12. 5c vermilion, Scott's No. 15.
13. lOc lilac, Scott's No. lfi.
14. lc green, Scott's No. 19.
1;3. 17c blue, Scott's No..20.

CHAPTER VII.-- The

The steady growth of Upper Canada,
chiefly due to immigration,, until it had
twice the population of its sister
Province, Lower Canada, aroused cries
for a readjusted representation, which
threatened the French with a hopeless
minority in Parliament and the coun-
try with another impasse. The federa-
tion of all the provinces under some-
thing like the American system was the
only solution; and with, for the most
part, the cordial co6peration of the mari-
time provinces, the great scheme was
carried through, and the new dominion
launched in 1867. Each province re-
tained its local autonomy and separate
legislature under a lieutenant-governor,
always a Canadian, nominated by the
federal executive. To the latter was
reserved all great affairs, such as de-
fense, customs, Crown lands, Indians,
and the organisation of the vast western
territories then just beginning to open
tlp.
The famous Sir John Macdonald, the
most illustrious of Canadian statesmen,
was prominent in the federal movement,
as also was Sir Charles Tupper. A final
meeting was held in London, and early
in 1867 the British North America Act
was passed through the Imperial Par-
liament. The new capital was fixed at
Bytown, a small town up the Ottawa
well removed from the frontier, fairlv
central to all the provinces, and felici-
tously rechristened Ottawa. Here were
erected the stately houses of parliament
for senate, commons, and the entire gov-

First Dominion Issue.

ernment staff, familiar to all travellers,
and there, too, the governor-general
of all British North America took up
his residence, Lord Monck being the
first to hold this high office, and Sir
John Macdonald the first premier.
The British North America Act, re-
ferred to above, provided for the di-
vision of the Dominion of Canada into
four provinces named Ontario, Quebec,
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and
also made provision for the admission
of Newfoundland, Prince Edward
Island, British Columbia, etc., when
such admission should be deemed ad-
visable. The Act went into force on
Jtfly 1st, 1867, and as a mark of the im-
portance of this event the first day of
July is now a national holiday known
as "Dominion Day".
It only remains to say that Prince
Edward Island, British Columbia and
Manitoba (not then organised) came
into the federation shortly afterwards.
One of the chief duties of the first
Parliament, which met at Ottawa on
November 6th, 1867, was the revision
and consolidation of the laws of the
various provinces now federated, and
amongst these were, of course, the laws
relating to the Post Office. The Act
passed for the regulation of the postal
service is a lengthy one and the only
provisions of special interest to us as
philatelists, those relating to the rates of
postage,--are more clearly and definite-
ly tabulated in a Department Order is-
sued from Ottawa on March 1st, 1868,

8

As soon as the total number of
stamps mentioned in said schedule is
issued the plates from which they will
have been engraved will be destroyed
iu the presence of the head and two
officers of the department. On the
loth of June the Post Office Depart-
ment will proceed to supply Jubilee
postage stamps to the principal post-
offices in Canada, and through them
minor post offices will obtain their
supply until the issue is exhausted. If
this Jubilee issue were to wholly dis-
place the ordinary postage stamps it
would supply the ordinary wants of
the country for between two and three
months, but as the use of the ordinary
postage stamps will proceed concur-
rently with that of the Jubilee stamps,
it is expected that the Jubilee stamps
will last beyond the three months.
Inasmuch as the department is already
receiving applications for the purchase
of Jubilee stamps, it may be stated
that the department will adhere to the
established practice of supplying them
only to postmasters, and through them
to the public, who may purchase them
on and after the 19th June, 1897.
It will be noted that the Post-Office
Department made no pretense ,about
the matter but stated quite candidly that
the issue would be limited and before
very long, by means of different official
notices and communications it was made
quite plain that the issue was intended
to sell and that restrictions would be
placed on the scale of the more desirable
values, which were issued in but small
quantities.. With the first upply of
these stamps sent to postmasters the fol-
lowing circular was sent :--
N. B.--Requisitions for full sets of
the Jubilee stamps will be fiilled un-
til the issue is exhausted.--E. P. S.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA,
POSTAGE STAMP BRANCH,
OTTAWA, June, I897.
Sir:--I am directed by the Post-
master-General to send you herewith
a supply of the Jubilee stamps and lc
post card, equal to one month's or-
dinary requirements of your office.
Should this quantity prove insufficient
it will, on your requisition addressed
to this branch, be supplemented; but
as the Jubilee issue is limited, it
would be necessary for you to apply
early in order to secure further sup-
plies of the same.
I am also to instruct you not to
sell any of the accompanying stamps
or postcards before the opening of
your office at the regular office hours

on the 19th June instant--the eve of
the anniversary they are intended to
conlmenlorate.
These stamps and cards are, of
course, like the ordinary issues, to be
sold at face value.
I am, Sir, Your Obedient Servant
E. P. STANTON, Superintendent.
P. S.--As there appears to be a
somewhat general desire on the part
of many persons to purchase, for
souvenir purposes, complete sets of
the Jubilee stalps, it is hoped that
you will so manage the sale of such
stamps that persons applying to pur-
chase full sets may be able to get
them.--E. P. S.
The stamps were placed on sale
throughout the Dominion on the morn-
ing of Saturday, the 19th of June the
eve of Jubilee day proper. Naturally
there was a big rush on the part of the
public to obtain specimens of the much
heralded stamps and in the larger cen-
tres the post offices vere literally be-
sieged. Speculators tried to corner the
c and 6c denominations, which ad-
vance particulars had shown to be the
most desirable of the lower values, but
the stamps were doled out carefully and
large orders were promptly and firmly
refused. But though care was exercised
the department was convinced, from the
result of the first day's sale, that steps
would have to be taken to further re-
strict the sale of the desirable denomina-
tions. The demand for the stamps at
the chief office was so great that a cir-
cular letter was prepared to be des-
patched to applicants, this reading as
follows :-
Post OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA,
POSTAGE STAMP BRANCH,
OTTAWA, 26th June, 1897.
Sir,--With reference to the numer-
ous demands upon this office for the
c and 6c Jubilee stamps, I am di-
rected to explain that the respective
quantities of Jubilee stamps ordered
bear. relatively, the same proportions
to the actual requirements of the
Postal Service, but the tendency to ex-
haust the HALVES and SIX'ES has
increased to such a degree, that it has
become necessary to restrict their sale
to the purchasers of full sets. Hence
I am to express the Postmaster-Gen-
eral's regret that he is unable, having
regard to the limited character of the
Jubilee issue, to comply with any re-
quests for the //c or 6c denomina-
tion, apart from those for full sets.
These sets mav be obtained as long as
the series of Jubilee stamps last, but

44

Ma.jesty as she appeared at the coro-
nation, except that a coronet is sub-
stituted for a crown. The portrait
has been engraved from a photo pro-
cured during the Jubilee ceremonies,
and upon which was the Queen's own
autograph, so that it is authentic.
The corners of the stamp will be
decorated with maple leaves, which
vere pulled from maple trees on
Parliament Hill and engraved direct-
ly from them. Everything indeed is
correct and up to date, and the new
issue will reflect credit on Mr.
Mulock's good taste. The engravers
will take care to make this permanent
and ordinary issue a tribute to their
skill. The present stock of stamps
it will take some months to exhaust,
and not till they are done will the
new stamps be issued. It may be
about November of this year.
About a month later a circular was
addressed to postmasters announcing
the issue of the new stamps as follows:
Circular to Postmaster.
NEW ISSUE OF POSTAGE STAMPS, ETC.
The Postmaster-General has made
arrangements for a new issue of
postage stamps, letter cards, stamped
envelopes, post cards, and post bands.
These will be supplied to postmasters
in the usual way. Postmasters are,
however, instructed not to sell the
stamps of any denomination of the
new ssue until the stamps of the cor-
resp.onding denomination of the pres-
ent ssue are disposed of. The filling
of requisitions by the Postage Stamp
Branch will be regulated by the same
principle--that is to say, no item of
the proposed issue will be sent out
until the corresponding item of the
present issue has been exhausted.
To conform to the requirements of
the International Postal Union the
color of the new lc stamp will be
green and that of the 5c stamp a deep
blue.
R. M. COULTER,
Deputy Postmaster-General.
Post-Office Department, Canada.
OTTAWA, 25th October, 1897.
The Postmaster-General's Report for
1897, issued after the stamps had made
their appearance, also refers to the new
issue and to add completeness to our
history we extract the following:-
Owing to the change of contract for
the manufacture and supply of post-
age stamps, a new series of stamps
became necessary at the beginning of
the present fiscal year. Nev stamps
ranging in value from the c to the

10c denomination (inclusive) were
printed, and the first supplies thereof
sent out to postmasters as the cor-
responding denominations of the old
stamps became exhausted. A con-
siderable quantity of the higher values
of that series (15 cents, 20 cents and
50 cents) remaining over from the
late contract, these three stamps con-
tinued to be issued, so that the de-
partmeut, previous to the introduction
of the same denominations in the new
series, might, in accordance with the
universal practice, dispose of the old
stamps in each case, before issuing
any of the new. The design of the
new stamps is of a uniform character,
and consists of an engraved copy (re-
duced) of an authorized photograph
of Her Majesty taken during the
Diamond Jubilee year. This, placed
within an oval bearing the usual in-
scriptions, is euclosed within a rec-
tangular frame, a l:lap/e leaf on a
lined ground occupying each of the
triangular spaces between the two
frames. To conform to the regula-
tions of the Universal Postal Union,
the color of the new 1 cent stamp is
green, and that of the 5 cents a deep
blue. This necessitated corresponding
changes in the colors of the other
stamps of the new series; for ex-
ample, purple instead of green being
selected for the 2 cent denomination,
and orange instead of slate for the 8
cent.
The first denomination of the new
series--the  cent--was placed on sale
on November 9th, 1897. About the end
of the same month the 6c made its ap-
pearance, and this was quickly followed
by the lc, 2c, 5c and 8c in December.
The 3c and 10c were issued early in
January, 1898, so that official instruc-
tions that the new stamps were not to
be issued until the supplies of the old
issue were exhausted were fully carried
out. though all values were on sale
within the space of about three months.

The design of the new stamps is at
once simple and effective. In the cen-
tral oval is a three-quarter face portrait
of Her Majesty, with head to left,
which was copied from a photograph

49

were necessary before the stamps were
completed and, as may readily be under-
stood, a three color process in such a
slnall compass made exact register a
matter of difficulty. Thus ou many
stamps portions of the Empire are
found much out of place, sometimes
wandering into the sea and sometimes
encroaching in an altogether too famil-
iar manner on their neighbours. The
new stamps came in for much criticism,
of which the following extract from the
Monthly Journal for January, 1899, is a
fair sample :-
It is not quite an occasion for cap-
tious criticism, and when we get a
beautiful colored map of the world
for a penny perhaps we ought not to
criticise; hut we cannot think that the
design is a very appropriate one for
a postage stamp. The blobs of red
are not always quile correctly placed;
xve have even heard of cases in which
a little irregularity of "register" has re-
sulted in the annexation of the greater
part of the United States. while Eng-
land invaded France, and the Cape of
Good Hope went out to. sea!
The Canadian newspapers are not
quite happy about it, but that is natu-
ral, as they are to pay extra ,postage
in future to make up any deficiency
in the hudget caused by the reduction
iu the Imperial rate; we hear that
even a Ministerial organ at Ontario
complains that the new stamp is too
large to lick aud too small for wall
paper! Some people are never satis-
fied.
The color choseu for the sea portion
of the map was lavender at first, but
as this was not .considered altogether
appropriate it xvas soon afterwards
changed to sea-green. In addition to
these two tints it also comes in a very
pronounced blue.
Tile line-engraved plates from which
the black portion of the design was
winted have four marginal imprints
consisting of AMERICAN BANK
NOTE CO. OTTAWA in Roman capi-
tals  ram. high, the whole inscription
being 29 ram. long. These are placed
above the third and eighth stamps of
the top row and below the correspond-
ing stamps of the bottom row. In ad-
dition a plate nuinber, in hair-line
figures about 4 ram. high, is shown

above the division between the two
central stanps of the top row, these
figures being placed higher on the mar-
gin than the imprints. Mr. Howes tells
us that plates 1, , 3, and 5 are known
but that plate 4 does not seem to have
been recorded though, presumably, it
exists. All four plates are known with
the lavender sea and this is known to
indicate the first printings, it would
appear that all the plates were at press
together.
The late Mr. H. L. Ewen wrote an
exhaustive article on the numerous va-
rieties of this stamp but as most of
these were simply due to errors of reg-
ister their philatelic importance is slight.
One variety, however, which is constant
is worthy of note. In this two small
dots representing two islands in mid-
pacific are shown side by side instead of
one above the other as on the nornal
stamps. Mr. Ewen also referred to a
slight retouching of one of the plates,
ViZ. :-
Readers will have noted that the
stamps are each surrounded by what
appears to be a rope. On the sheet
of plate 3 before us, the outer edge
of this rope on the stamps at the end
of each rov (right hand side of each
sheet) has worn away and has been
replaced by a straight line engraved
on the plate, except ou stamp No. 8o,
which still shows the very defective
nature of the rope. 
Mr. Howes states that the stamp, with
all three colors for tile sea, is known
imperforate.
How many vere issued is not known
for certain as these Imperial stamps
were reckoned together with the ordi-
nary 2c in the postal accounts but ac-
cording to the London Philatelist the
total issue was about sixteen millions.
In concluding this chapter we have only
to add that the cost of nanufacturing
the stamps, on account of the three pro-
cesses necessary, was the relatively
high one of 45 cents per thousand.
Reference List.
Xmas, 1898. Engraved and trinted by the
American Bank Note Co., Ottawa.
Unwatermarked. terf. 12.
6.q. 2c black, lavender and red, Scott's No.
82.
kq. 2c black, green and red.
70. 2c black, blue and red, Scott's No.

CAwVa XVII.- The "2 Cents" Provisionals.

One result of the Imperial Conference
on Postal Rates held in London, in ad-
dition to the inauguration of Imperial

Penny Postage, was to revive the agita-
tion for the reduction of the domestic
rate on postage in Canada from 3c to 2c

54

on letters weighing one ounce or less.
Indeed just prior to this Convention a
bill in amendment of the Post Office Act
had been assented to by Parliament
under which it was agreed the reduced
rate of postage should prevail, but no
immediate steps were taken to enforce
the reduction, it being left to the Gov-
ernor General to name a date when the
change should take effect. The estab-
lishment of hnperial Penny Postage,
however, brought matters to a head, for
it was a ridiculous state of affairs under
which a charge of .c had to be levied in
carrying a letter from one town to
another in Canada while 2c would carry
a similar letter (if under half an ounce
in weight) to any point in the British
Isles. Consequently the Governor Gen-
eral named New Year's Day as the date
when the reduced rate of domestic post-
age should come into force as shown by
the following "Order in Council" :--
Posa" OvvIcE DAXTrtENT.
By Proclamation dated the 2uth
day of December, 1808, in virtue of
the Act further to amend the Post
Office Act (61 Victoria, Chapter 20)
and of an Order in Council in ac-
cordance therewith, it was declared
that the postage rate payable on all
letters originating in and transmitted
by post for any distance in Canada
for delivery in Canada, should be one
uniform rate of two cents per ounce
weight, from the 1st January, 1899.
The immediate effect of this change
of rates was a vast increase in the de-
mand for 2c stamps and a correspond-
ing decrease in the use of the 3c. Also,
to fall in line with Postal Union re-
quirements a change of color wa
necessary, but this did not take place
at once, the postal authorities preferring
to follow their usual precedent of using
up the old stamps first.
The 3c, which had been printed in
large quantities, moved so slowly that
the Post-Office Department decided
that the only way the stock could be
used up within a reasonable time would
be to reduce the stamps to the value of
2c by means of a surcharge. This in-
tention, as well as a change in the color
of the regular 2c stamps, was set forth
in a circular issued on July 1st, 1899,
from which we extract the following:-
Owing to the reduction in the Do-
mestic letter rate of postage, the is-
sue of the 3c letter-card, the 3c
stamped envelope, and the 3c postage
stamp from the Department has
ceased. Any unused 3c letter-cards,
3c stamped envelopes or 3c stamps,

still extant, will, however, continue
available for postal purposes, or may
be exchanged at any Post Office, at
their full face value, for postage
stamps of other denominations.
The color of the Domestic-rate
postage stamp, as prescribed by the
Universal Postal Union, is red, and it
is intended to discontinue the issue of
the ordinary two-cents purple colored
stamps as soon as the present supply
on hand is exhausted. This will be
about the 20th July, 1899. Thereafter
the Department will issue two cents
stamps in red, first, however, sur-
charging down to two cents the unis-
sued remnant of the three cents
stamps in red, now in the possession
of the Department, and as soon as
the supply of such surcharged threes
is exhausted, the issue of two cents
stamps in red will begin. The sur-
charged stamps will be issued to Post-
masters as 2c postage stamps and be
recognised as postage stamps of that
denomination.
The official estimate of the time the
then existing stock of 2c purple stamps
would last was not far wrong for on
July 20th the first of the surcharged
labels were issued. The surcharge fol-
lows a somewhat peculiar arrangement
the numeral "2" and "S" of CENTS
being larger than the rest of the in-
scription, which is flat at the bottom and
concave at the top. This distinctive
type is said to have been adopted to
make counterfeiting difficult, though it
is hardly likely anyone xvould have re-
duced a 3c stamp to the value of 2c
with the idea of defrauding the Govern-
ment! Evidently the inscription was
specially engraved and from it a plate
was constructed so that a sheet of one
hundred stamps could be overprinted at
one operation. Some little variation will
be found in the thickness of the type
of the surcharge though whether this is
due to the use of more than one plate
or simply to overinking or wear is a
doubtful matter. The normal position
of the surcharge is horizontally across
the bottom of the stamps but owing to
poor register it is sometimes found
much out of position, and specimens
with the overprint across the centre of
the labels have been recorded.
The surcharge vas, at first, applied
only to the 3c stamps of the numeral
type but it was soon decided to also use
up the unissued remainders of the 3c
"maple-leaf" design by surcharging
them in "the same manner. These
stamps were first issued on August 8th.
Both varieties are known with inverted

55

These have happily been sur-
mounted, and nov that the issue is
an accomplished fact it is with much
gratification that we illustrate the de-
sign of the new stamp, our illustra-
tion, prepared some time back, being
taken from a proof from the steel
die engraved by Messrs. Perkins,
Bacon & Co., of London, and used in
the manufacture of the plates of the
several values issued by the Canadian
postal authorities on the 1st instant.
By comparing our illustration with the
stamp as issued it will be seen that
the contractors or the postal authori-
ties have made some alterations in the
design, which, in our judgment, are
by no means improvements. The
leaves in the lower corners have been
redrawn on a slnallcr scale, and hardly
impinge upon the frame; their draw-
ing is vastly inferior, and the grace-
ful effect of the brokeu circle is lost.
The nmnerals of value are in color on
a white ground reversing the original
design, the labels being larger and the
ligures taller and thinuer, this also
detracting naterially from the charm-
ing homogenity of the stmnp as first
proposed. The greatest alteration,
and the worst, is the substitution of
heavy diagonal lines for horizontal
ones in the background. The latter
were finely drawn and delicately
shaded, leaving the King's Head in
clear outline, and [ram.cd by the dark
oval band containing the inscriptions.
The background and frmne no longer
present this artistic effect, and the
whole design materially suffers there-
by.
The circumstances connected with
the inception of the issue are as grati-
fying as they are novel, and viil be
hailed with acclamation by the Phila-
telists of the British Empire.
The Postmaster of Canada, Sir Wil-
liana Mulock, being one of the many
distinguished visitors to this country
during the Coronation festivities, took
the opportunity afforded by his visit
of approaching the Prince of Wales,
and of meeting His Royal Highness's
suggestions and advice in the prepara-
tion of a new die for the Canadian
stamps. The Prince, with his charac-
teristic energy and courtesy, cheer-
fully undertook the task. and it will be
seen from our illustration with abso-
lute and conspicuous success. H.R.
H. wisely decided, in the first instance,
that it is advisable to have some con-
tinuity of design in succeeding issues.
and therefore adopted the frame and
groundwork of the then current
stamps as a basis. In selecting a por-

trait of llis Majesty the Prince de-
cided to rely upon a photograph
giving a true likeness of the King as
we know him. in lieu of an idealised
representation by an artist. The photo-
graph eventually chosen, with the full
approval of His Majesty, was one
taken shortly before the Coronation.
The likeness is undoubtedly what is
termed a speaking one, and with the
addition of the Coronation robes rep-
resents as faithful and as pleasing a
picture of the King, at the time of his
accession to the throne, as it is pos-
sible to find. The introduction of the
Tudor crowns in the upper angles,
which was another of the Prince's
innovations, obviates the difficulty that
has so often made "the head that
vears a crown" lie "uneasy" on a
postage stamp. These emblems of
sovereignty, taken in conjunction with
the Canadian maple leaves in the
lower angles, completes a design that
for harmony, boldness and simplicity
has assuredly not been excelled by
any hitherto issued stamps of the
British Empire. It is palpable, on
analysing the stamp, (1) that the at-
tractiveness of the design has in no
way been allowed to militate against
its utility, for the country of origin
and denomination are clearly ex-
pressed; () that the boldness of the
design has not been detracted from
(as is so often the case) by super-
fluous ornamentation, and that the
design has been artistically balanced
by the introduction of the right-sied
portrait and the proper treatment of
light and shade.
These stamps were. of course, printed
from line-engraved plates like those of
the preceding issues, and the same sheet
arrangement of 100 stamps in ten rows
of ten each was followed. The marginal
imprint sboxvn on the top margin of
each sheet is like that shown on the
Queen's head sheets and the plates for
each value vere numbered from 1 up-
wards. Mr. Howes records the follow-
ing plates as having been used up to
December, 1910 :--
1 cent--Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
13, 14, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25, 34, 47, 48,
51, 52, 55, 58.
2 cents--Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,
35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 47, 53, 54, 55,
56, 57, 58, 59, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 70,
71, 72, 73, 74, 78.
5 cents--Nos. 1, 2.
7 cents--No. 1.
10 cents--Nos. 1, 2.

course on the part of the holders.
The description of "printer's waste"
seems to be correct and the inference
is that the stamps never bad been
gummed. They belong to that class of
curiosities that appeal strongly to the
specialist, but which the ordinary col-
lector regards as something apart
from his collecting policy.
The stamps did not go back to Ot-
tawa, and the postal authorities there
annoyed, doubtless righteously, that such
things should escape from their well
regulated printing establishment went to
considerable trouble to make the ira-
perforates of small monetary value.
"]'he following paragraph, written by a
correspondent of the WEErc'z, was the
first inkling collectors had that the de-
partment had thought any more of the
matter :-
It may be of interest to know tbat
the last supplement to the Canadian
Post Office Guide contains the fol-
lowing: "In view of representations
which have been made to the Depart-
ment, it has been decided to permit
the sale of the P--cent denomination of
Canadian postage stamps of the cur-
rent issue, in sheets of 100, without the
tsual perforation.'" I at once asked
for a sheet of the -cent, and inci-
dentally said I would take a sheet of
the other denominations if available.
A reply came to-day informing me
that only the :-cent would be avail-
able, and then not for some time, as
the department intends to make a
separate printing of these stamps, to
supply whatever demand may occur.
It was stipulated that applications for
these imperforate stamps should be
made to the Postmaster at Ottawa.
When the sheets of these stamps came
into collectors' hands it was found they
had been printed from piates 1. and 14-
the same as those from which the origin-
ally chronicled "errors" were printed. It is
obvious that the Department issued
these stamps simply to "get back" at
the holder of the sheet so unfortunately
blown or thrown out of the printing-
office window in 1906. That they were
not intended for use in mailing machines
seems amply proved from the fact that
none of the 2c stamps of the present
issue have been issued in imperforate
sheets.
No c value was issued in the King
Edward design although the Queen's
head stamp of that denomination con-
tinued in use until 1909. This value was
primarily intended for use in prepaying
the postage on transient newspapers,
but for many years the number sold to

the public was out of all proportion to
those which could have been required
for its legitimate use. There is no doubt
that large quantities were purchased by
stamp dealers for wholesaling to packet
makers and dealers in the cheap ap-
proval sheet business and, undoubtedly,
stamp collectors in Canada usually pre-
ferred to use four c stamps on their
letters rather than an ordinary c one.
This excessive demand for the c re-
sulted in the Post Office Department
issuing the following circular to Post-
masters in 190 :-
The attention of postmasters is
drawn to the fact that the postal
necessity for the c stamp, as such,
is now confined to one purpose--pre-
payment of newspapers and periodicals
posted singly, and weighing not more
than one ounce each. As publications
of the kind referred to must, in the
nature of things, be few, and as in the
case of their being mailed to sub-
scribers by the office of publication,
the bulk rate of postage would be
far cheaper and more convenient for
the publisher, the demand for the c
stamp throughout the Dominion must
be appreciably diminished as a result
of this restriction of its use. While,
of course, any number of c stamps
on an article of correspondence will
be recognized to the full extent of their
aggregate face value, it is not the
wish of the Department to supply
them except for the sole specific pur-
pose above mentioned, and an intima-
tion to that effect should be given by
postmasters to patrons of their office
who are in the habit of buying -cent
stamps for other postal purposes.
This circular had quite an effect on the
use of c stamps, for only about one-
third as many were used in the year
following the publication of he circular.
Finally, on May 19th, 1909, the Post
Office Act was amended so that the
special rate on newspapers was repealed
and the minimum postage on any single
piece of mail became lc. This did away
for the necessity of c stamps and, of
course, discounted any further possi-
bility of the value being included in the
King's head series.
Reference List.
190-8. Die engraved by Perkins, Bacon &
Co., London. Plates prepared and
stamps printed by the American
Bank Note Co., Ottawa. No. wink.
Perf. 1.
78. lc green, Scott's No.
79. -% carmine, Scott's No..qO.
80. 5c blue on blue, Scott's No. 91.
S1. 7c olive-bistre, Scott's No. 92.
8-'2. 10c brown lilac, Scott's No.
8.']. 90c olive-green. No. 94.
84. 0c purple, No. 9.

scenes, portraits, etc. The description
of each denomination is as follows:--
I lalf-cent, grey, picture of the Prince
and Princess of Wales.
One-cent, green, portraits of Cham-
plain and Cartier.
Two-cent, red, King Edward and
Queen Alexandria.
Five-cent, blue, representation of
L'Habitation de Quebec.
Seven-cent, yellow, pictures of Mont-
calm and Wolfe.
Ten-cent, mauve, picture of Quebec
in 1700.
Fifteen-cent. orange, picture of the
Parliament of the West in the old
regime.
Twenty-cent, green, picture of a
courier du sois with Indians.
The stamps were placed ou sale on
July 16th and, as will be noted from our
illustrations, they are as described
above except that the 15c does not have
Champlain's name on it as stated in the
first quotation, and that the 15c and 20c
are incorrectly described in the second
despatch. The stamps are of similar
shape to the special series issued in
Diamond Jubilee year though they are
a trifle larger--1 ram. taller and nearly
. ram. longer. "Uhe Postmaster-Gen-
eral's Report for 1909 referred to this
issue as follows:-
To meet what appeared to be a
general wish a special series of post-
age stamps, which has come to lye
known as the Tercentenary Series,
was introduced as a feature of the
celebration in July, 1908, of the three
hundredth anniversary of the found-
ing of Quebec by (hamplain. The
first supply of these stamps was sent
out to Postmasters about the rriddle
of that month, and was on sale to the
public by the time His Royal Highness,
the Prince of Wales, reached Quebec
for the celebration. The demand for
the new stamps was extraordinary,
and for the better part of a month
was steadily kept up. The interest
taken in them was, in no small meas-
ure, due to tile historic associations
with vhich in design they were so
happily linked, the subjects depicted
in the several denominations of the
series being in variety and appro-
priateness admirably adapted to the
end in view,--popular recognition of
an epoch-making event.
Except as regards the Postal Union
denominations of lc, 2c and 5c the
colors chosen for the xtamps of this
series do not correspond vith those of
lhe regular set. The stamps were pro-

duced by the line-engraved process,
which has long been the standard
method of production for Canada's
stamps, and as usual they were issued
in sheets of one hundred in ten rows
of ten. It seems probable that the plates
for the 2c, and possibly for the lc also,
consisted of two panes of 100 stamps
each placed one above the other. This
seems to be proved from the fact that,
whereas cm most sheets the imprint
"'OTT/WA" followed by the llate
number, appears in the ceutre of tile
top margin, sheets of the 2c are known
with the imp.rint in the centre of the
bottom margin, and in the case of
plates 3 and 4 both imprint and num-
ber are inverted. The inversion on
these particular plates was, probably,
purely accidental. But though these
large plates were used the stamps were
always issued in the usual sheet size
of 100. The following plates are
known to have been used :--
c dark bron, No. 1.
lc blue-green, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4.
2c carmine, Nos. 1, 2, 3. 4.
5c dark blue, Nos. 1, 2.
7c olive-green, No. 1.
10c dark violet, No. 1.
15c red-orange, No. 1.
20c yellow brown, No. 1.
The stamps were all printed on the
usual white wove paper and were per-
forated 12, though specimens of the 2c
are known entirely imperforate. Fairly
well marked shades may lye found in
connection with the lc and 2c denomi-
nations but the other values show but
very slight differences.
3he royal portraits on the c and 2c

64

but finally he was beseiged in Quebec
by General Wolfe, at the head of
30,000 men. He was obliged to give
battle under unequal conditions, and
on September 13th was mortally
wounded at the battle of the Heights
of Abraham and died two davs later.
The victorious English gene-ral was
also killed in the same battle.
The names of both these leaders,
enemies though they were, have
graven themselves inseparably on the
memories of the inhabitants of Que-
hec. In 1827 the Governor of
Canada, Lord Dalhousie, erected a
marble monument to their memory,
on which is a Latin inscription, which
may be rendered freely thus :-
"Their courage caused their death.
History pratses them both.
Posterity erects this monument to
their honour."
No advauce informatiou was pub-
lished as to the numbers printed of the
several values in the series, as in the
case of the Jubilee set, so that little
attempt at cornering any particular
values was made by speculators. True,
large quantities of the c value were
bought up by people who imagined it
would be as rare as the corresponding
value of the Jubilee stamps, but as
there were two million of these they
did not turn out to be the gold-mine it
was fondly imagined they would. By
September, 1908, all values except the
10c, 15c and 20c had been exhausted
and by the end of October these three
values were sold out as well. The
numbers issued were later given out by
the Postmaster-General in ans,aer to
two questions propounded to him in the
House of Commons by Mr. Perley, a
member. The Canadian Hansard gives
this data as follows:--
l.--Vhat was the total arnouut re-
ceived by the Post Office Departrnent
from the sale of the special Tercen-
tenary stamps? 2.--What part of
this sum would probably have been
received as ordinary revenue if there
had been no special issue of starnps?
To these questions the Hon. Ru-
dolphe Lernieux, Postmaster-General.
responded: The following was the
issue to Postmasters of the Tercen-
tenary postage starnps:
Denonlillations. Quantities. Value.

 cent 2,0.00,000 $10,000
1 cent 22,530,000 $225,300
2 cent 35,100,000 $702,000
5 cent 1,200,000 $60,000
7 cent 700,000 $49,000
10 cent 500,000 $50,000
15 cent 300,000 $45,000
20 cent 304,200 $60,840

Totals,

62,6.24.200 $1,202,140

The department has no knowledge
whether the stalnps in question have
all been sold, as during their issue
the ordinary postage stamps were also
on sale, both issues being in use as
preferred by the public. The pro-
ceeds derived from the sale of stamps
of the two issues were not kept sepa-
rately, hut treated as arising frorn a
common source. It is, therefore, im-
possible to state to what extent the
ssue of the Tercentenary postage
stamps may have affected the ordinary
revenue.
The fact that the Prince of Wales was
an ardent stamp collector resulted in
the presentation to him of a specially
mounted set as shown by the following
paragraph from the WEEKLY :-
AS the Prince of Wales is an en-
thusiastic collector of stalnps, His
Royal Highness will no doubt be very
pleased to receive the set of the spec-
ial tercentenary stamps which will
he presented to him at Quebec. The
stamps will be held in small gold
boxes, enclosed in a handsome large
box of Morocco leather. A second
set accompanies the gift in a special
gold box, on the cover of the large
box is the Prince's crest and a gold
plate inscribed as follows: "Set of
Canadian postage stamps issued upon
the occasion of the Quebec tercenten-
ary, 1908. Presented to His Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales by Hon.
Rudolphe Lemieux, Postmaster-Gen-
eral of Canada." Sets of these
stamps, in boxes with appropriate
crests and monograms, will be pre-
sented to Earl Grey, Sir Wilfred
Laurier and Hota. Rudolphe Lemieux.
Reference List.

1908. Engraved and printed by the American
Bank Note Co., Ottawa. No wink.
Per[. 1.
,%5. c dark brown, Scott's No. 9;.
86. lc blue green, Scott's No. 97.
87. 2c carmine, Scott's No. 98.
88. 5c dark blue, Scott's l'qo. 99.
89. 7c olive green, Scott's 1N'o. 100.
90. 10c dark violet, Scott's No. 101.
91. 15c red orange, Scott's No. 102.
92. '20c yellow brown, Scott's No. 103.

CHAPTER XXIV.
The King George Stamps.
On May 6th, 1910, King George V suc-
ceeded to the throne but the Dominion
of Canada did not take steps towards
issuing a series of starnps hearing the
portrait of the new rnonarch until some
time later. The lc and 2c denominations
were recorded in the Monthly Journal for
Jannary, 1912, so they were doubtless on

"Fhe Postmaster-General's Report for
18S9, in referring to the advance in the
registration charge, says :-
The charge for the registration of
a letter, parcel, book or other articles
of mail matter was also made uni-
form, and fixed at 5 cents for all
classes of matter. The frequent de-
lay cousequent upon the prepayment
of a wrong registration fee will no
longer take place.
"['he removal of the printing estab-
lishment of the British American Bank
Note Company from Montreal to Ot-
tawa resulted in some marked changes
in the shades of the then current postage
stamps as we have already shown in a
prexuous chapter. The registration
stamps were also affected in some de-
gree the  cents value, iu particular, ap-
pearing in a number of new and
brighter tints. The ,5c appeared iu bluc-
green--a distinct contrast from the
green and yellow-green shades previous-
ly current.
In 182 some of the postage stamps,
it will be remembered, appeared in
sheets of 00 instead of 100 as formerly.
About the same period new plates were
made for the 5c registration stamp.
these containing one hundred impres-
sions in ten rows of ten, instead of fifty
as hefore.
On August 1st, 1893, a regular post-
age stamp of the denomination of 8c
was issued for the purpose of paying
the postage and registratiou charge and
the appearance of this sounded the
death knell of the special registration
stamps. The supplies in the hands of
postmasters were used up and vhen ex-
hausted no more were printed.
Much has been written regarding the
2c registration stamp printed in brown.
These were origiually found at the
Miscou Light House Post Office in New
Brunswick and though the stamps were
in an unmistakably dark brown shade it
has since been satisfactorily proved that
the change was quite accidental and that
immersion in peroxide would restore
them to their original color. Although
the Postmaster of the above named of-
rice is said to have stated that the
stamps were in brown when he received
them there is little doubt he must have
been mistaken. Much the same thing
happened in connection with the current
six cents United States stamps at an
office on the Pacific Coast (San Pedro).
Some of these stamps were found in a
distinct brown shade almost exactly

matching that of the 4c value and
though some local collectors had
dreams of a rare error of color it was
easily proved that they were simply
oxidised.
Rcfercnce List.
187-89. Engraved and printed by the British
American Bank Note Co., Montreal
or Ottawa. No wink. Perf. 1.
104. 2c vermilion, Scott's Nos. 1.51 or 152.
1o5. 5c green, Scott's No. 15:|.
loll .'4c blte. Scott's No. 154.

CHAPTER

The Postage Due Stamps.

Like most other cotmtries Canada
managed to collect the p,}stage due on
insufficiently prepaid mail matter for
many years without the use of special
stamps for the purpose. About 1906 it
dawned on the Post Office Department
that the use of special stamps would
simplify matters and place the collec-
tion of monies due on a more systematic
basis. Consequently a circular was is-
sued to postmasters, under date of June
1st, 1906, advising them that postage
due stamps would be issued and must,
for the future, be used in collecting in-
sufficient postage. The salient points
from this circular are given by Mr.
Howes as follows:--
Commencing on the 1st July, 1906,
the present system of collecting un-
paid postage will be discontinued and
thereafter the following arrangements
will supersede the regulations now in
force :--
(1) The Department will issue a
special stamp which wil.l be known as
the "'POSTAGE DUE" stamp and on
delivery of any article of mail matter
on which unpaid or additional postage
is to be collected the Postmaster will
affix and cancel as ordinary stamps
are cancelled, postage due stamps to
the amount of the extra postage
charged on such article.
(2) The short paid postage must
be collected from the addressee be-
fore postage due stamps are affixed;
otherwise the Postmaster is liable to
lose the amount of such postage.
(3) Postmasters will obtain post-
age due stamps on requisition to the
Departmeut but the initial supply will
be furnished without requisition, so
that the new system may go into

77

,peration on the (late above men-
tioned. When a uew form is ordered
"'p,,stage due" stamps will be included
in the printed list, but it is proposed
to use the stock on hand at present
which would otherwise have to be de-
stroyed. The denominations of the
new stamps will be 1, 2 and 5 cents.
Iu his Report for 1906 the Post-
master-General refers to the new inno-
vation as follows:--
A system of accountiug for short
paid postage collected by Postmasters,
by means of special stamps known as
"Postage Due" stamps, has been
adopted by the Department. These
stamps are to be affixed to shortpaid
mail matter aud cancelled by Post-
masters when such matter is delivered
to the addressee, and are not to he
used for any other purpose. The5"
cannot be used for the paymeut of
ordinary postage, nor are they to be
sold to the public.

These stamps are of special design
and though of the same size as the
regular postage stamps the design is
printed the longer vay so that in gen-
eral appearance they are greatly differ-
ent. The design has, as its centerpiece,
a large uncolored numeral on an eight-
sided tablet. Above is CANADA and
below is the word CENT while at the
sides are elaborate scroll ornaments.
Across the base the words POSTAGE
DUE are shown in bold uncolored capi-
tals while the balance of the design con-
sists of an engine-turned groundwork.
They are printed from line-engraved
plates in sheets of one hundrred, as usual.
In the centre of the top margin is the
imprint, "'OTTAWA", followed by the
plate number. Mr. Howes states that
plate 1 is known for all three values
aud plate 2 for the 2 cent only.
Rcfercnce List.
1906. Engraved and printed by the Ameri-
can Bank Note Co., Ottawa. No
wmk. Perf. 12.
lO7. lc dull violet, Scott's No. lXt;.
10S. 2c dull violet, Scott's No. 1"7.
109. 5c dull violet, Scott's No. r-',q.

Cn ^va'v.a XXXI.
The "'Officially Sealed" Labels.
Although "officially sealed" labels can-
not by any stretch of the imaginati.on
be considered as postage stamps or, m-
deed, of having any philatelic signifi-
cance yet they are collected by many,
in common with adhesive registered
labels, as having an interest owing to
the fact that the) are visible evidence
of one phase of the working of the post
office. The "officially sealed" labels
used by the Canadian Post Office seem
to have been first recorded in the latter
part of 1879. The first type consists of
a rectangular label, measuring about
252 by" 38 ram. ou which the words
"'OFFICI-LL SEALED" are shown
.straight across the centre. Above this.
m a curve, is the inscription "POST
OFFICE CANADA", while below, in a
similar curve, is "'DEAD LETTER
OFFICE". The border consists of a
handsome piece of engine-turned en-
graviug. These labels vere normally
perforated 12 but they are also known
entirely imperforate. Much misconcep-
tion existed as to the use of these labels
until Major E. B. Evans, when visiting
Canada in 1889, took the opportunity of
finding out exactl_v for what they were
used. The results of his investigations
were published in the Philatelic Record
for November, 1889, and as the article
is full of interest we need make no
apology for reproducing it in ea'tenso:--
When I was in Canada last July I
made special enquiries about these
labels, as there appeared to be some
mystery- about their use. Everyone
agreed that they were not placed
upon all letters opened at the Dead
Letter Office and returned to their
senders, and no two persons seemed
to have quite the same theory as to
the rules for their employ'ment or
uon-employment in any particular
case. Even gentlemen connected
with the Post Office at Halifax, such
as Mr. King and others, could give me
no definite information. I therefore
determined to see what I could do at
headquarters in Ottawa.
Fortunately. I was able, through a
collector in an official position, to ob-
tain an introduction to the Deputy
Postmaster-General, who most kindl."
gave me the following particulars.
which show that the employment of
the ofiqcially sealed labels is very re-
stricted, thus accounting for their
rarity.

78

Letters in Cauada, as in the United
States, very frequently have on the
ontside the well-known notice con-
taining the address of the seuder, and
a request that the letter may be re-
turned if not delivered within a cer-
tain time. These, of course, are not
opened at the Dead Letter Office. and
in fact, [ think, are ordered not to
be sent there, but are returned direct
from the office to which they xvere
originally addressed or from the head
office of the district. On the other
hand, those that have no indication
of the address of the sender on the
outside are sent to the Dead Letter
Office, and there necessarily opened;
but neither of these classes thus
properly dealt xvith is considered to
require the officially-sealed label. It
is only if oue of the former class,
having the sender's nane and address
on the outside, is sent to the Dead
Letter Office and there opened in
error that the officially-scaled label is
applied, to show that such letter has
been opened officially, and not by any
unauthorized person. Whether these
pieces of gummed paper ever had a
more extended use or not I cannot
say, but I was assured that the above
was the substance of the regulations
as to their employment.
The Deputy Postmaster-Geueral
further stated that there had been so
many requests for specimens of these
labels that the Department had been
obliged to make it a rule to turn a
deaf ear to all of them. Iu any case
they are not postage stamps, properly
speaking, at all. They indicate

neither postage paid uor postage due,
but simply that the letters to which
they are attached have been opened
hy proper authority, and they at the
same time afford a means of reclosing
them.
About 105 a label of new design was
introduced, this, of course, being the
work of the American Bank Note Com-
pany. These are larger than their
predecessors and are very handsome
labels. In the centre is an excellent
portrait of Queen Victoria, adapted
from the "Law Stamps" of 1897. with
"CANADA" in heavy uncolored Roman
capitals curved above, and, at the top.
the words "OFFICIALLY SEALED"
in letters so graded that the tops form
a straight line, while the bottoms follov
the curve of "CANADA". Under the
portrait the words "DEAD LETTER"
are shown on a straight label which ex-
tends right across the stamp, while be-
Ioxv this is the word "OFFICE" on a
curved tablet. The spaces at the sides
and the bottom are filled with elaborate
foliate ornaments and engine-turned
work. These labels are also perfo-
rated 19 and exist on txvo kinds of
paper. Until about 1907 the paper was
of a pale blue color while subsequent
printings have been on ordinary white
paper.
Rcercnce List.
1879. Engraved and printed by the British
American Bank Note Co.
(No value) deep brown.
1905-7. Engraved and printed by the Ameri-
can Bank Note Co.
t No value) black on blue paper.
(No value) black on white paper.

THE Ergo.

Approval
Department

 Special attention is paid to the Approval
Department of my.b.usiness, which is under
my personal supervision.
 The most satisfactory manner in which to
purchase stamps is from approval books when
the collector has the opportunity of inspecting
the specimens at his leisure. My stamps are
all arranged in books by countries, mounted
and arranged according to the latest edition
of Scott's catalogue. Above each stamp the
catalogue number and price is plainly shown
and below my net selling price is marked.
 These books contain unused and used
stamps, several copies of the same variety being
included wherever possible so that the collector
has ample choice. All minor varieties of shades,
watermarks, perforation, etc., are included as
well as occasional pairs and blocks of four.
Prices are most reasonable and average about
half catalogue. As most of these books are of
considerable value they can only be sent to
collectors well known to me or to those supply-
ing first class references.

Sp " "
ec al sts

 A cordial invitation is extended to all
advanced collectors and specialists to acquaint
me of their special countries. I co.ntinually
have rare and out-of-the-way items n stock
and shall be glad to send particulars of these
to interested clients.

B. W.
312 Washington Building,

Ho

POOLE
LOS ANGELES, CAL.