THE
                             POSTAGE STAMPS,
                               ENVELOPES,
                        Wrappers, and Post Cards
                                 OF THE
                NORTH AMERICAN COLONIES OF GREAT BRITAIN.

                      With Autotype Illustrations.

                        _COMPILED AND PUBLISHED_
                                   BY
                     THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.

                         (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

                              LONDON, 1889.




PREFACE.


Investigation into the history of the various and successive issues of
labels, wrappers, and envelopes connected with the Postal systems of the
British Colonies in North America does not present the difficulties which
had to be surmounted in the case of the Australian Colonies, and perhaps
does not therefore include subject matter of so interesting a character
as that comprised in the recent “Oceania” Catalogue.

Reference Lists of the North American Colonies have nevertheless been
hitherto crude, as well as deficient, and even incorrect in detail, thus
affording but superficial aid to the Philatelist: and the endeavour of
the Society in the following pages has been to amplify the information
at present in the possession of collectors; and by the collation of
contents of recent papers in Canadian and English journals, as well as by
reference to official gazettes and correspondence, to present as far as
possible a complete history of the Postal Service in these Colonies.

In this endeavour it has derived a large amount of assistance from the
researches of its late Secretary, Mr. E. D. Bacon, whose Notes at the
head of each Colony were originally intended to have been read as a paper
before the London Society, but which, by the desire of the Committee
entrusted with the revision and publication of the accompanying lists,
he has consented should be amalgamated with them, thus adding to the
completeness of the present work. The Society is also largely indebted to
Mr. Donald A. King for the permission to reproduce the valuable contents
of certain papers he contributed to the _Halifax Philatelist_.

The lists of Canada and Newfoundland, the only two of the Colonies now
using distinct stamps, have been completed to the end of June, 1889.

The same mode of illustration by the Autotype process, which proved
successful in the case of the “Stamps of Oceania,” has been adopted on
the present occasion, and is undoubtedly the most satisfactory of all
methods of reproduction in fac-simile which have come under the notice of
the Society.

_August, 1889._




LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.


    T.  Top.
    B.  Bottom.
    R.  Right.
    L.  Left.
    c.  cent or cents.
    d.  dollar, penny, or pence.
    s.  shilling, or shillings.




BRITISH COLUMBIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND.


PRELIMINARY NOTES.

_BY E. D. BACON._

Before laying before the members of the Society the few official notices
I have collected in reference to the Stamps of the North American
Colonies, I purpose prefacing what remarks I have to make in each case
with a short _resumé_ of the history of each of the provinces. These
historical particulars are taken for the most part from _The Colonial
Office List for 1889_, and are supplemented by additions from one or two
other works of reference.

British Columbia is situated on the north-west coast of North America,
and comprises the territory between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific
Coast; bounded on the north by the 60th parallel, and on the south by
the United States, the average breadth being about 250 miles, and the
length of coast line 450 miles. The area (including Vancouver and Queen
Charlotte Islands) is about 341,000 square miles.

British Columbia was constituted a Crown Colony in 1858, owing to the
large immigration consequent on the discovery of gold in that year.
Vancouver Island, discovered in 1592 by Juan de Fuca, was leased to the
Hudson’s Bay Company in 1843, and made a Crown Colony in 1819. In 1866
the colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island were united, and
on July 20th, 1871, British Columbia entered the Dominion of Canada.
Vancouver Island is sometimes called QUADRA, after the Spanish commandant
on the coast of the mainland, at the time that the island was visited, in
1792, by the British naval officer, Captain George Vancouver, from whom
it derives its more usual name.

The earliest issue of _The Government Gazette, British Columbia_, I have
been able to find in this country is that of January 7th, 1865. This
number contains the following notices:

    “PUBLIC NOTICE.

    “_BRITISH COLUMBIA._

    “RATES OF POSTAGE.

    “Between British Columbia and Vancouver Island, delivered at
      Victoria or New Westminster, for each Letter under ½ ounce       3d.

    And for every additional ½ ounce or fractional excess              3d.

    For each Newspaper                                                 1d.

    On all Letters and Papers to or from abroad, and delivered or
      mailed at New Westminster, in addition to Foreign Postage,
      for each letter under ½ ounce                                    3d.

    And for every additional ½ ounce or fractional excess              3d.

    For each Newspaper                                                 1d.

    Between a Post Office at any one place in the Colony and a
      Post Office at any other place in the Colony, in all cases
      to be prepaid, for each Letter under ½ ounce                     6d.

    And for every additional ½ ounce or fractional excess              6d.

    For each Newspaper                                                 6d.

    “N.B.—Packages or Parcels other than Newspapers, and not
    exceeding 8 ounces in weight, will be charged at Letter rate of
    6d. per ½ ounce. No Parcel can be taken exceeding 8 ounces in
    weight.

                       “(Signed) WARNER R. SPALDING, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, _8th June, 1864_.”

    “PUBLIC NOTICE.

    “On and after the 20th day of June, 1864, all Letters and mail
    matter liable to postage must be prepaid. Until other stamps
    shall have been substituted there will be issued for the
    prepayment of postage the postage stamps at present in use,
    bearing the mark 2½d., for which the sum of 3d. will in future
    be charged.

                       (Signed) WARNER R. SPALDING, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, _11th June, 1864_.”

The above no doubt first appeared in _The Gazette_ about the middle
of June, 1864; but, as is customary with similar notices, copies were
published in subsequent numbers, and in this case continued to appear
until the latter end of 1865. Not having been fortunate enough to find
a file of _The Gazette_ for 1861—the year the Two Pence Halfpenny stamp
is said to have been first issued in—I am unable to give the exact day
this stamp came into use. I am inclined to think the stamp was first
solely used to prepay letters sent between New Westminster, the capital
of British Columbia, and Victoria, the capital of Vancouver Island. If
this was so, we see from the first of the above notices that this rate
was raised one halfpenny in June, 1864. It is apparent from the second
notice that whatever distance the old 2½d. rate formerly paid, it was
done away with or raised in the above month, as the stamp was to be
sold at 3d., pending the arrival of a new one bearing the higher value.
Perhaps it is as well for collectors that the idea of surcharging the
Two Pence Half penny stamp 3d. did not enter the Postmaster’s head, or
there is no telling how many varieties we should have had to add to our
albums if the surcharge differed in type, as it probably would have done.
The escape was no doubt due to the fact that at that time surcharges on
stamps were few in number, and most likely altogether unknown to the
Postal authorities of British Columbia. This Two Pence Halfpenny stamp
is certainly admissable into a collection as a provisional Three Pence,
provided it, or the paper it is attached to, is postmarked after June
19th, 1864. Another curious point in connection with the above notices
is to know how the newspaper rate of one penny was prepaid. The second
notice distinctly says, “All Letters and mail matter liable to postage
must be prepaid.... There will be issued for the prepayment of postage
the postage stamps at present in use.” Was this Three Penny provisional
divided in any way like so many of the other North American Colonies
stamps, or was the postage, even in face of the notice, prepaid in coin?
One of these two alternatives naturally suggests itself to have been the
case. I have never seen or heard of a copy of this stamp divided; but
as it could have been only employed for newspapers sent by two special
routes, the use of the stamp would probably be small, and the fact that
it was found upon newspapers alone would account for the disappearance
of specimens. We shall see from the next notice I give that the
provisional Three Penny stamp was in use down to the 1st November, 1865.
This notice is taken from _The Gazette_ for October 21st, 1865, and runs
as follows:

    “NOTICE.

                      “GENERAL POST OFFICE, _28th September, 1865._

    “It having been found necessary to issue a new postage stamp
    to meet the requirements of the Postal Ordinance, 1864, notice
    is hereby given that from and after the 1st November next the
    stamp at present in use will not be received by the Post Office
    Department. Persons in possession of the stamp at present
    in use may exchange the same on application at any of the
    Post-offices of British Columbia on or after the 1st November.

               “(Signed) WARNER R. SPALDING, _Postmaster-General_.”

The new postage stamp mentioned in the above is obviously the Three
Pence, blue, with large fancy letter “v” and Crown in the centre, which
is catalogued by M. Moens as issued on the 20th June, 1861, the date, we
have seen, the provisional Three Penny stamp came into use. Like that
provisional, I think it is possible the Three Pence, blue, may also have
been divided to prepay the one penny newspaper rate; but future research
will, I hope, definitely determine in each instance whether or not such
was the case.

The following list of Post-offices, with the names of the Postmasters,
was published in _The Gazette_, for April 14th, 1866. The list is chiefly
interesting as showing upon what a small scale the Postal Service of the
country then was, as at that time there were only sixteen Post-offices
opened throughout the whole colony.


LIST OF POST OFFICES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

    ----------------------------------+------------------------
              PLACE.                  |      POSTMASTER.
    ----------------------------------+------------------------
    New Westminster                   | W. R. Spalding, P.M.G.
    Hope                              | A. S. Hall.
    Douglas                           | Richard White.
    Lillooet                          | T. H. Sharwood.
    Yale                              | L. Agassiz.
    Lytton                            | W. M. Cochran.
    Ashcroft[A]                       | C. F. Cornwall.
    Clinton                           | J. Champness.
    Lake La Hache                     | W. Anderson.
    Soda Creek                        | J. T. Sanay.
    Quesnelmouth                      | F. Mevor.
    Van Winkle                        | L. Cahn.
    William’s Creek                   |
    Fort Shepherd                     | John Jane.
    Columbia River, Big Bend District |
    Kootenay                          |
    ----------------------------------+-------------------------

    [A] Ashcroft Post-office is the junction whence mail matter
        for Big Bend District will be forwarded.

On March 20th, 1867, an Act was passed which changed the currency of the
colony to the decimal system of cents and dollars. On March 13th, in the
same year, a new Postal Ordinance Act also became law. The following
clauses are taken from the latter:

    “IX. That on every Letter deposited in, or passing through,
    any Post-office in the Colony, and not exceeding half an ounce
    in weight, there shall be paid a postage according to the
    following scale; that is to say:

    At or between Victoria, or any Post-office in Vancouver
      Island and New Westminster, or any Port in the Colony    5 Cents.

    Between Vancouver Island or New Westminster and Clinton
      or Savana’s Ferry                                      12½ Cents.

    Beyond those distances                                    25 Cents.

    Between any two Post-offices above Yale, Hope, and
      Douglas                                                12½ Cents.

    And for every additional half an ounce, or fraction of half an
    ounce beyond the above weight, there shall be paid on each such
    Letter an additional postage, according to the foregoing rates.

    “X. That for every single Newspaper deposited in or passing
    through any Post-office in the Colony, there shall be paid a
    postage of Two Cents.”

I have been unable to find any notice in _The Gazette_ of the issue of
stamps surcharged with the value in cents, but they probably came into
use at the time the above Act was passed, or shortly afterwards. In
_The Gazette_ for January 18th, 1868, there is a notice giving certain
Postal rates in cents, and stating that “letters, papers, &c., for
Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Prince Edward Island, and
Newfoundland, must be prepaid in the Postage Stamps of the colony.” So
it is evident, from the plural word used, the _Cents_ stamps were then
in use. This set, as we know, consisted of the following values: 2, 5,
10, 25, 50 cents and 1 dollar. It is possible all the values may not have
appeared at once, but they are usually catalogued as one issue. As we
see from Clause X. of the Postal Ordinance 1867 Act, the Two Cents value
prepaid newspapers alone, which accounts for the stamp being so rarely
met with postmarked. Looking at the list of letter rates in Clause IX.,
we should expect to find a Twelve and a Half Cents stamp, but, as we
know, no such value was issued. Here again I can only suggest that the
Twenty-five Cents may have been divided, or the Five Cents cut in two,
and used in conjunction with a Ten Cents or two Five Cent stamps to make
up the required rate. The stamps of British Columbia were withdrawn from
use on July 20th, 1871, on the admittance of the colony into the Dominion
of Canada. Mr. N. Shakespeare is the present Postmaster of Victoria.


REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.


Issue I. 1861.

_One value._ Engraved and type-printed by Messrs. De La Rue and Co.,
of London, on white, unwatermarked, slightly-surfaced paper; white
gum. Design: Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of
horizontal lines. Above and below the head are a straight and a curved
label of solid colour—one with convex, and the other with concave ends.
The upper labels are inscribed “BRITISH—COLUMBIA &,” and the lower ones
“VANCOUVERS—ISLAND” respectively, all in small white Roman capitals.
On either side are straight white labels, with rounded ends, inscribed
in coloured Roman capitals—“POSTAGE” on the left, reading upwards; and
“TWO PENCE—HALFPENNY” in two lines on the right, reading downwards.
The remainder of the stamp is filled in with reticulations, and two
outer lines of colour complete the design. Shape, upright rectangular.
(_Illustration 1._)

    (A) _Imperforate._

    2½d., rosy-brown.

    (B) _Perforated 14._

    2½d., rose, rosy-brown (shades).

_Remarks._—No postmarked copy of the imperforate variety is known to the
Society. The perforated stamp, although bearing the face value of Two
Pence Halfpenny, was sold at Three Pence, and did duty provisionally for
this latter value from 20th June, 1864, until 1st November, 1865, when it
was replaced by the Three Pence, blue, of the next issue.


Issue II. 1st November, 1865.

_One value._ Engraved and type-printed by Messrs. De La Rue and Co. on
white slightly-surfaced paper, watermarked Crown and CC; white gum;
machine perforated 14. The sheet is composed of 240 stamps, divided into
four panes, each containing sixty stamps, arranged in six horizontal
rows of ten. Design: Ornamental letter “v,” representing “Victoria,”
with heraldic rose inside, thistle on the left, and sprig of shamrock on
the right, surmounted by Gothic crown; is enclosed within a white oval
band, inscribed “BRITISH COLUMBIA POSTAGE” above and “THREE PENCE” below,
the two inscriptions being separated by a star-like ornament at either
side. The remainder of the stamp is filled in with a diaper pattern, the
corners being rounded, and the design is completed by a single outer line
of colour. Shape, upright rectangular. (_Illustration 2._)

    3d., blue, deep blue.


Issue III. 13th March (?), 1867.

_Six values._ All of the same design, and printed from the same die
as the preceding issue, but with the values in the altered currency,
surcharged in a straight line across the bottom of the stamp. The paper
is white wove, watermarked Crown and CC, and the perforation is 14 or
12½. Like the preceding issue, each sheet contains 240 stamps, which are
similarly disposed. The values are printed as follows: “TWO CENTS,” in
black block type; “5 CENT 5,” in black Roman capitals; “10 CENTS 10,” in
blue Roman capitals; “25 CENTS 25,” in violet Roman capitals; “50 CENTS
50,” in carmine Roman capitals; “1 DOLLAR 1,” in green Roman capitals.
Shape, upright rectangular. (_Illustrations 3, 4, 5._)

    (A) _Perforated 14._

    2 c. on 3d., bistre, black surcharge.
    5 c. on 3d., vermilion, black surcharge.
    10 c. on 3d., rose-pink, blue      ”
    25 c. on 3d., orange, violet       ”
    50 c. on 3d., mauve, carmine       ”
    1 d. on 3d., green, green          ”

    (B) _Perforated_ 12½.

    2 c. on 3d., bistre, black surcharge (?).
    5 c. on 3d., vermilion, black surcharge (shades).
    10 c. on 3d., rose-pink, blue      ”      ( ” ).
    25 c. on 3d., orange, violet       ”      ( ” ).
    50 c. on 3d., mauve, carmine       ”      ( ” ).
    1 d. on 3d., green, green          ”      ( ” ).

_Remarks._—The Two Cents has not been met with perforated 12½, by the
Society.


VANCOUVER ISLAND.


Issue I. July, 1865.

_Two values._ Engraved and type-printed by Messrs. De La Rue and Co.
on white wove paper, watermarked Crown and CC; white gum. Designs:
FIVE CENTS. Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of
horizontal lines, within a circle. Above and below are curved labels
of solid colour, inscribed with white block letters. Conventional
ornaments in spandrels, and outer border filled in with chequers. TEN
CENTS. Same portrait of Her Majesty in circle; straight coloured label
above, inscribed with white block letters; white label with rounded ends
below, with coloured block letters. Floriate ornaments in spandrels. An
outer line of colour completes the design of each value. Shape, upright
rectangular. (_Illustrations 6, 7._)

    T. “VANCOUVER ISLAND.” B. “FIVE CENTS.” “TEN CENTS.”

    (A) _Imperforate._

    5 c., rose.
    10 c., blue.

    (B) _Perforated_ 14.

    5 c., rose (shades).
    10 c., blue ( ” ).




CANADA.


PRELIMINARY NOTES.

_BY E. D. BACON._

Canada is said to have been discovered by Sebastian Cabot in 1497, but
this is not certain. In 1525 the French took possession of the country in
the name of the king of France, and ten years later Cartier explored the
St. Lawrence, so naming that splendid river from having entered it on St.
Lawrence’s Day.

In 1608 Quebec, the first settlement, was founded. The town succumbed to
the British forces under General Wolfe, and in 1763 the whole territory
of Canada was ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris.

In 1791 an Act of Parliament was passed dividing Canada into two
Provinces, Upper Canada (now Ontario) and Lower Canada (now Quebec),
and establishing a constitution for each. The provinces were afterwards
re-united in 1840.


THE DOMINION OF CANADA.

The Provinces of Ontario and Quebec (formerly constituting the Colony
of Canada), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, were by “The British North
American Act, 1867,” formed into one Dominion. This Act was brought into
force by Royal Proclamation, bearing date the 27th of May, 1867. On the
15th of July, 1870, the newly-formed province of Manitoba; on the 20th of
July, 1871, the colony of British Columbia; and on the 1st of July, 1873,
that of Prince Edward Island, were successively admitted to the Dominion,
Newfoundland now alone, of all the North American Colonies, retaining its
independence.

As far as I have been able to discover, Post-office notices relating
to the issue of stamps were not published in _The Canada Gazette_ with
other official matter. The number of _The Gazette_ for March 8th,
1851, contains a long notice, stating that on April 5th following the
management of the Inland Posts would be transferred to the control of the
Provincial Government, and that the new rates of postage would then come
into force. We learn from the report of the Postmaster-General of Great
Britain for 1857 what those rates were; for we read:

    “In 1851 a reduced rate of postage was established. Payment in
    advance is optional.

    On ordinary Letters                           per ½ oz., 3d.
    On Letters posted and delivered in the same town   each, ½d.

    “Newspapers are conveyed free.

    “Books are charged ½d. per oz., the weight of a single Packet
    being limited to 4 lbs.”

I should add, the local rate of ½d. did not come into use until 1857.
In giving these extracts from the Postmaster-General’s Report, I have
invariably altered the rates to their proper currency value, as they are
given in the list at “about” the sterling equivalent.

The rates to England in operation on May 1st, 1856, probably earlier,
were:

  Closed mail, _viâ_ U.S., by British Packet, not exceeding ½ oz.      10d.
  _Viâ_ Halifax                                     ”       ½ oz.      7½d.
  By U.S. Packet                                    ”       ½ oz.  1s. 5½d.
  And on October 1st, 1856, by Canadian Packet      ”       ½ oz.      7½d.

We know from the extract from the Report of the Postmaster-General of
Canada for 1851, given further on in the Society’s list, that the first
stamps consisted of a Three Penny, Six Penny, and One Shilling, and that
these three values were issued shortly after April 1st. Taking into
consideration the notice I have mentioned, it seems probable the issue
took place on April 5th, 1851. I can give no new information about any
of the later issues, and I shall conclude my remarks on this province
by giving some postal statistics taken from _The Colonial Office List_,
1889, which prove to what a huge system the Post-office establishment of
the Dominion has grown. We find, however, the present expenditure greatly
exceeds the revenue, owing, I am told, to the desire of the Government to
extend postal facilities as widely as possible. I understand some changes
have been made by an Act passed this year, one of which abolishes the
privilege hitherto granted to Canadian newspapers of free transmission by
post to subscribers from the publishing office.

The number of letters sent in the year ending 30th June, 1887, was
74,300,000; of post cards, 16,356,000; and of newspapers (other than
those sent from the office of publication, which are all carried free),
periodicals, parcels, &c., 31,160,000. The number of newspapers sent from
the office of publication was about 60,000,000; the number of letters
per head of population was 15.24; the number of offices was 7,534; the
revenue for 1887 was $2,603,255, and the expenditure $3,458,100. There
is weekly mail communication with Great Britain _viâ_ Quebec or Halifax,
and twice a week _viâ_ New York. There is a through daily service by the
Canadian-Pacific Railway to the Pacific Coast.

The present rates of postage are as follows:

                                           Letters.  Per ½ oz.  Newspapers.
                                                       Cents.     Cents.
    Canada and United States                              3      ½ each.
    Newfoundland                                          5      ½ each.
    Europe, Egypt, the West Indies, and British Guiana    5      1 per oz.
    South and West Africa, China, East Indies,
      Mauritius, Straits Settlements, South America      10      2 per oz.
    Australasia                                          15      2 per oz.
    Ditto, _viâ_ Brindisi                                19      3 per oz.

There is a Parcels Post to Newfoundland, the United States, and Europe.
The present Postmaster-General is the Hon. J. G. Haggart.


REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.


Issue I. 5th (?) April, 1851.

_Three values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by Messrs.
Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson, of New York, on thin white paper;
laid horizontally in the case of the Three Pence, and vertically in
the other two values; brownish gum. Designs: THREE PENCE.—Beaver on
bank of river; trees in the distance, with sun shining above them; oval
coloured frame, broken at the top by a Royal Crown, beneath which are
heraldic flowers, with “V” on the left and “R” on the right. The oval is
inscribed with white Roman capitals. In each spandrel is an arabesque
and the Arabic numeral of value. Two plain outer lines complete the
design. SIX PENCE.—Nearly full face bust portrait of Prince Albert, in
military uniform, looking to right, within coloured oval, lettered in
white Roman capitals. Heraldic flowers on either side separate the upper
and lower portions of the inscription. Arabesques and Arabic numeral
of value in each spandrel; border of two plain outer lines. TWELVE
PENCE.—Three-quarter face bust portrait of Queen Victoria on ground
of horizontal lines, looking to left, with diadem and necklace within
coloured oval, inscribed in white Roman capitals; a Crown on either side
separating the upper and lower parts of the inscription. Arabesques and
Arabic numerals of value in each spandrel; border of two plain outer
lines. Shapes: small oblong rectangular for the Three Pence; small
upright rectangular for the Six Pence and Twelve Pence. (_Illustrations
8, 9, 10._)

    T. “CANADA POSTAGE.” B. “THREE PENCE,” “SIXPENCE,” “TWELVE PENCE.”

    3d., vermilion (shades).
    6d., purple-black ( ” ).
    12d., black.

_Remarks._—In _The Halifax Philatelist_ for July, 1888, a copy of the
official order notifying the issue of these three stamps is given. It is
as follows:

    “P.O. DEPARTMENT. (ORDER NO. 4.)

                     “P. O. DEPARTMENT, TORONTO, _1st April, 1851_.

    “_Stamps for Prepayment of Postage on Letters._

    “Postage Stamps are about to be issued, one representing the
    beaver, of the denomination of 3 pence; the second representing
    the head of Prince Albert, of the denomination of 6 pence;
    and the third representing the head of Her Majesty, of the
    denomination of 1 shilling, which will shortly be transmitted
    to the postmasters at important points.”


Issue II. 1852.

_Three values._ Identical in type with the preceding, but printed upon
white wove paper. The paper varies considerably in substance, especially
in the Three Penny value, which ranges from stout to nearly pelure.
The latter value is also found printed upon closely-ribbed thin paper.
(_Illustrations 8, 9, 10._)

    (A) _Wove paper._

    3d., vermilion, orange-vermilion (shades).
    6d., black, olive-black, dull purple, dull violet (shades).
    12d., black.

    (B) _Closely-ribbed thin paper._

    3d., vermilion.

_Remarks._—The Twelve Pence has not been catalogued before as found upon
wove paper, but undoubted used copies have been seen by members of the
Society.


Issue III. 1855-57.

_Three values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by Messrs.
Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson on white wove or closely-ribbed
paper; brownish gum. Designs: TEN PENCE.—Profile bust portrait of
Jacques Cartier to right, on ground of horizontal lines, within an
oval, coloured border, inscribed with white Roman capitals. A cluster
of leaves on the left and a beaver on the right separate the upper
inscription from the lower; cross-hatched spandrels. In the upper “8d.
STG.,” or sterling; in the lower “10 CY.,” or currency, in white. Outer
border of two plain, coloured lines. SEVEN PENCE HALFPENNY.—The same
portrait of Queen Victoria as in the Twelve Pence of the first issue,
within coloured oval frame, inscribed with white block letters, the
upper inscription now reading “CANADA PACKET POSTAGE.” The upper and
lower left spandrels are inscribed “6d. STG.,” or sterling; and the
upper and lower right spandrels “7½d. CY.,” or currency, all in white,
on coloured cross-hatched ground. Outer border of two plain lines.
HALFPENNY.—Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of
horizontal lines, in oval frame, lettered with white Roman capitals;
reticulated spandrels; outer border of two plain lines. Shape, small
upright rectangular. (_Illustrations 11, 12, 13._)

    T. “CANADA POSTAGE.” B. “TEN PENCE,” “SIX PENCE STERLING,” “ONE
    HALF PENNY.”

    (A) _Wove paper._

    1st April, 1855, 10d., Prussian-blue (shades).
    2nd June, 1857, 7½d., grass-green ( ” ).
    18th July, 1857, ½d., rose ( ” ).

    (B) _Closely-ribbed thin paper._

    ½d., rose.

_Remarks._—Two _soi-disant_ provisionals have been chronicled; viz., the
Halfpenny surcharged in black—one with an Arabic numeral “1,” and the
other with “8d. STG.” The Society can furnish no information concerning
these two stamps; but supposing the surcharges to be genuine, they are
probably only notifications of insufficient postage applied after the
letters were posted.

With regard to the portrait on the Ten Pence, tradition has always
assigned it to Jacques Cartier; but in the Catalogue of the Collection
of Stamps, &c., in the Museum at the Berlin Post Office, it is given
as that of Sebastian Cabot. However, as the same catalogue pronounces
the portrait on the Six Pence of issue I. to be that of Lord Elgin,
it is probably equally incorrect in the former case, more especially
as a writer in _The Halifax Philatelist_ for July, 1888, says “it is
identically the same as that of all the existing portraits of Jacques
Cartier, and totally unlike those existing of Sebastian Cabot.”

In the same article on _Canadian Stamps_ in _The Halifax Philatelist_ an
extract from the Postmaster-General’s Report for the year 1855 is given,
showing us the reason for the issue of the Ten Pence value. It was, “To
promote the general convenience in prepaying letters to Great Britain at
the new rate, postage stamps of the value of 10 pence currency, equal to
8 pence sterling, were procured and issued for sale.” The same article
gives the following extracts from the Postmaster-General’s Report for
1857: “To facilitate the prepayment of letters passing from Canada to
England by the Canadian steamers, a new stamp bearing the value of 6
pence sterling, or 7½ pence currency, being the Canadian Packet rate,
has been secured and put in circulation.” The article goes on to say,
“This stamp was rendered necessary on account of the contract between
the Canadian Government and the Allan Line of Steamers in regard to
carrying the mails, and by which contract the postage was reduced.” The
other extracts read: “A new stamp has also been introduced of the value
½ penny to serve as the medium for prepaying transient newspapers.”
“Moreover, the Department has been led by the increasing use of postage
stamps to take measures for obtaining the Canadian Postage Stamps on
sheets perforated in the dividing line in the manner adopted in England,
to facilitate the separation of a single stamp from the others on a sheet
when required for use.”


Issue IV. 1857.

_Three values._ Previously described, but machine-perforated.
(_Illustrations 8, 9, 13._)

    (A) _Laid paper. Perforated 12._

    6d., dull purple.

    (B) _Closely-ribbed thin paper. Perforated 12._

    ½d., rose.
    3d., vermilion.

    (C) _Wove paper. Perforated 12._

    ½d., rose (shades)
    3d., vermilion (shades)
    6d., violet-black (shades).

    _Sub-variety. Perforated 13._

    3d., vermilion.

_Remarks._—The Seven Pence Halfpenny, green, and Ten Pence, blue,
perforated, exist in the collection of a well-known Parisian collector.
The authenticity, however, of the perforations appears to be doubtful.


Issue V. 1st July, 1859, and 1st August, 1864.

_Six values._ Printed by the American Bank Note Co., and consisting of
the previous designs, slightly modified in order to change the currency
from pence, to cents. ONE CENT.—The same as the One Halfpenny, save
for the alteration in value. TWO CENTS.—Almost the same design as
the One Cent, but differing somewhat in the spandrels, each of which
contains an oval, with Arabic numeral of value. This stamp was not
issued until 1st August, 1864. FIVE CENTS.—Same design as the Three
Pence, with substitution of the new value and numerals of value and
small ornaments between the two portions of the inscriptions. Spandrels
cross-hatched. TEN CENTS.—Same design as the Sixpence, with substitution
of the new value, and the Roman numeral “X” in each spandrel. TWELVE
AND A HALF CENTS.—Same design as the Seven Pence Halfpenny of 1857,
with substitution of the new value in the spandrels only. SEVENTEEN
CENTS.—Same design as the Ten Pence of 1835, with substitution of the
new value in the oval, and in the lower spandrels. The leaves and
beaver which separate the inscription in the Ten Pence are replaced by
small oval ornaments. The paper of this issue varies considerably in
substance, and the perforation is 12. Shapes: small oblong rectangular
for the Five Cents; small upright rectangular for the other five values.
(_Illustrations 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19._)

    1 c., rose (shades).
    2 c.,  ”   (shades).
    5 c., vermilion (shades).
    10 c., brown, black-brown, brown-lilac, reddish-lilac, purple (many
      shades).
    12½ c., green, emerald-green (shades).
    17 c., Prussian-blue (shades).

_Varieties._—(A) The Five Cents has been met with imperforate. (B) The
Five Cents is also known cut in half and used with a Ten Cents to make up
the “packet” rate of 12½ Cents.


ENVELOPES.

_Two values._ On paper laid obliquely, watermarked “Ca” above “P.O.D.”
(Canadian Post Office Department?), in double-lined letters, repeated
twice in each envelope. Size, 5½ × ¼ inches. Yellowish gum, extending
nearly the length of the flap. The stamp is embossed in the right upper
corner. Design: Diademed head of Queen Victoria to left in white relief,
on ground of solid colour, enclosed within a narrow oval band inscribed
in Roman capitals, in white relief, “CANADA POSTAGE” at the top, and
the value in words at the bottom. Shape of stamp, small upright oval.
(_Illustrations 20, 21._)

    (A) _On yellowish-white laid paper. Flap rounded._

    5 c., vermilion.
    10 c., brown.

    (B) _On bluish-white laid paper. Flap more pointed than in Variety A._

    5 c., vermilion.
    10 c., brown (l)


THE DOMINION OF CANADA.


Issue I. March and April, 1868.

_Seven values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by the
British-American Bank Note Company, of Montreal and Ottawa, on white
wove paper, varying greatly in substance, or on white laid paper; white
gum; machine perforated 12. Designs: The central design is the same
in each value, and consists of a diademed profile portrait of Queen
Victoria to right, on background of horizontal lines, enclosed within a
narrow circular white line. The borders, the shape of the labels, and
the position of the numerals, vary in each value. Shapes, small upright
rectangular for the Half Cent, large upright rectangular for the other
six values. (_Illustrations 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28._)

    T. “CANADA POSTAGE.” B. “HALF CENT,” “ONE CENT,” “TWO,”
    “THREE,” “SIX,” “TWELVE AND A HALF,” “FIFTEEN CENTS.”

    (A) _White wove paper._

    ½ c., black.
    1 c., brown-red (shades).
    1 c., orange-yellow (  ”   ).
    2 c., green, yellow-green (  ”   ).
    3 c., red (  ”   ).
    6 c., brown (  ”   ).
    12½ c., blue (  ”   ).
    15 c., lilac (  ”   ).

    (B) _White horizontal laid paper._

    1 c., brown-red.
    1 c., yellow.
    3 c., red (shades).

    (C) _Bluish-white wove paper._

    ½ c., black.

_Remarks._—The One Cent, yellow, on laid paper, is not known to the
Society. It is taken from _The Halifax Philatelist_ for July, 1888,
page 74. Some of the stamps on wove paper have been catalogued with a
watermark, consisting of various letters. It is probable these letters
are portions of the name of the papermaker, which most likely exists in
the margin of the sheets. The Half Cent, on bluish paper, is taken from
the sixth edition of M. Moens’ _Catalogue_.


Issue II. 1870-1874.

_Five values_.—Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by the
British-American Bank Note Company on white wove paper, varying in
substance; white gum; machine perforated 12. The entire sheets contain
100 stamps, each in ten rows of ten. The size of the stamps and the
designs are similar to that of the Half Cent of the preceding issue,
except as regards the borders of the stamps, which differ for each
value. The Six Cents was not issued until January, 1872; while the Ten
Cents did not make its appearance until the end of 1874. (_Illustrations
29, 30, 31, 32, 33._)

    1 c., orange, yellow (shades).
    2 c., green, yellow-green (shades).
    3 c., vermilion, red, rose, vermilion-red (shades).
    6 c., brown (shades).
    10 c., lilac-rose (shades).

    _Varieties._

    (A) 3 c., imperforate,
    (B) 5 c., perf. 13½ × 12.

_Remarks._—_The Halifax Philatelist_, in its number for February, 1887,
mentions that the Three Cents exists in very dark brown, almost black.
The specimen seen was unused, and purchased among others from the Post
Office. Probably the change in colour is due to oxidation, or some other
accidental cause.


Issue III. 1875-1876.

_One Value._ Similar in design to the stamps of the two last issues.
The stamp first appeared on October 1st, 1875, with large dimensions,
like those of Issue I.; but in March, 1876, the size was reduced to that
of the stamps of Issue II. The perforation of both varieties is 12.
(_Illustrations 34, 35._)

    (A) _Large size._

    5 c., bronze-green (shades).

    (B) _Small size._

    5 c., bronze-green (shades).


Issue IV. 1877-1880.

_One value._ The Fifteen Cents of Issue I. printed in modified colours.
The perforation remains 12. (_Illustration 28._)

    January, 1877. 15 c., grey-violet (shades).
    End 1880. 15 c., slate ( ” ).


Issue V. July, 1882.

_One value._ A Half Cent stamp of similar design to that of Issue I.,
but of much smaller dimensions; printed upon white wove paper, and
perforated 12. The stamp was produced by the same firm as the preceding
issues, and the sheet contains 100 stamps, in ten rows of ten, as before.
(_Illustration 36._)

    ½ c., black.


Issue VI. 1888.

_Three values._ Consisting of the Two and Ten Cents, Issue II., and
the Five Cents, issued in March, 1876, with the colours modified. The
Two Cents was described in the Philatelic journals of the above year
as printed from a new die, but on comparing the stamp carefully with
that first issued, no alteration can be discovered in the design.
(_Illustrations 30, 35, 33._)

    2 c., emerald-green (shades).
    5 c., greenish-grey ( ” ).
    10 c., carmine-red ( ” ).


REGISTRATION STAMPS.


Issue I. November 15th, 1875.

_Three values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by the
British-American Bank Note Co. on white wove paper; white gum;
machine-perforated 12. Design: an engine-turned _cartouche_, with
scalloped edges at top and bottom, and labels, with value in full, at
the two ends. Small straight label above inscribed “CANADA;” large
curved label in centre, with “REGISTERED,” and smaller curved label
below, with “LETTER STAMP,” all in white Roman capitals. Large Arabic
numeral of value in the upper corners. Shape, narrow oblong rectangular.
(_Illustration 37._)

    2 c., orange-vermilion   (shades).
    2 c., brown (error?).
    2 c., vermilion-red, 1888 ( ” ).
    5 c., green, yellow-green ( ” ).
    8 c., blue, dark blue     ( ” ).

    _Variety._

    5 c., green, imperforate.

_Remarks_.—The Eight Cents was withdrawn from circulation in January,
1878. The Five Cents imperforate is taken from _The Halifax Philatelist_
for November, 1888. With regard to the much disputed Two Cents, brown,
the members of the Society think they cannot do better than reproduce
here the interesting article published in the above-mentioned paper for
January, 1888, upon this stamp.

    “THE CANADIAN ERROR.

    “The Canada Two Cent brown registration, is at this time
    mentioned frequently in the _Figaro_ and several other
    philatelic publications. As there seems to be considerable
    doubt as to the origin, and as I was in the main instrumental
    in introducing them to the philatelic public, I have decided to
    give the information I possess on this subject to them.

    “About the beginning of January, 1887, I was shown a registered
    letter received from Miscou Lighthouse Post-office, in New
    Brunswick. It had a BROWN Two Cent registration stamp on
    it—a clear unmistakable dark brown. I immediately wrote the
    postmaster there for information relative to them. He answered
    and said that he had twenty-three on hand; that he had
    originally received fifty from the Post Office Department at
    Ottawa; and that they were BROWN when he received them. This he
    stated positively. I then sent to him for them, but before my
    letter reached him he had used two of them, so that I received
    only twenty-one.

    “Those stamps I showed to several philatelists, and could not
    get two to agree as to their origin. Some said the change in
    colour was due to the gum, others to chemical changes, others
    again said it was due to the atmosphere from the salt water.
    Very few would allow a misprint. In the meantime Mr. F. C. Kaye
    came across another registered letter with brown registration
    stamp. This time it was from the Post-office of New Ross, in
    Lunenburg Co., N.S. From this office about fifty were obtained.
    The postmaster at this office was also positive as to having
    received them from the Department at Ottawa in brown. The
    same objections were raised to those as to the others, as to
    whether they were genuine misprints or not. In this case the
    atmosphere of salt water was not the cause, as New Ross is
    in the interior. If the gum was the cause of their changing
    colour, it is peculiar we do not get more of them. Changes by
    chemical means were also tried. The only thing which would turn
    the red of the genuine colour to brown was sulphuric acid mixed
    with water, and this did not give a good clear colour, having
    a somewhat greyish shade in it. Those experiments have, in my
    opinion, confirmed their genuineness. And now as if to make
    assurance in regard to their genuineness more sure, we find a
    third Post-office with them. This was Beauly, in Antigonish
    Co., N.S. There were, however, only six received from there.
    The postmaster had the same story as the others—he had received
    them from the Department at Ottawa in a brown colour.

    “After reading this, I do not think that any reasonable-minded
    person will doubt their genuineness.

    “The Department at Ottawa was written to in regard to them,
    but, as was to be expected, knew nothing of them whatsoever. No
    doubt if they had been seen they would not have been allowed to
    be issued to the public.

    “We do not deny that time does change the colour in stamps,
    but with those we do not think that it had anything to do. A
    friend of ours informed us that in looking over a lot of old
    letters which he had taken out of a trunk, and which had not
    been opened for several years, he found among them several
    registered letters, one with the Two Cent registration stamp
    almost a black, all the others having their normal colour. With
    due consideration and deference to better judges than myself,
    I have no doubt in saying that it is my firm belief that those
    Canada Two Cent, brown, registration stamps are a genuine
    misprint.

                                                  “DONALD A. KING.”

The members have not had an opportunity of examining any of the specimens
referred to in Mr. King’s paper, so they are unable to give an opinion
upon them. At the same time it should be stated that copies of this
stamp are frequently met with showing traces of oxidation; some changed
completely to brown or even black in colour. It seems therefore probable
that the specimens described by Mr. King may be referred to the same
category.


OFFICIAL STAMP FOR RETURNED LETTERS.


1879 (?).

The stamp in shape is a large oblong rectangular, printed in
_taille-douce_ upon white wove paper, and perforated 12. The design
consists of a straight label of solid colour inscribed, in white block
letters, “OFFICIALLY SEALED;” above this are the words “POST OFFICE
CANADA,” in a curved line; and below the label “DEAD LETTER OFFICE,” also
in a curve, both inscriptions being in small coloured Roman capitals. The
rest of the design is composed of engine-turning, with ornaments of a
trefoil character in the four corners. (_Illustration 38._)

    Without expressed value; dark red-brown.

_Remarks._—The only information the Society can give about this stamp is
contained in an article in _The Halifax Philatelist_ for December, 1887,
which is reproduced here for the benefit of those collectors who may not
have seen it.

    “THE ‘OFFICIALLY SEALED’ DEAD LETTER OFFICE STAMP OF CANADA.

    “While endeavouring to afford some information about those
    interesting and handsome adhesives emanating only from the Dead
    Letter Office at Ottawa, I regret being unable to give all
    their history or chronology. What is said here the writer has
    gained his knowledge by observation and experience. Doubtless
    there are others who can speak of matters connected with these
    stamps which the writer knows nothing of. In the first place
    they are scarce, very, which is to be accounted for when we
    consider the manner of their use. They are never found on
    Local Dead Letters, registered or unregistered. What have been
    seen here have all come from the United States, and always on
    returned dead registered letters. I discovered the manner of
    their use quite accidentally. A friend who travels in Canada
    for a United States firm showed me a letter which had been
    returned to his address in Michigan, and which he had posted in
    Canada for a Canadian address, and registered; and for some
    reason, misdirection or what not, the letter was not delivered
    to party addressed—had been sent to Dead Letter Office, Ottawa,
    where, on being opened to ascertain address of writer, it was
    resealed and adorned by Dead Letter Office Crown Official Seal
    Stamp, sent to Dead Letter Office, Washington, U.S., and then
    sent on registered to the writer’s address in Michigan, where
    he obtained it, and exhibited it triumphantly to me.

    “The stamp itself is a large oblong, 17 × 34, perforated, and
    printed in brown, on thick white paper. Inscribed in three
    lines, ‘POST OFFICE, CANADA—OFFICIALLY SEALED—DEAD LETTER
    OFFICE.’

    “It would be appropriate to have the colour of the stamp
    _black_.

                                                  “No. 2, C. P. A.”


ENVELOPES.


Issue I. End of 1877.

_Two values._ On white paper, laid obliquely, without watermark;
yellowish gum, extending nearly the whole length of the flap, which
is pointed. The stamp is embossed in the right upper corner. Design:
Diademed head of Queen Victoria to left in white relief, on ground of
solid colour, enclosed by an oval band inscribed in Roman capitals, in
white relief, “CANADA POSTAGE” at the top, and the value in words at the
bottom. Shape of stamp, large upright oval. (_Illustrations 39, 40._)

    _Size A._ 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ _inches_.

    1 c., very pale to very dark blue.
    3 c., vermilion (shades).

    _Size B._ 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ _inches_.

    3 c., vermilion (shades).


Issue II. 1881.

_Two values._ Similar in all respects to the last issue, except that the
flap is tongue-shaped, instead of being pointed. (_Illustrations 39, 40._)

    _Size A._ 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ _inches_.

    1 c., blue (shades).
    3 c., vermilion (shades).

    _Size B._ 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ _inches_.

    3 c., vermilion (?).


Issue III. 1888.

_Two values._ Same as the last issue, but the paper is rosy-white in
tint. (_Illustrations 39, 40._)

    _Size A._ 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ _inches_.

    1 c., blue.
    3 c., vermilion (?).

    _Size B._ 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ _inches_.

    3 c., vermilion.

_Remarks._—The envelopes and wrappers of Issues I. and II., and the cards
of Issue V., are frequently met with, with the stamp surcharged in red,
blue, or black with the word “OFFICIAL” or “SERVICE,” and sometimes the
arms of Great Britain are found added to the left of the stamp, and “HEAD
QUARTERS—63RD RIFLES” in two lines lower down, to left. These surcharges
are in no way official, but merely due to private speculation.


WRAPPERS.


Issue I. May, 1875, to end 1881.

_One value._ On light buff and yellowish-white wove unwatermarked paper.
The stamp is impressed at the right side of the wrapper, about two and a
half inches from the top. Design: Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to
right upon a background of horizontal lines, enclosed within an oval band
of solid colour contained between two white lines, the inner one of which
has ornaments running round the central oval. The band is inscribed in
Roman capitals “CANADA POSTAGE” above, and “ONE CENT” below. At either
side, between the two inscriptions, are small circles containing a fancy
Arabic numeral of value. Above and below the circles are conventional
ornaments, and beneath the bottom ones a small Maltese cross. Shape of
stamp, an upright oval. The wrappers are gummed at the reverse side in a
straight line along the top. The gum used is brown or white in colour,
and the quantity employed varies greatly in different specimens. Two
sizes of the wrappers are known. (_Illustration 41._)

    _Size A._ 9³⁄₁₀ × 5 _inches_.

    1 c., dark blue.

    _Size B._ 11 × 5 _inches_. (End 1881.)

    1 c., blue (light to dark).

    _Variety._ With the stamp printed to left. (May, 1878.)

    1 c., dark blue.

_Remarks._—The band with stamp to left is taken from _The Sixth Edition
of M. Moens’ Catalogue_, where the size is given as 290 × 165 mm. This
variety is unknown to the members of the Society.


Issue II. 1882.

_One value._ On light buff, straw, or cream-coloured wove unwatermarked
paper. Size, 11 × 5 inches, varying slightly in the dimensions. The
stamp is impressed in a similar position to that found on Issue I., and
the design is a modification of the type of that issue. The principal
alterations made are found in the circles at the sides containing the
numeral of value. These have now no ornaments at the top; while those at
the bottom, with the Maltese crosses, are replaced by other conventional
ornaments of a different pattern. The central oval of the stamp has no
ornaments running round it. (_Illustration 42._)

    (A) _On light buff paper._

    1 c., pale blue.

    (B) _On straw paper._

    1 c., blue (shades).

    (C) _On cream paper._

    1 c., ultramarine (shades).


Issue III. 1887.

_One value._ On cream or straw wove unwatermarked paper, of the same
dimensions as the preceding issue. The design of the stamp is once again
modified. It is more like that found on the wrapper of Issue I., but
there is no wavy line round the interior of the oval, and the numeral
of value in the circles has a white line at either side of the figure.
(_Illustration 43._)

    (A) _On cream paper._

    1 c., ultramarine (shades).

    (B) _On straw paper._

    1 c., ultramarine (shades).


OFFICIAL WRAPPER.

_One value_, consisting of the wrapper of Issue I., size A, with
inscription to the left of the stamp in three lines as follows: First,
“INLAND REVENUE, CANADA,” in fancy letters, with capital initials;
second, “WEIGHTS & MEASURES SERVICE,” in tall thin Roman capitals; third,
“_Official Circular_,” in italic letters. There is an ornamental wavy
line between the first and second, and second and third lines. Lower
down to left is the word “TO,” followed by two ruled straight lines, the
bottom one being somewhat shorter than the other. Beneath these lines
for the address is the following notice, “This band is to be used on Her
Majesty’s Service only, and must have no writing thereon but the name and
address.” At the top of the wrapper the equivalent French translation of
the preceding inscriptions is given. The whole of the legend is printed
in blue, of a lighter shade than the stamp. (_Illustration 41._)

    1 c., dark blue.

_Remarks._—The wrappers of Issues I. and II. are found with the stamp
surcharged across the centre with the word “OFFICIAL” or “SERVICE,”
in black or blue ink. See the remarks appended to Issue III. of the
envelopes.


POST CARDS.


Issue I. June (?), 1871.

_One value._—Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note
Company upon light buff card; size, 4½ × 3 inches. At the top are two
lines of inscription. First, “CANADA POST CARD,” in Roman capitals;
second, “THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,” in block letters.
Lower down are three ruled lines, diminishing in length, and the first is
headed by the word “TO” in fancy script type. Between the last line and
the frame at the bottom of the card, in the centre, is “British-American
Bank Note Co., Montreal and Ottawa,” in small type. The stamp is in
the right upper corner. Design: Diademed head of Queen Victoria to
right, upon ground of horizontal lines, within a dotted circle, which
is surrounded by an ornamental frame. The corners are filled in with
horizontal lines, and in the centre of each is a small trilobed figure
with three balls within a circle. At the bottom of the stamp is a
straight label of solid colour, with rounded ends, inscribed “ONE CENT,”
in Roman capitals. The card is completed by an engine-turned frame; size,
4⅓ × 2½ inches. The inscription and the label of value at the bottom of
the stamp are in darker colour than the rest of the design. The cards are
separated on the sheet by thin coloured lines running the whole length of
the cards. (_Illustration 44._)

    1 c., pale to deep blue.


Issue II. 1876.

_One value._ Similar to Issue I., but the inscription at the bottom of
the card is altered to “British-American Bank Note Co., Montreal,” and
the cards are separated on the sheet by short lines of colour at the
centre of the sides of the cards. (_Illustration 44._)

    1 c., pale to deep blue.


Issue III. 1st January, 1877.

_One value._ Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note
Company upon light buff card; size, 4⁷⁄₁₀ × 3 inches. The inscription
is in four lines at the top of the card. First, “CANADA POST CARD,” in
ornamental Roman capitals, arched; second, “TO;” third, “UNITED KINGDOM,”
in italic Roman capitals; fourth, “THE ADDRESS ONLY,” &c., in block
letters. Lower down “TO,” in fancy script type, and three dotted lines
for the address. At the centre of the card at the bottom, in small type,
is “British-American Bank Note Co., Montreal.” The stamp is in the right
upper corner. Design: The design resembles the stamp on Issue I., but
the circle containing the head is enclosed by a plain line. The corners
are differently filled in, and the label of value is more ornamented.
The frame of the card is composed of three-quarter discs, with larger
ornaments of a different nature at the four corners; size, 1³⁄₁₀ × 2⅗
inches. (_Illustration 45._)

    2 c., yellow-green (shades).


Issue IV. July (?), 1879.

_One value._ Similar in all respects to the last issue, except as
regards the inscription and stamp. The inscription is in three lines, as
follows: 1st, “UNION POSTALE UNIVERSELLE,” each word commencing with a
Roman capital; 2nd, “CANADA POST CARD,” in Roman capitals, the initial
letter of each word being in larger type than the rest; 3rd, “THE ADDRESS
ONLY,” &c., in block letters. The stamp is larger, and above and below
the circle containing the head are small arched labels of solid colour,
inscribed “CANADA” and “POSTCARD” respectively in Roman capitals. The
label containing the value is larger, and the remainder of the design is
different. (_Illustration 46._)

    2 c., yellow-green (shades).


Issue V. June, 1882.

_One value._ Impressed upon light buff card. Size, 5¹⁄₁₀ × 2⁹⁄₁₀ inches.
At the top of the card is an arched scroll, inscribed “CANADA POST CARD,”
in coloured Roman capitals; and below this, in a straight line measuring
2¹⁷⁄₂₀ inches, “THE ADDRESS TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,” in block
letters. The stamp, type of that on the wrapper of Issue II., is placed
in the right upper corner. The card is without frame. (_Illustration 47._)

    1 c., ultramarine (shades).
    1 c., blue        (  ”   ).


Issue VI. 1888.

_One value._ Printed upon light buff card as last, but the stamp is
replaced by one of the same type as that found on the wrapper of Issue I.

    1 c., blue.

_Remarks._—This card has not been seen by the Society. It is taken from
the third supplement in M. Moens’ Catalogue.


Issue VII. 1888.

_One value._ Impressed upon light buff card, like the previous issue; but
the stamp is similar in type to that found upon the wrappers of Issue
III. The line of directions, “THE ADDRESS TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,”
measures only 2¾ inches. (_Illustration 48._)

    1 c., blue (shades).

_Remarks._—In 1887 several of the _Philatelic Journals_ described another
variety of the One Cent card, having the inscription at the top of the
_stamp_ altered to “CANADA POST CARD” in place of “CANADA POSTAGE.” The
reply card was also said to have been issued with the same modification
in the stamp. Neither of these cards is known to the Society, and their
existence has since been denied.


REPLY PAID CARDS.


Issue I. December 20th, 1882.

_One value._ Precisely similar to the single card of Issue V., except
that the second half has the word “REPLY” in block letters beneath the
scroll. The cards are folded along the top, and the design is impressed
upon the first and third pages.

    1 c. + 1 c., slate-blue.


Issue II. 1885.

_One value._ Similar to the last issue, but the stamps are impressed in
the left upper corners of the cards.

    1 c. + 1 c., slate-blue.


Issue III. 1888.

_One value._ Corresponding in all respects to Issue VII. of the single
cards; but the second half has the word “REPLY” in block letters beneath
the scroll. The cards are folded along the top, and the design is
impressed upon the first and third pages.

    1 c. + 1 c., greenish-black.


OFFICIAL CARD.

For the use of the _Customs Postal Package Office_ for notifying to
the _adressè_ the arrival of a package liable to duty. A notice form
is printed at the back of the card in black, with spaces left for the
particulars to be inserted by hand. The face of the card has nothing
whatever upon it.

    Without expressed value. Black on buff.

_Remarks._—The cards of Issue V. are met with, with the stamp surcharged
“OFFICIAL” or “SERVICE,” &c. &c.; but, as stated in the remarks after
Issue III. of the envelopes, the surcharges are in no way official.




NEW BRUNSWICK.


PRELIMINARY NOTES.

_BY E. D. BACON._

New Brunswick is situated between 45° 5′ and 48° 5′ N. lat., and 63°
47′ and 67° 53′ W. long.; its area is about 27,105 square miles. It is
connected with Nova Scotia by a low isthmus. New Brunswick, in the early
part of the last century, belonged to the French, and was called by them
New France. At the peace of 1763 New Brunswick, with the rest of Canada,
was ceded by France to Great Britain, and was annexed to Nova Scotia
until 1785, when it was erected into a separate colony. It was first
colonized by British subjects in 1761, and in 1783 by disbanded troops
from New England.

We learn from the following notice, which appeared in _The Royal
Gazette_, published at Fredericton, New Brunswick, on September 10th,
1851, that the introduction of postage stamps into this colony took place
on September 6th of that year:

    “NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.

    “A SUPPLY of POSTAGE STAMPS has been received from England, and
    will be on sale at this office on and after Friday next, the
    6th September. They are of the respective colours and values as
    under; viz.:

    _Scarlet_  Three Pence.
    _Yellow_   Six Pence.
    _Pink_     One Shilling.

    “Supplies will be immediately forwarded to all Postmasters
    throughout the Province, and through them to the Way Office
    Keepers, from whom the Public will be able to obtain them at
    cost prices in any quantities they may require.

    “N.B.—The postage stamps should be affixed to the _face_, or
    direction side of the Letter, at the right hand upper corner.

                           “(Signed) J. HOWE, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, ST. JOHN, _1st September, 1851_.”

Besides giving us the exact day the stamps came into use, the above
notice is interesting as proving which shade of the One Shilling was
first issued. One would hardly call any of the stamps of this value
_pink_, as officially designated, but the majority of them are a
pinkish-mauve; and these were undoubtedly the stamps referred to in the
notice, while the darker shades of mauve, or dull violet, are those of
later printings.

The Report of the Postmaster-General of Great Britain for 1857 furnishes
us with a list of the Postal rates of the Colony in force at the time of
the introduction of postage stamps. It says:

    “In 1842 and 1851 measures were successively introduced for the
    establishment of a low rate of postage.

    On Letters not exceeding ½ oz.            3d.
    Above ½ oz. and not exceeding 1 oz.       6d.

    And so on, 3d. being charged for every additional ½ oz.

    “There is an additional charge of 1d. (1½ currency?) each on
    Letters delivered at St. John and Fredericton, the only places
    where letter carriers are employed.

    “Newspapers are conveyed free.

    “On Books, &c., the charge is as follows, prepayment being
    compulsory:

    For a single volume, not exceeding ½ lb. in weight          7½d.
    Above ½ lb. and not exceeding 1 lb.                      1s. 3d.
    Above 1 lb. and not exceeding 2 lbs.                     2s. 6d.

    And so on, according to the English scale of weight.”

Mr. John Howe held the position of Postmaster-General until May 30th,
1856, when an Act came into force which made the office a political one.
Mr. Francis M’Phelim was then appointed in his place, and Mr. Howe became
Postmaster of the city of St. John on June 12th in that year. Mr. F.
M’Phelim resigned office on June 8th, 1857, and was succeeded by Mr. John
Mercer Johnson, jun. The latter resigned on November 2nd, 1858, when Mr.
Charles Connell took office. Mr. Connell resigned on May 19th, 1860, and
was succeeded by Mr. James Steadman. Mr. A. S. Phair was the Postmaster
of Fredericton during these and several future years. Mr. Stephen J.
King is the present Inspector of Post-offices, and Mr. E. Willis the
Postmaster at St. John. As many collectors are aware, all three stamps of
the first issue are found cut in two, diagonally, and used for half their
original values. The Three Pence is also known cut in half, parallel to
one of the sides of the stamp; and the Six Pence exists divided into
four equal triangular pieces, each part being used as a Three Halfpenny
stamp, in conjunction with a whole Six Penny, to make up the postal rate
of 7½d. I have been unable to find any official notice in _The Royal
Gazette_ authorizing the use of any of these mutilated stamps; but an
interesting article, published in _The Philatelic Record_ for October,
1886, clearly shows the reason for the bisection of the Three Pence. As
the article points out, no half specimen of this value is known used by
itself, but the variety is always found obliterated in connection with
other Three Pennies or a Six Penny stamp. The paper then goes on to say
the half stamp was used to make up the letter rate to England, which
was 6d. sterling the ½ ounce, equal to 7½d. currency, or for letters
forwarded _viâ_ the United States and British Packet, 8d. sterling, equal
to 10d. currency. I have found out that the former rate was in existence
on May 1st, 1856, and it had probably been in use some time previous to
that date. The latter rate came into operation on January 1st, 1857.
Besides the letter rates to England, we learn from the following notice,
published in _The Royal Gazette_ for September 16th, 1857, that two of
the new rates on Pamphlets, mentioned therein, could only be made up by
using half the Three Penny stamp with some of the other values.

    “NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.

    “On and after the first day of October next the following will
    be the rates on Pamphlets sent from New Brunswick to Great
    Britain, _viâ_ Halifax; viz.:

    For a Packet, not exceeding 4 ounces in weight, 3d. Sterling,
    4d. Currency.

    For a Packet exceeding 4 ounces and not exceeding half a pound,
    6d. Sterling, 7½d. Currency.

    For a Packet exceeding half a pound and not exceeding one
    pound, 1s. Sterling, 1s. 3d. Currency.

    For a Packet exceeding one pound and not exceeding one pound
    and a half, 1s. 6d. Sterling, 1s. 10½d. Currency.

    For a Packet exceeding one pound and a half and not exceeding
    two pounds, 2s. Sterling, 2s. 6d. Currency.

    And so on, increasing seven pence halfpenny Currency for every
    additional half pound or fraction of half pound. From the same
    date printed or Lithographed Letters may be sent like other
    printed matter under the Regulations of the Colonial Book Post.

                “(Signed) J. M. JOHNSON, Jr., _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, F’TON, _11th Sept., 1857_.”

There is no stipulation that the above rates must necessarily be prepaid,
and I have no doubt from the following notice, which was published in the
_British Postal Guide_ for October 1st, 1859, that correspondence between
the United Kingdom and all the North American Colonies was frequently
forwarded either wholly or only partly prepaid from both sides.

    “NOVA SCOTIA, NEW BRUNSWICK, AND NEWFOUNDLAND.

    “Letters for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland, if
    posted unpaid, or insufficiently prepaid, are now charged on
    delivery with a fine of 6d. each in addition to the postage.”

A similar notice had previously appeared in the _Postal Guide_ with
reference to Canada, and one was published later on in connection with
letters for Prince Edward Island.

This addition of a fine of 6d. upon unpaid or insufficiently prepaid
letters would naturally cause senders to be anxious to see their
correspondence properly stamped, and consequently a good many more cut
stamps would be required after the appearance of this notice, which no
doubt was published in New Brunswick the same as in this country. We
should therefore expect to find a greater number of half Three Pennys
postmarked after October 1st, 1859, than previously to that date. As
regards the bisection of the Six Pence and One Shilling values, there
was not the same _raison d’être_; but the varieties are probably due to
one or perhaps both of these causes: (_a_) The public seeing the Three
Pence was allowed to be used in this way, may have concluded the two
other stamps might be similarly employed, and not having the value by
them they required at the moment, manufactured it out of either the Six
Pence or One Shilling. (_b_) Or it may be that certain Post-offices fell
short of Three Penny and Six Penny stamps, and issued the halves of the
two higher values provisionally until a fresh supply of the required
value was obtained. Whatever was the true cause of these varieties,
whether they emanated from the public or were issued in this state by
the Post-office, they were certainly allowed by the postal officials to
frank correspondence. I can add no further information about the half
Three Penny stamp surcharged 1½d., beyond that found in the article in
_The Philatelic Record_, I have already mentioned, and the remarks in
a supplementary paper in the number of that journal for January, 1887.
I entirely agree with the conclusions the writer comes to; viz., that
the authenticity of the surcharge is open to grave doubt, and that in
all probability the variety is altogether “bogus.” At the same time the
author is perhaps in error when he says the charge for delivering letters
in the towns of Fredericton and St. John in 1857 was 1d. each, and not
1½d. It is true the Postmaster-General’s report for that year speaks of
1d. as the sum charged, but we must bear in mind that this is probably
1d. sterling (all the other rates being quoted in this way), which would
therefore equal 1¼d. currency, and 1d. would most likely be given in the
list as the nearest equivalent for 1½d. currency. Again, the remark “that
when the cents issue took place in 1860 no stamp was issued anywhere
approaching to the value of 1½d.” is equally applicable to the value 1d.,
as the Two Cents stamp was, according to the catalogues, not issued until
quite the end of the year 1863.

The annexed notice is found in _The Royal Gazette_ for August 3rd, 1859:

            “POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, FREDERICTON, _6th July, 1859_.

    “Part 9, Section 2, of Post Office Regulations is repealed, and
    the following adopted; viz.:

    “Printed Books, Periodical Publications or Pamphlets, under
    sixteen ounces in weight, can be forwarded by Post in New
    Brunswick at the rate of one half penny per ounce.

    “Printed Music will be allowed to pass through Post in New
    Brunswick under the same Regulations as Pamphlets.

    “Printed Circulars, Catalogues, Hand Bills, and Prices Current
    posted in New Brunswick will be liable to a rate of one half
    penny each, subject to the following Regulations; viz.:

    “The Postage must be prepaid.

    “Each must be in a Cover unsealed, or if sealed, open at the
    end or side; the word ‘Circular,’ ‘Catalogue,’ ‘Hand Bill,’ or
    ‘Price Current,’ as the case may be, must be written or printed
    on the face of the Cover; and each Package must weigh under
    half an ounce.

    “Any of the above mentioned, however, coming into New Brunswick
    by Post from the United States, Canada, Nova Scotia, or Prince
    Edward Island, will be subject to one half penny Postage, to be
    collected on delivery, and must be taxed accordingly.

                                 “(Signed) CHARLES CONNELL, P.M.G.”

The postage on the above must, I think, have been prepaid in money until
the issue of the One Cent stamp in May, 1860; for it is difficult to see
how a halfpenny value could have been improvised out of the three stamps
then current.

From the following notice, taken from _The Royal Gazette_ for January
19th, 1859, it will be seen New Brunswick was one of the first, perhaps
the earliest colony, to start a Parcels Post.

    “PARCELS BY POST IN NEW BRUNSWICK.

    “From the 1st February next a PARCEL, not weighing over
    Two Pounds, will be conveyed by mail between any of the
    Post-offices in New Brunswick. They must be prepaid at the
    following rates by Postage Stamps only:

    For any weight not exceeding 1 lb.                   1s. 3d.
    For any weight over 1 lb., and not exceeding 2 lbs.  2s. 6d.

                   “(Signed) CHARLES CONNELL, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, FREDERICTON, _January 12th, 1859_.”

I have now exhausted all the new information I have collected concerning
the Postage Stamps of New Brunswick, and I have no further particulars to
give you about the stamps issued in 1860, beyond what we find mentioned
further on in the Society’s list; neither can I add anything to the
history of the Five Cents “Connell” stamp so carefully related in the
paper reproduced from _The Halifax Philatelist_. The stamps of this
Colony became obsolete on the 27th of May, 1867, upon the formation of
the Dominion of Canada.


REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.


Issue I. September 6th, 1851.

_Three values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by Messrs.
Perkins, Bacon, and Co., of London, on stoutish blue wove paper, varying
in colour from deep to pale blue; yellowish gum, imperforate. Design:
In the centre, in an octagonal-shaped _cartouche_, with engine-turned
border, is the Royal Crown. Above, below, and on either side, is an
eight-rayed star, containing the heraldic flowers of the United Kingdom.
The upper and lower have the rose, that on the left the shamrock, and
that on the right the thistle, the rose in the lower star being inverted.
A curved white line surrounds the stars, the angles formed by which are
filled in with floral ornaments; engine-turned background. Reticulated
side labels, inscribed with name of Colony in plain Roman capitals;
“POSTAGE” in plain block letters, and the value in various type. That on
the Three Pence is in plain Roman capitals, and in block letters on the
other two values. In the Six Pence both the word “POSTAGE” and the value
show a line of colour down the centre of each letter. Plain lozenge in
each corner of the stamp, with coloured Arabic numeral of value. Shape,
lozenge. (_Illustrations 49, 50, 51._)

Upper left border, “NEW;” upper right, “BRUNSWICK;” lower left border,
“THREE PENCE,” “SIX PENCE,” “ONE SHILLING;” lower right, “POSTAGE.”

    3d., vermilion               (shades).
    6d., yellow, orange yellow   (  ”   ).
    1s., lilac-mauve, violet     (  ”   ).

_Varieties._—The Three Pence exists upon white paper, but the variety is
only due to the discharge of the blue colouring matter from the paper,
as the stamp was never printed upon white. Each of the values is met
with cut in two, and used as half the value of the stamp so mutilated.
The Six Pence is also known divided into four triangular pieces, each
quarter being used, in conjunction with a whole Six Pence, to make up
the postal rate of 7½d. These bisected stamps were used to prepay the
postage rate to the United Kingdom, which in 1857 was reduced to 7½d.;
and as there was no stamp of this value in use, recourse had to be made
to these varieties. The Three Pence has been seen divided obliquely,
and surcharged in red “1½.” The same surcharge is also said to exist
in black. Neither of these two stamps has come under the notice of the
Society; but from certain remarks contained in two articles, which may be
found in _The Philatelic Record_, vol. viii. pp. 165 and 219, there can
be little doubt that the surcharge is “bogus.”


Issue II. May 15th, 1860.

_Five values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by the American
Bank Note Company, of New York, on white wove paper; brownish gum;
machine perforated 12. The entire sheet of each value contains 100
stamps, arranged in ten rows of ten. There is no engraver’s name found on
the margins of the sheets of the four lowest values, but the Seventeen
Cents has “American Bank Note Co., New York,” on the edges of the sheet.
This value and the Five Cents were not issued until after the other three
stamps. Designs: ONE CENT.—Railway train, within transverse coloured
oval band inscribed in white Roman capitals. Small slanting ovals in the
upper, and larger upright ovals in the lower corners, with white Arabic
numeral of value. Curved octagonal label below, with “CENT” in white
Roman capitals. The remainder of the stamp is filled in with fine hatched
lines, with border of two plain coloured lines. FIVE CENTS.—Diademed,
nearly full-face portrait, of Queen Victoria looking to left, on ground
of horizontal lines, within an upright coloured oval, lettered in
white Roman capitals. Small slanting ovals in the upper, and larger
upright ones in the lower corners, with white Arabic numerals of value.
Oblong octagonal label below, with “CENTS” in white Roman capitals. The
spandrels are filled in with hatched lines, and two outer lines of colour
complete the design. TEN CENTS.—Similar to last, but small slanting ovals
in the spandrels, with Roman numeral in white. The bottom corners of the
stamp contain small octagonal coloured labels, with white Arabic numerals
of value. TWELVE AND A HALF CENTS.—Steamer sailing to right in transverse
oval, lettered with white Roman capitals. Small octagonal labels in the
upper, and larger circular ones in the lower corners, containing Arabic
numerals of value in white. Beneath the oval is a curved octagonal label
with “CENTS” in white Roman capitals. The spandrels are filled in with
hatching, and two outer lines of colour complete the design. SEVENTEEN
CENTS.—Nearly full face portrait of the Prince of Wales in Highland
costume looking to right, within a coloured upright oval lettered with
white Roman capitals. Small transverse ovals in each corner, with Arabic
numerals of value in white. Straight oblong octagonal label below the
oval, with “CENTS” in white Roman capitals. Spandrels filled in with
hatching, and border of two outer coloured lines. Shapes, small oblong
rectangular for the One and Twelve and a Half Cents; small upright
rectangular for the other three values. (_Illustrations 52, 53, 54, 55,
56._)

    T. “NEW BRUNSWICK POSTAGE.” B. “ONE CENT,” “FIVE,” “TEN,”
    “TWELVE AND A HALF,” “SEVENTEEN CENTS.”

    1 c., lilac-brown, reddish-mauve (shades).
    5 c., bronze-green, green        (  ”   ).
    10 c., scarlet-vermilion         (  ”   ).
    12½ c., Prussian blue            (  ”   ).
    17 c., black                     (  ”   ).

_Remarks._—The reason the Five Cents was not issued at the same time as
the One, Ten, and Twelve and a Half Cents stamps was, that Mr. Charles
Connell, who was Postmaster-General of the Colony at that time, had
ordered his own portrait to be engraved upon this value. It will be
seen from the interesting correspondence Mr. King gives in _The Halifax
Philatelist_ for June, July, and August, 1888, which is reproduced here,
that the Council disapproved of the design, and refused to allow the
stamps to be distributed. Mr. Connell was ordered at the same time to
obtain a fresh supply of Five Cents stamps with the head of Her Majesty.
The Connell Five Cents can therefore only be looked upon as a stamp
prepared for use, notwithstanding postmarked copies are known, as it is
quite clear from Mr. King’s article the stamp was never issued to the
public. In design, it is almost similar to the Ten Cents, but the head
of Her Majesty is replaced by a full face portrait of Charles Connell,
and the numerals in the spandrels are Arabic, instead of Roman in type.
The stamp was produced by the American Bank Note Company, of New York,
printed in Vandyke-brown upon white wove paper, and perforated 12.
Imperforate copies exist, but these can be looked upon only as proofs.
(_Illustration 57._)

    “A PHILATELIC CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF NEW BRUNSWICK.

    “THE CONNELL STAMP.

    “This stamp has probably been discussed more than any other
    stamp, or series of stamps, that have ever been issued, and
    still a decision has never been arrived at as to whether they
    are essays or whether any have ever done postal duty. The
    general opinion seems to be that they were in use, but only for
    a day. The way the stamp originated was this: Mr. Connell, then
    Postmaster-General of New Brunswick, was authorised by a Minute
    of Council in December, 1859, to procure a new set of postage
    stamps, which the change in currency rendered necessary.
    Believing that this Minute gave him full power and discretion
    as to designs, etc., he ordered the plates for the values
    wanted—One, Five, Ten, and Twelve and a Half Cents; and for the
    Five Cents had his own portrait. The stamps came to hand in due
    time, and Mr. Connell, not probably making any secret of the
    design for the Five Cents, spoke to some of his friends about
    them, and of his intention of going down to posterity thereon.
    This came to the knowledge of the Council, who, knowing that
    they had not been approved by them, decided to see the issue
    before it was sent out to postmasters for public use. As a
    matter of course they disapproved of Mr. Connell’s design for
    the Five Cents, and he was instructed by the Council to destroy
    them, and order a new lot with the effigy of the Queen. This
    Mr. Connell would not do, and therefore resigned. The Five
    Cents, brown, were destroyed, and only the other three values
    issued.

    “After Mr. Connell’s resignation, he wrote a letter to the
    Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton, the Lieutenant-Governor of the
    Province, giving his reasons for resigning his office. He,
    however, says that he did not resign on account of the stamp
    affair, but because he could not agree with the Government
    expenditure of public moneys, and because he said that his
    colleagues did not have confidence enough in him to back
    him up on a small matter; that is, the issuing of the Five
    Cents, brown. Through the kindness of a friend I have been
    enabled to see the complete official correspondence, etc.,
    between Connell, the Governor, and Council in reference to
    this business, and am giving them here. Several of the letters
    contain a large amount of matter irrelevant to the subject in
    question, and dealing only with the political reasons of Mr.
    Connell’s resignation, and these parts not being interesting to
    the philatelic reader are left out.

    “The correspondence starts with the letter of the Council
    to the Lieutenant-Governor after they had had the designs
    submitted to them.

    “(COPY NO. 1.)

    “Memorandum of the Executive Council in Committee.

    “‘_To His Excellency the Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton,
    Lieut.-Gov., etc., etc._

    “‘We advise your Excellency to approve of, and order to be
    distributed, the One Cent, Ten Cent, and Twelve and a Half
    Cent postage stamps procured by the Postmaster-General,
    and we further advise Your Excellency to order a Five Cent
    postage stamp to be struck, bearing the likeness of the
    Queen, instead of the Five Cent stamp already procured by the
    Postmaster-General.

                                       “‘(Signed) S. L. TILLEY.
                                                  P. MITCHELL.
                                                  A. T. SMITH.
                                                  CHARLES WATTERS.
                                                  W. H. STEEVES.
                                                  DAVID WARK.

    “‘Approved May 12, 1860.

                                 “‘(Sgd.) J. H. T. MANNERS-SUTTON.’

    “‘(COPY NO. 2.)

    “Letter from Mr. C. Connell to the Lieut.-Governor.

    “‘SIR,—Various circumstances having occurred with reference to
    the administration of the Government of this Province during
    the short time that I have had the honor of being one of Your
    Excellency’s advisers, induce me to address Your Excellency....

    “‘Having felt this and other matters for some time past, and
    at the same time feeling reluctant to take a step that I saw
    pressing on me, I delayed action; but the recent act of my
    colleagues in the Government has brought matters to a crisis,
    the want of that support on their part on a subject in which I
    believed I was authorized in the action I had taken, as will
    appear by the following minutes of Council (December, 1858) and
    correspondence:

    “’”Postmaster-General to obtain new postage stamps in One,
    Five, Ten, and Twelve and a Half Cents.“’

    “‘No. 1. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_The Hon. Charles Connell, Woodstock_,—

    “‘Just received notice from the Governor that new decimal stamp
    cannot be issued until approved by Governor in Council. Have
    seen Hale. Telegraph him. He can put all right.

                                            (Signed), S. L. TILLEY.

    “‘FREDERICTON, _27th April, 1860_.’

    “‘No. 2. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_The Hon. S. L. Tilley_,—

    “‘If that is required you can procure the order, as any delay
    now will make trouble all over the country, as instructions
    have gone out and all stamps called in.

                                       “‘(Signed), CHARLES CONNELL.

    “‘WOODSTOCK, _28th April, 1860_.’

    “‘No. 3. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_Hon. Charles Connell, Woodstock_,—

    “‘Cannot get order before Wednesday. Only Attorney-General
    here. Hale can arrange so as not to cause confusion of
    instructions.

                                         “‘(Signed), S. L. TILLEY.’

    “‘No. 4. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_James Hale, Esq., Fredericton_,—

    “‘See Mr. Tilley. Let issue of stamps be stayed till Wednesday
    next.

                                       “‘(Signed), CHARLES CONNELL.

    “‘WOODSTOCK, _28th April, 1860_.’

    “‘No. 5. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_The Hon. S. L. Tilley, Fredericton_,—

    “‘Have telegraphed Hale to see you. Defer to issue until
    Wednesday. I may not be able to leave for St. John before this
    day week. Telegraph me as soon as order is made. Thought order
    was made at time I was authorized to procure new stamps.

                                         (Signed), CHARLES CONNELL.

    “‘WOODSTOCK, _28th April, 1860_.’

    “‘No. 6. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_The Hon. Charles Connell_,—

    “‘All right. Desirable that all should be at St. John by
    Thursday next, if possible.

                                            (Signed), S. L. TILLEY.

    “‘FREDERICTON, _28th April, 1860_.’

    “‘No. 7. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_The Hon. Charles Connell, Woodstock_,—

    “‘Shall postage stamps be detained, and Deputies ordered to
    retain old ones until further orders?

                                              (Signed), JAMES HALE.

    “‘FREDERICTON, _28th April, 1860_.’

    “‘No. 8. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

    “‘_The Hon. Charles Connell, Woodstock_—

    “‘Contractors here promised full Council to consider claims.
    Your presence necessary Thursday evening at furthest.

                                            (Signed), S. L. TILLEY.

    “‘ST. JOHN, _May 2nd, 1860_.’

    “The Council met as was agreed upon, and disapproved of Mr.
    Connell’s Five Cents, brown; and the following is their
    recommendation to the Lieut.-Governor:

    “‘(COPY.)

    “‘_To His Excellency the Hon. J. A. T. Manners-Sutton,
    Lieut.-Governor_—

    “‘We advise your Excellency to approve of and order to be
    distributed the One Cent, Ten Cent, and Twelve and a Half
    Cent postage stamps, procured by the Postmaster-General;
    and we further advise your Excellency to order a Five Cent
    postage stamp to be struck, bearing the likeness of the
    Queen, instead of the Five Cent stamp already procured by the
    Postmaster-General.

                                       “‘(Signed), S. L. TILLEY.
                                                   A. J. SMITH.
                                                   W. H. STEEVES.
                                                   P. MITCHELL.
                                                   CHARLES WATTERS.
                                                   DAVID WARK.

    “‘_May 8th, 1860._’

    “‘(COPY.)

    “‘Letter to Hon. Charles Connell from the Provincial Secretary.

    “‘SIR,—I am directed by His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor
    to request you to distribute the One, Ten, and Twelve and a
    Half Cent postage stamps procured by you, and to direct you to
    take the necessary steps to have struck off a Five Cent stamp,
    bearing the likeness of the Queen, for future distribution.

                        “‘I have, &c., &c.,

                                          “‘(Signed), S. L. TILLEY.

    “‘_The Hon. C. Connell, &c._’

    “‘(COPY).

                        “‘POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, _15th May, 1860_.

    “‘SIR,—I am in receipt of your favour informing me that you
    have been desired by his Excellency the Lieut.-Governor to
    request that I would distribute the One, Ten, and Twelve and
    a Half Cent postage stamps procured by me, and to take steps
    to procure a Five Cent stamp for future distribution. You
    will inform his Excellency that I was authorised, by Minutes
    of Council in December last, to procure a One, Five, Ten,
    and Twelve and a Half Cent postage stamp, and that all these
    denominations are now in the office of this Department ready
    for distribution.

                         I have, &c., &c.,

                                       “‘(Signed), CHARLES CONNELL.

    “‘_The Hon. S. L. Tilley._’

    “‘(COPY).

                            “‘SECRETARY’S OFFICE, _17th May, 1860_.

    “‘SIR,—I have laid before his Excellency the Lieut.-Governor
    your letter of the 15th inst., relative to the distribution of
    postage stamps, and I am directed to inform you that he has
    referred it for the consideration of his Council.

                        “‘I have, &c., &c.,

                                          “‘(Signed), S. L. TILLEY.

    “‘_The Hon. C. Connell, &c., &c._’

    “‘I have felt it my duty to lay before your Excellency this
    correspondence, together with the Minute of Council, and have
    no desire to make any comment thereon, as I think it will speak
    for itself.

    “‘I may remark, however, that I cannot discover by that
    correspondence—No. 1 to 8—that it was the intention to withdraw
    from me that support in the action I had taken in procuring the
    postage stamps as authorized by the Minute in Council referred
    to.

    “‘My administration of the Post Office Department is before the
    public, and it is for them to say whether it is satisfactory or
    not.

    “‘I think I may state with certainty that the revenues of
    the Department will be reduced by the recent action of the
    Government, as I made arrangements for the delivery and
    sale of postage stamps at every Post-office and Way-office
    throughout the Province on the 1st May. I do not intend that
    the legitimate authority belonging to the Chief of that
    Department shall be limited or circumscribed while I have the
    honour of being at its head.

    “‘After a very careful and deliberate review of the whole
    matter, under all the circumstances, I believe that my
    continuance in office would not be beneficial to the Department.

    “‘Holding the opinions that I have submitted to your
    Excellency, I feel that I cannot, consistently with the duty
    I owe to my constituents and the public, continue longer
    to hold an office and position as one of your Excellency’s
    advisers in opposition to my views on public duty. I therefore
    respectfully beg to submit to your Excellency my resignation
    of the office of Postmaster-General, and as one of your
    Excellency’s advisers; and further request your Excellency’s
    permission to publish and give my reasons for so doing, and the
    correspondence connected therewith.

                         I have, &c., &c.,

                                                 “‘CHARLES CONNELL.

    “‘_His Excellency the Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton, &c., &c._’

    “(COPY NO. 3.)

    “Memorandum of the Lieut.-Governor to Mr. Connell.

                 “‘GOVERNMENT HOUSE, FREDERICTON, _May 19th, 1860_.

    “‘His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor accepts Mr. Connell’s
    resignation of the office of Postmaster-General and Executive
    Councillor, and he accedes to Mr. Connell’s request to be so
    far relieved from the obligations of his oath of office as will
    enable him to explain the grounds on which he has tendered his
    resignation to his Excellency.

    “‘His Excellency will of course deem it right to communicate
    to his Council the contents of Mr. Connell’s letter to his
    Excellency of this day’s date.

                               “‘(Signed), J. H. T. MANNERS-SUTTON.

    “‘_Mr. Charles Connell, M.P.P., &c._’

    “(COPY NO. 4.)

    “Memorandum for the Executive Council.

    “‘His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor thinks it right without
    delay to lay before his Council the accompanying copy of a
    letter addressed to his Excellency by Mr. Connell.

    “‘His Excellency has accepted Mr. Connell’s resignation of the
    office of Postmaster-General and Executive Councillor, tendered
    to him this morning by Mr. Connell.

                               “‘(Signed), J. H. T. MANNERS-SUTTON.

    “‘_May 19th, 1860._’

    “(COPY NO. 5.)

    “Memorandum of the Executive Council in Committee.

    “‘_To His Excellency the Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton,
    Lieut.-Governor, &c._

    “‘May it please your Excellency,—

    “‘We have had under consideration the memorandum of your
    Excellency of the 19th instant, accompanied with the letter
    from the Postmaster-General, resigning his office and his seat
    in the Council, with the reasons he has assigned therefor.

    “‘Knowing from the discussions with Mr. Connell that he was
    prepared to retain his office and seat in the Council, if an
    order was made to issue the stamps procured by him, including
    the stamp bearing the likeness of the head of the department,
    we are therefore justified in concluding that the Minute of
    Council of the 8th instant, in which your Excellency was
    advised to approve of, and order to be distributed the One,
    Ten, and Twelve and a Half Cent Postage Stamps procured by the
    Postmaster-General, and to order a new Five Cent Postage Stamp
    to be struck, bearing the likeness of the Queen, instead of the
    Five Cent stamp already procured by the Postmaster-General,
    is, notwithstanding the other reasons assigned by him, the real
    ground of his resignation.

    “‘Without entering into the discussion of the powers of the
    different heads of departments, we observe that we have no
    desire to limit or circumscribe the legitimate authority of
    the Postmaster-General, or of the head of any other public
    department, and in advising your Excellency upon this question,
    we have not desired nor attempted to do so, as by the Act
    relating to the Post Office the approval of the Governor in
    Council is required to the issue of Postage Stamps.

    “‘Your Excellency is aware that no such order was made by your
    Excellency in Council, authorizing the obtaining or issuing of
    the stamps. We admit the Postmaster-General had the consent of
    his colleagues to obtain decimal stamps, but they were procured
    and being distributed before they were submitted to your
    Excellency in Council for approval, or before the impress they
    bore was known to the Council, and when submitted it was the
    opinion of the Council that the Five Cent stamp should bear the
    likeness of Her Majesty....

    “‘We cannot discern how the Revenue of the Post Office
    Department will be affected by the action of the Government;
    that must depend upon the extent of individual correspondence,
    and we do not believe that there will be a single letter less
    written in consequence of such action.

    “‘As Mr. Connell has obtained your Excellency’s permission to
    publish his letter to your Excellency, we respectfully request
    your Excellency will authorize the publication of this reply.

                                        “‘(Signed), CHARLES FISHER,
                                                    JAMES BROWN,
                                                    S. L. TILLEY,
                                                    W. H. STEEVES,
                                                    A. T. SMITH,
                                                    D. WARK,
                                                    CHAS. WATTERS,
                                                    P. MITCHELL.’

    “(COPY NO. 6.)

    “Memorandum for the Executive Council.

    “‘His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor has received the
    memorandum of the Executive Council in Committee, in which they
    submit to his Excellency their observations on Mr. Connell’s
    letter to his Excellency of the 19th instant.

    “‘The Lieut.-Governor accedes to the request of his Council to
    be permitted to publish this document.

                                “‘(Signed) J. H. T. MANNERS-SUTTON.

    “‘_May 22nd, 1860._’

    “(COPY NO. 7.)

    “Memorandum for the Executive Council.

    “‘His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor lays before the Executive
    Council a copy of a communication dated May 30th, 1860, which
    his Excellency has received from Mr. Charles Connell respecting
    his recent resignation of his seat at the Council Board, and
    the office of Postmaster-General.

                                “‘(Signed) J. H. T. MANNERS-SUTTON.

    “‘_June 2nd, 1860._’

    “(COPY NO. 8.)

    “Letter from Mr. C. Connell to the Lieut.-Governor.

    “‘_To His Excellency the Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton,
    Lieut.-Governor, &c., &c._

    “‘SIR,—In the _Royal Gazette_ of the 23rd instant appears a
    memoranda without date, signed by your Excellency’s advisers,
    and addressed to your Excellency, in which is reviewed a
    correspondence, which I had the honour to submit to your
    Excellency on the 19th instant. The subject-matter of that
    correspondence must be discussed at the proper time in another
    place; but as there are several points urged in the memoranda
    of your advisers calculated to create a false impression with
    reference to my reasons for resigning my place at the Council
    Board, I am induced to trouble your Excellency with this
    rejoinder.

    “‘1.—In the memoranda under notice it is intimated that the
    real reason of my resignation was the refusal of my colleagues
    in the Government to advise your Excellency to issue the Five
    Cent Postage Stamp. This statement I must unhesitatingly
    declare to be incorrect, and if evidence is wanting to prove
    the contrary, I can refer to the Attorney-General, Provincial
    Secretary, and the Hon. Mr. Wark, who were present at a meeting
    of Council on Tuesday, the 10th April, on which occasion, on
    account of circumstances which then and there took place, I
    stated that “I could not sit with men who acted as they did.”

    “‘I am well aware that the law reads: “The Governor in Council
    may cause stamps with their value thereon to be sold and issued
    as postage.” The Minute of Council made in December last, if
    not perfected by the Attorney-General, whose duty it was to
    do so, cannot be regarded as my fault. I have fulfilled my
    duty, and did what I supposed I was fully authorized to do.
    At all events I have violated no law, and in the memorandum
    under consideration it is admitted that I had the consent of my
    colleagues to obtain the decimal stamps....

    “‘7.—As to the revenues of the Postal Department, at the end of
    the year when the returns are made up, the public will be able
    to arrive at a correct judgment.

                        “‘I have, &c. &c.,

                                        “‘(Signed) CHARLES CONNELL.

    “‘WOODSTOCK, _30th May, 1860_.’

    “(COPY NO. 9.)

    “Memorandum of the Executive Council in Committee.

    “‘_To His Excellency the Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton,
    Lieut.-Governor, &c._

    “‘May it please your Excellency,—

    “‘The Committee of Council have had under consideration your
    Excellency’s memorandum of the 2nd instant, accompanied with
    a second letter from the late Postmaster-General, intended as
    a reply to our communication to your Excellency of the 23rd
    ultimo.

    “‘We are convinced that in the preparation of both the papers
    submitted to your Excellency by Mr. Connell, he has been
    influenced more by a desire to avoid the discussion of the real
    ground of his resignation than to represent accurately the
    policy and acts of his late colleagues in the Government....

    “‘In our former memorandum we stated to your Excellency that
    Mr. Connell had the consent of his colleagues to procure
    Decimal Postal Stamps, and we again assert that the Council
    were kept in total ignorance of the design upon the Five Cent
    stamps until after they were struck off and put in circulation....

    “‘Mr. Connell having published his second letter to your
    Excellency, we respectfully request your Excellency will
    authorize the publication of this our reply.

                                        “‘(Signed) CHARLES FISHER,
                                                   A. T. SMITH,
                                                   JAMES BROWN,
                                                   DAVID WARK,
                                                   S. L. TILLEY,
                                                   CHARLES WATTERS,
                                                   W. H. STEEVES,
                                                   PETER MITCHELL.

    “‘COUNCIL CHAMBER, _5th June, 1860_.’

    “(COPY NO. 10.)

    “Memorandum for the Executive Council.

    “‘His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor has received the
    memorandum, dated the 5th instant, of the Executive Council in
    Committee, and in accordance with their request he sanctions
    the publication of this document.

                                “‘(Signed) J. H. T. MANNERS-SUTTON.

    “‘_June 6th, 1860._’

    “(COPY NO. 11.)

    “Memorandum for the Executive Council.

    “‘His Excellency the Lt.-Governor lays before the Executive
    Council a copy of a further communication, dated June 15th,
    1860, which His Excellency has received from Mr. C. Connell,
    respecting his recent resignation of his seat at the Council
    Board, and of the office of Postmaster-General.

                                  “‘(Sgd.) J. H. T. MANNERS-SUTTON.

    “‘_June 15th, 1860._’”

    “(COPY NO. 12.)

    “Letter from Mr. C. Connell to the Lt.-Governor.

    “‘_To His Excellency The Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton,
    Lt.-Gov., &c., &c._

    “‘SIR,—The Royal Gazette of the 6th inst. contains a memorandum
    intended as a reply to my letter of the 30th ult. to your
    Excellency, in which your advisers exhibit a great anxiety to
    impress on the mind of your Excellency that the only cause of
    my resignation of the office of Postmaster-General was the
    refusal of the Council to advise your Excellency to order the
    issue of the Five Cent stamps. I have in my previous letters
    to your Excellency stated some of the many reasons forming the
    basis of my conclusion to resign, and to repeat that I was
    not influenced in my course altogether by the stamp question
    I consider unnecessary, that matter merely having had the
    effect of bringing my previous intention to its fulfilment,
    for sooner or later my resignation must have been tendered. I
    will however say, that the usage I did receive at the hands
    of my colleagues, in reference to the stamps, would have been
    sufficient to cause such action as I took upon the premises.

    “‘The correspondence between myself and the Provincial
    Secretary, with reference to the issue of the Postage Stamps,
    laid before your Excellency, either has not had a careful
    perusal, or else they are in ignorance of the meaning conveyed
    by such correspondence.

    “‘I was first authorized to procure the stamps, and stated
    on the floor of the House in March last that ‘I had ordered,
    and would receive in time for distribution on the 1st of May,
    stamps of the denomination of One, Five, Ten, and Twelve and a
    Half Cent, in view of the introduction of the decimal system
    of currency.’ They arrived, and preparations for their issue
    at the appointed time were made by the Department, supposing
    that any further orders were unnecessary, until I received
    the telegram from the Provincial Secretary, and subsequent
    interference on the parts of your advisers, in what was a mere
    matter of detail, became apparent. An order to issue all but
    Five Cent stamps was made, thus setting aside my power and
    right to conduct even a minor arrangement of the Department.
    After having procured, by the knowledge and consent of the
    Government, stamps of various denominations, my position as
    head of a department was ignored. Even if this was the only
    circumstance influencing me, my course was the only honourable
    one to pursue.

    “‘I have the honour to be,

            “‘Your Excellency’s most obedient servant,

                                                “‘CHARLES CONNELL.’

    “This finishes this most remarkable correspondence and chapter
    in the postal history of New Brunswick.

    “A careful reading and consideration of the letters here given
    will show the impossibility of there ever having been any
    of the Connell stamps used to pay the postage of a letter,
    although an inference to the contrary may be drawn from Nos.
    5 and 9, being the letters of the Executive Council, but this
    is due I think to loose writing, or probably meaning that
    they were in the hands of the Post Office Department for
    distribution. Against this we see the telegrams to Connell
    forbidding the issue, three days before they were to start
    sending them to postmasters, and his telegram to Hale,
    the Secretary of the Post Office Department of N. B., at
    Fredericton, forbidding him to send out any of the stamps. In
    my opinion the Connell is undoubtedly not a postage stamp,
    but a rare essay only. As a fitting end to this I may add the
    official account of the money paid for the making of the Cent
    issue of New Brunswick.

    -------+--------------------------------------+------------+-----------
     NAME. |                  PARTICULARS.        |   AMOUNT.  |  AMOUNT.
    -------+--------------------------------------+------------+-----------
           |                                      |   £  s. d. |   £  s. d.
           |Engraving plate for “One Cent”        |            |
           |  Postage Stamps                      |  25  0  0  |
           |                                      |            |
           |Printing 2000 sheets     ”            |            |
           |                                      |  12 15  0  |  37 15  0
           |                                      |            |
           |Engraving plate for “Five Cent”       |            |
           |                        (Connell) do. |  25  0  0  |
           |                                      |            |
           |Printing 5000 sheets                  |            |
           |                             ”     ”  |  31 15  0  |  56 15  0
           |                                      |            |
           |Engraving plate for “Ten Cent”     ”  |  25  0  0  |
           |                                      |            |
           |Printing 2000 sheets   ”           ”  |  12 10  0  |  37 10  0
           |                                      |            |
           |Engraving plate for “Twelve &         |            |
           |  Half Cent”                       ”  |  25  0  0  |
           |                                      |            |
           |Printing 4000 sheets    ”             |            |
           |                                   ”  |  25  0  0  |  50  0  0
           |                                      |            |
           |Engraving plate for “Seventeen        |            |
           |   Cent”                           ”  |  25  0  0  |
           |                                      |            |
           |Printing 1000 sheets       ”       ”  |   6  5  0  |  31  5  0
           |                                      |            |
           |Engraving plate for “Five Cent”    ”  |  25  0  0  |
           |                                      |            |
           |Printing 5000 sheets     ”         ”  |  31  5  0  |  56  5  0
           |                                      +------------+----------
           |                                                    £268 15  0

    “This was for the first lot sent. There were, however, several
    other supplies got before the confederation of the British
    North American Provinces.

                                                  “DONALD A. KING.”


Issue III. May (?), 1863.

_One value._—Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co. of New
York, upon white wove paper; brownish gum, machine-perforated 12. The
entire sheet consists of one hundred stamps, arranged in ten rows of
ten; and the name of the engravers appears in the margins of the sheet.
Design: The same portrait of the Queen as in the Five Cents of the
last issue, in a somewhat larger oval. Upright coloured ovals in each
corner, containing Arabic numeral of value in white. The remainder of the
stamp is filled in with arabesques. Shape, small upright rectangular.
(_Illustration 58._)

    T. “NEW BRUNSWICK POSTAGE.” B. “TWO CENTS.”

    2 c., orange (shades).




NEWFOUNDLAND.


PRELIMINARY NOTES.

_BY E. D. BACON._

Newfoundland is an island situated between 46° 37′ and 51° 39′ N. lat.,
and 52° 35′ and 59° 25′ W. long., on the north-east side of the Gulf of
St. Lawrence. The greatest length from north to south is 350 miles, and
average breadth about 130; its estimated area is 40,200 square miles.
The coast of Labrador, on the Continent, is now included in the Colony.
It comprises about 120,000 square miles, but has only 4211 inhabitants.
The island was discovered by John Cabot in 1497. It was as early as 1500
frequented by the Portuguese, Spanish, and French, for its fisheries. Sir
Walter Raleigh and others, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, attempted to
colonize this island, but were not successful. In 1623, Sir G. Calvert,
afterwards Lord Baltimore, established himself in the south-east part of
the island, and appointed his son Governor. In 1634, a party of colonists
were sent over from Ireland, and twenty years after some English
colonists arrived, having emigrated by means of a Parliamentary grant.
At the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, subsequently ratified by the Treaty
of Paris, the exclusive sovereignty of Newfoundland was ceded to Great
Britain, subject to certain rights reserved to France, which are still
in question between the two nations. As already mentioned, Newfoundland
is now (1889) the only North American Colony not included within the
Dominion of Canada.

Newfoundland has never possessed an Official Gazette, but Government
notices appear in the newspaper _The Royal Gazette and Newfoundland
Advertiser_, published at St. John’s. The earliest file of this
newspaper, with the exception of one or two odd numbers, I have found in
this country commences with the year 1875, so I have been unable to gain
any particulars about the stamps of this Colony from that source. The
Report of the Postmaster-General of Great Britain for 1857 I have before
quoted from tells us:

    “Inland Posts were established in 1852. In 1853 a reduced
    and uniform rate of postage for Letters was established, and
    another for Books.

    On Letters not exceeding ½ oz.                    3d.
    Exceeding ½ oz. and not exceeding 1 oz.           6d.
    Above 1 oz.         ”        ”      1½ oz.        9d.

    And so on in proportion.

    “Newspapers are conveyed free.

    “On Books the postage is about 2d. per oz. up to 6 ozs.,
    exceeding that weight, 3d. per oz. up to 16 ozs., beyond which
    weight they cannot be transmitted through the post.”

Postage stamps are not mentioned, so they had evidently not been
introduced into the Colony at the time the above particulars were sent
over; but 1857 is the year usually given as that in which the first
issue took place. The present rates of postage are as follows:

                                             Letters
                                             Per ½ oz.   Newspapers.
    In St. John’s                            1 cent         Free.
    Within Colony                            3 cents        Free.
    Europe, United States, and St. Pierre,
      Miquelon                               5 cents       1 cent.
    South America and West Indies            8 cents       2 cents.

Mr. John Delaney was Postmaster-General of the Colony in 1879, and Mr. J.
O. Fraser holds that office at the present time.

I regret, as in the case of Canada, I am unable to give you copies of
any of the official notices of the issue of the stamps of this Colony.
I hope, however, I may shortly be followed by other writers, who may
have greater facilities, and be more successful in obtaining the desired
information than I have been.


REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.


Issue I. 1857.

_Seven values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by Messrs.
Perkins, Bacon, and Co., of London, on stoutish white wove paper;
yellowish gum, imperforate. Designs: The design of the ONE PENNY and FIVE
PENCE closely resembles that of the first issue of New Brunswick, except
that the crown in the centre is printed straight instead of obliquely,
and that there is a small oblong white label above that containing
the value, inscribed “POSTAGE” in small coloured block letters.
Numerals of value on white squares in each corner. Shape, square.
THREE PENCE.—Heraldic flowers on a trilobed _cartouche_ in centre, on
reticulated background. Labels of solid colour at left, right, and at
the bottom, inscribed in white Roman capitals. Lozenge-shaped blocks in
the three corners, with coloured Arabic numeral of value in small white
circles. Shape, triangular. The TWO PENCE, FOUR PENCE, SIX PENCE, and
ONE SHILLING are very similar in design, which consists of a bunch of
heraldic flowers in a central circle on the Two Pence, Four Pence, and
One Shilling, and in an oval on the Six Pence. The central circle, or
oval, is enframed in a larger engine-turned oval, inscribed above with
name of Colony in a curve of white block letters. The remainder of the
design varies in detail for each value; but all have the value in full
in the bottom label, and Arabic numerals of value in the corners. Shape,
upright rectangular. (_Illustrations 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64._)

    1d., chocolate-brown, lake-brown (shades).
    2d., orange (shades).
    3d., green, yellow-green (shades).
    4d., orange (shades).
    5d., chocolate-brown, lake-brown, verging on bistre (shades).
    6d., orange.
    1s.    ”

    _Variety._

    The 1s., divided in half horizontally, has done duty for 6d.

_Remarks._—A specimen of the One Penny in the Vice-President’s collection
is pin-perforated, but no information is available as to the authenticity
of this stamp. Two sets may be made of the One Penny, Three Pence, and
Five Pence. The first is found on fairly thick white wove paper, and
the second on paper which is thinner and more transparent. A close
examination will also show that the two papers are quite different
in texture. The paler shades of the One Penny and Five Pence, which
appeared in 1863, are found on the thinner paper. All three values are
appreciably smaller in size than those printed on the thicker paper, but
whether this is due to shrinkage of the paper, or to the engraving of a
new plate, is doubtful. The same shade of green was used for the Three
Pence in both sets. M. Moens catalogues the Six Pence Halfpenny and Eight
Pence as issued with this set; but these two values are not known to the
Society as existing in the early shade of orange. The stamps of this
series printed in orange, and those of the next set, are frequently met
with with the colour changed to brown or even black. These varieties are
simply due to oxidation.


Issue II. 1860(?).

_Six values._ Consisting of the Two Pence, Four Pence, Six Pence, and
the One Shilling of the preceding issue, with two new values of Six
Pence Halfpenny and Eight Pence added. The central designs of these two
latter are similar to those of the other stamps, but the minor details
vary. The colour of the four first stamps is changed from orange to
scarlet-vermilion. (_Illustrations 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66._)

    2d., scarlet-vermilion (slight shades).
    4d.      ”       ”     (     ”       ).
    6d.      ”       ”     (     ”       ).
    6½d.,    ”       ”     (     ”       ).
    8d.      ”       ”     (     ”       ).
    1s.      ”       ”     (     ”       ).

    _Variety._

    The 8d. is found cut in half obliquely, and used as 4d.


Issue III. 1862.

_Six values._ Similar to those of the last issue, but with the colour
changed to a dull lake. (_Illustrations 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66._)

    2d., dull lake (shades).
    4d.       ”    (  ”   ).
    6d.       ”    (  ”   ).
    6½d.,     ”    (  ”   ).
    8d.       ”    (  ”   ).
    1s.       ”    (  ”   ).

_Remarks._—The Eight Pence of this set, although printed, is said not to
have been issued to the public. Several of the values are scarce used,
but forged obliterations are not uncommon, as well as copies postmarked
by favour.


Issue IV. January, 1866.

_Six values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by the American
Bank Note Co., of New York, on yellowish and white wove paper;
machine-perforated. The sheet of the Two Cents (the only one seen by the
Society) contains one hundred stamps in ten rows of ten. Designs:

TWO CENTS. Cod-fish swimming to left on shaded ground of horizontal
lines, within a transverse oval band of solid colour, inscribed in
white Roman capitals “NEWFOUNDLAND” above, “TWO CENTS” below, and “TWO”
at either side. Ornamental circles break the oval at each corner, and
contain the Arabic numeral of value on coloured ground.

FIVE CENTS. Seal on ice-floe, with icebergs in the background. Two curved
coloured labels above—the first inscribed “FIVE 5 FIVE,” with an oval at
each end with Arabic numeral of value; and the second, “NEWFOUNDLAND” in
white Roman capitals. Straight label at the bottom of the stamp, with
value in full in white Roman capitals and Arabic numeral at either end.

TEN CENTS. Nearly full-faced portrait of the Prince of Wales in military
uniform looking to right, on ground of horizontal lines, within a fancy
ornamental frame. Curved label above inscribed “NEWFOUNDLAND,” and a
similar one below with value in full, all in white Roman capitals.

TWELVE CENTS. Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of
horizontal lines, within an oval garter inscribed with the name of the
Colony and value in full in white Roman capitals.

THIRTEEN CENTS. Schooner sailing to right. Curved label above with the
name of the Colony, and straight label below with value in full in white
Roman capitals. Ornaments at sides broken by coloured circles, with white
Arabic numerals of value.

TWENTY-FOUR CENTS. Full-faced diademed portrait of Queen Victoria on
ground of cross hatched lines, within a white octagonal frame. Scroll
above with name of Colony and label below with “CENTS” in white Roman
capitals. On either side of the word “CENTS” is a white bordered oval
with Arabic numerals of value on ground of horizontal lines. Side borders
and a few ornaments complete the design. Shapes: Oblong rectangular for
the Two, Five, and Thirteen Cents; upright rectangular for the other
values. (_Illustrations 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72._)

    (A) _On yellowish paper. Perforated 12._

    2 c., green           (shades).
    5 c., brown           (   ”  ).
    10 c., black          (   ”  ).
    12 c., red            (   ”  ).
    13 c., orange         (   ”  ).
    24 c., Prussian-blue  (   ”  ).

    (B) _On white paper. Perforated 12._

    2 c., green.
    10 c., black.
    12 c., red.
    24 c., Prussian-blue.

    (C) _Rouletted._

    5 c., brown.

_Remarks._—The latter variety is taken from _The Halifax Philatelist_ for
July, 1888, page 82. The Five Cents of this and also of issues V. and
VII. has been seen perforated 14, but no explanation is forthcoming of a
kind of mystery which appears to overhang these specimens. There is some
doubt as to their authenticity.


Issue V. 1868-70.

_Four values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_, by the American
Bank Note Co., of New York, on white wove paper; machine perforated.
Designs: ONE CENT. Three-quarter-face portrait of the Prince of Wales
in Highland costume, looking to the right, on ground of wavy lines,
within a shaded oval frame inscribed below “NEWFOUNDLAND” in white Roman
capitals, and above with the letters “N. F.” Over the upper portion of
the oval is a scroll with value in full in white Roman capitals, Arabic
numeral of value in the two bottom corners. THREE and SIX CENTS. Profile
bust portrait of Queen Victoria to right in widow’s weeds, on shaded
background of horizontal lines within an arched frame. Two curved labels
above, inscribed respectively “THREE” (“SIX”) and “NEWFOUNDLAND.” Curved
label below with value in full, all in white Roman capitals. Scroll
ornaments in each corner, the upper ones containing Arabic numerals
of value and the lower ones small five-rayed stars. Shape: Upright
rectangular. The FIVE CENTS is the same design as that of the preceding
issue, with the colour changed. (_Illustrations 73, 74, 68._)

    (A) _Perforated 12._

    1 c., purple-brown (shades). End 1868.
    3 c., vermilion    (  ”   ). July, 1870.
    5 c., black        (  ”   ). End 1868.
    6 c., dull lake    (  ”   ). July, 1870.

    (B) _Perforated 10½ (?)._

    5 c., black.

    (C) _Rouletted._

    5 c., black.

_Remarks._—The variety of the Five Cents, rouletted, is taken from the
same paper as that of the previous issue. Neither of these stamps has
come under the notice of the Society.

It is somewhat peculiar that after issuing a stamp in 1866 with portrait
of the Prince of Wales arrived at manhood, another should have been
issued nearly three years later representing him as a little boy.


Issue VI. 1871-1873.

_Two values._ In May, 1871, a new die was engraved for the One Cent of
1868. The chief alterations noticeable are in the face of the Prince of
Wales, and the letters “N. F.,” which are closer to the scroll. On April
1st, 1873, the Three Cents of the last issue appeared with its colour
changed to blue. The perforation of both stamps is 12. (_Illustrations
75, 74._)

    1 c., lilac-brown (shades).
    3 c., blue (shades).


Issue VII. 1876-1879.

_Four values._ Similar to the preceding values as regards designs, but
the stamps are rouletted. The Five Cents also has its colour changed
to blue. The One Cent is printed from the plate of the last issue.
(_Illustrations 75, 67, 74, 68._)

    1 c., lilac-brown  (shades). End 1877.
    2 c., green        (  ”   ). End 1879.
    3 c., blue         (  ”   ). End 1877.
    5 c.,   ”          (  ”   ). End 1876.


Issue VIII. Early in 1880.

_Four values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by the
British-American Bank Note Company, of Montreal, on white wove paper;
machine-perforated 12. The entire sheet of each value contains 100
stamps, arranged in ten rows of ten. These stamps are coarse imitations
of those printed by the American Bank Note Company. Designs: ONE
CENT.—Three-quarter face portrait of the Prince of Wales in Highland
costume looking to right, on ground of horizontal lines, within inscribed
oval. Ornamented circles in the upper corners, lettered respectively
“N” and “F;” ornamental numerals of value below. TWO CENTS.—Cod fish
on background of horizontal lines; curved inscribed labels above and
below; ornamental scrolls in lower corners with numerals of value.
THREE CENTS.—Portrait of Queen in widow’s weeds to right, on ground of
horizontal lines; curved label above, and straight label below, inscribed
with white Roman capitals. Circles in upper corners with numerals of
value; side ornaments, resembling thigh bones. FIVE CENTS.—Seal on
ice-floe; curved label above, and straight label below, inscribed in
white Roman capitals. Circles in lower corners with numerals of value;
ornamental border. Shapes, upright rectangular for the One and Three
Cents, oblong rectangular for the other two values. (_Illustrations 76,
77, 78, 79._)

    T. “ONE CENT.” B. “NEWFOUNDLAND.” T. “NEWFOUNDLAND.” B. “TWO,”
    “THREE,” “FIVE CENTS.”

    1 c., madder-brown, grey-brown (shades).
    2 c., yellow-green             (  ”   ).
    3 c., blue                     (  ”   ).
    5 c.,  ”                       (  ”   ).

_Remarks._—The Two Cents was not issued until two or three years after
the other values.


Issue IX. Early in 1888.

_Six values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by the
British-American Bank Note Co., of Montreal, on white wove paper;
yellowish gum; machine-perforated 12. The entire sheet of the Ten Cents
contains fifty stamps, arranged in five vertical rows of ten; while
those of the other five values are composed of one hundred stamps
each, in ten rows of ten. Designs: HALF CENT.—A plain upright shield,
with ground of horizontal lines, shaded at either side; bears in the
centre, the head of a Newfoundland dog enclosed within a pearled circle,
surrounded by a circular band of solid colour, inscribed in white Roman
capitals with the name of the Colony at the top, and the value “HALF
CENT” at the bottom, the two last words being separated by a small
upright tablet, with rounded top and pearl border, containing “½” in
white Arabic numerals. TEN CENTS.—Brig in full sail, to right; curved
label of solid colour above, inscribed with the name of the Colony;
similar straight label below with the value in full, both inscriptions
being in white Roman capitals; small scroll-like ornaments at either
end of the bottom label; circle of solid colour, with Arabic numerals
of value at each side of the stamp. Scroll-like ornaments complete the
design, which is evidently copied to some extent from the Thirteen Cents
of Issue IV. The One Cent, Two, Three, and Five Cents are the same
designs as the preceding issue, but with the colours changed. Shapes:
Small square for the Half Cent, upright rectangular for the One and Three
Cents, oblong rectangular for the other three values. (_Illustrations 80,
76, 77, 78, 79, 81._)

    ½ c., rose-red.
    1 c., bright green.
    2 c., orange.
    3 c., brown.
    5 c., dark blue.
    10 c., black.


POST CARDS.


Issue I. April 1st, 1873.

_One value._ Designed and printed by the American Bank Note Co., of New
York, upon medium white card; size, 4⁹⁄₂₀ × 2⅕ inches. The left upper
corner contains an irregular upright fancy label, with pendant. The label
bears a large capital coloured Roman letter “N” upon ground of coloured
horizontal lines. The pendant is broken in the centre by an ornamental
circle, containing the word “TO” in coloured early English characters.
At the top of the card, in the centre, is an ornamental scroll, the left
end of which is wound round the right side of the label just described.
The scroll bears “EWFOUNDLAND” in coloured fancy capitals. Below the
scroll there is a straight ornamental label, inscribed “POST CARD” in
white fancy capitals, upon ground of coloured horizontal lines. Beneath
the label is “THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,” in coloured
slanting capitals, in a straight line; lower down three ruled lines for
the address, each one of which is shorter than the one above it. The
stamp is in the right upper corner of the card, and is of the same type
as the One Cent adhesive, issue 1871. The groundwork of the card is
filled in with innumerable interlaced circles, and crossing these are a
number of straight lines which converge towards the left bottom corner.
The design of the card is completed by an ornamental border, with rounded
corners. The border is broken at the bottom, in the centre, by a small
label with rounded ends inscribed “AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO., N.Y.,” in
white Roman capitals, and the corners contain large fancy white crosses.
Size of border, 4½ × 2½ inches. (_Illustration 82._)

    1 c., green (shades).


Issue II. June, 1879.

_One value._ Designed and printed by the American Bank Note Co., of New
York, upon thick white card. Size, 5¹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₂₀ inches. At the top
of the card is the inscription in three lines: 1st, _Universal Postal
Union_ in coloured fancy letters, the word _Universal_ being curved, with
ornamental lines above and below; 2nd, “NEWFOUNDLAND. TERRE-NEUVE,”
in coloured slanting block letters; 3rd, “POST CARD,” in white fancy
capitals on a coloured ornamental label, the ground of which is filled in
with horizontal lines. Lower down three ruled lines for the address, each
one of which is slightly longer than the one above it. The stamp, which
is similar in type to the Three Cents adhesive (issue July, 1870), but
with the value changed to Two Cents, is in the right-upper corner. The
design of the cards is completed by a fancy border, with large ornaments
at the four corners. Size, 4⁹⁄₁₀ × 2⁹⁄₁₀ inches. Outside the border, at
the bottom of the card, and in the centre, is the name of the makers in
small coloured Roman capitals. (_Illustration 83._)

    2 c., vermilion-red.


Issue III. January (?), 1880.

_One value._ Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note Co.,
of Montreal, upon medium light buff card. Size, 4⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ inches. The
inscription, which is at the top of the card, is in three lines: 1st,
“_Universal Postal Union_,” in a curved line in coloured fancy letters;
2nd, “NEWFOUNDLAND TERRE NEUVE,” in coloured slanting block letters,
also curved; 3rd, “POST CARD,” in white fancy capitals on a coloured
ornamental label, with groundwork composed of horizontal lines. Below
the label there are three dotted lines for the address, each one of
which is shorter than the one above it. The stamp is in the right upper
corner. Design: Three-quarter face portrait of Queen Victoria to left,
in widow’s weeds, resting her head upon her right hand, on ground of
horizontal lines, within a plain circular band, which is filled in with
fine lines. The circle is surrounded by an ornamental frame, principally
filled in with vertical lines. At the bottom there is a straight label of
solid colour, bearing the value, “TWO CENTS,” in white Roman capitals.
The design of the card is completed by a fancy border, measuring 4½ × 2⅘
inches. Inside the frame, at the bottom of the card, in the centre, is
the name of the designers, in small coloured letters. (_Illustration 84._)

    2 c., orange-vermilion (shades).


Issue IV. July, 1880.

_One value._ Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note
Company, of Montreal, upon medium light buff card; size, 4¾ × 2⁹⁄₁₀
inches. The design is a somewhat poor copy of the first issued card. The
scroll at the top with the name of the Colony is a little altered, and
the word “TO” is in different type, upon a groundwork formed of diagonal
lines. The stamp is replaced by the type of the One Cent, adhesive, issue
1880, and the groundwork of the card consists of interlaced circles and
ovals only. The frame is altogether different, and the name of the makers
is placed outside the bottom of it in the centre on a narrow label; size
of frame, 4⅕ × 2¹¹⁄₂₀ inches. (_Illustration 85._)

    1 c., green (shades).


Issue V. May (?), 1889.

_One value._ Issued provisionally, pending a fresh supply of Two Cents
cards. It consists of the One Cent card of the preceding issue, with
the stamp surcharged across the centre in black “2 CENTS,” with Arabic
numeral and Roman capitals, two straight bars at the top obliterating the
original value, and an Arabic numeral “2” over the figure “1” at each
bottom corner of the stamp.

    2 c., black surcharge, on 1 c., green.




NOVA SCOTIA.


PRELIMINARY NOTES.

_BY E. D. BACON._

Nova Scotia is a peninsula between 43° 46′ N. lat., and 61° 67′ W. long.,
connected with New Brunswick by an isthmus about 14 miles wide. Its
length is about 300 miles, and its breadth about 100 at its widest, with
much variation. The island of Cape Breton, separated by the Gut of Canso,
forms part of the province. It contains an area of 20,907 square miles,
about one-fifth part of which consists of lakes, rivers, and inlets of
the sea.

Nova Scotia was discovered by John Cabot in 1497; it was colonized by
the French in 1598, who gave it the name of _Acadia_. It was taken by
the English, and a grant of it made to Sir W. Alexander by James I.
in 1627; and it was this monarch who altered the name to Nova Scotia.
In 1632 it was restored to France, with Quebec, by the Treaty of _St.
Germain-en-Laye_, but again ceded to England at the Peace of Utrecht,
in 1714. After the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748, a settlement of
disbanded troops was formed there by Lord Halifax, and the city which
now bears his name is the capital of the province. Cape Breton was not
finally taken from the French until 1758. From 1784 to 1819 it formed a
separate Colony.

Thanks to Mr. Donald A. King’s persevering assiduity in hunting up
official notices, and other particulars connected with the stamps of
this Colony, we have from him what may be considered almost a complete
history of their introduction and use. His papers are most interesting
and valuable, as they elucidate many previously obscure points in regard
to these stamps, and I think the Society has acted wisely in republishing
them as they originally appeared in _The Halifax Philatelist_.
Amongst other information Mr. King gives from the Report of the
Postmaster-General of Nova Scotia for the year 1852 occurs this sentence:
“Postage stamps valued at One Shilling, Six Pence, and Three Pence have
been procured from Trelayney Saunders, Esq., stationer, of London.”
Trelawney (as the name should be spelt) Saunders is given in Kelly’s
_Post Office London Directory_ of 1851 as a “mapseller, publisher, and
stationer, agent by appointment for the ordnance maps and admiralty
charts,” &c. &c.; and his address was 6, Charing Cross. He it was who
evidently received the order from the Colony for a supply of postage
stamps, which he must have entrusted to Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co.
to carry out, as it was this latter firm who engraved the stamps.

Mr. King gives an extract from one of the Reports, which authorizes the
bisection of the Three Pence to allow the prepayment of the 7½d. rate
to England; but the Report states distinctly the Three Penny stamp was
alone to be used for that purpose. As in the case of New Brunswick,
both the Six Pence and One Shilling are found bisected. The Nova Scotia
varieties are probably due to the same causes as those I have given for
the former Colony. The following particulars found in the Report of the
Postmaster-General of Great Britain, published in 1857, will give us the
early postal rates of Nova Scotia:

    “In 1842, ’51, ’53, ’54, and ’56 measures were successively
    adopted for the establishment of a low rate of postage.

    On Letters not exceeding ½ oz.             3d.
    Above ½ oz. and not exceeding 1 oz.        6d.
    Above 1 oz. and not exceeding 1½ oz.       9d.

    And so on in proportion.

    “Letters posted and delivered in the same town are charged 1d.
    only per ½ oz.

    “Newspapers are conveyed free.

    “On printed Circulars, Prices Current, Handbills, &c., the
    postage is 1d. per oz.

    “Books, &c., are allowed to pass free of charge when not
    exceeding 2 ozs. in weight; but above that weight, and up to
    48 ozs. (to which weight the Book privilege is limited), the
    postage is ½d. per oz.”

    The rates to England on May 1st, 1856, were—

    Not above ½ oz. “direct”                         7½d.
    Ditto, by United States and British Packet       10d.
    Ditto, by United States Packet                1s 5½d.

The present Inspector of Post-offices is Mr. C. J. Macdonald, and the
Postmaster at Halifax Mr. H. W. Blackader. The stamps of this Colony
became obsolete on May 27th, 1867, the date of the formation of the
Dominion of Canada.

Before giving a detailed list of the stamps of Nova Scotia, the Society
thinks it would be advisable to reproduce here the excellent articles
upon the stamps of this Colony from the pen of Mr. Donald A. King, which
were published in _The Halifax Philatelist_ for December, 1887, January
and December, 1888. Most of the information Mr. King gives is entirely
new to collectors, and he traces back the date of the first issue from
1857, the year it has previously been put down at in the catalogues, to
September 1st, 1851.

    “ISSUING OF THE FIRST POSTAGE STAMPS IN NOVA SCOTIA.

    “In looking over any of the standard stamp catalogues, the
    reader will see that the date for the issue of postage stamps
    in Nova Scotia is 1857, and New Brunswick in 1851. It always
    seemed to me as very peculiar, considering the nearness of the
    two countries and the resemblance in their Governments, that
    Nova Scotia should be so long behind New Brunswick in issuing
    stamps.

    “I determined to turn the matter up on the first possible
    occasion, and see if the dates were in reality correct.

    “On enquiring at the Provincial Secretary’s office in Halifax,
    I found that all records of the Nova Scotian Post Office
    Department had, at the confederation of the British North
    American provinces, been transferred to Ottawa. However,
    through the kindness of the Hon. W. S. Fielding, the Provincial
    Secretary, I found in the legislative library the yearly
    reports of the Postmaster-General of the province for the years
    previous to confederation. Starting with 1857—the supposed date
    of issue—I found that postage stamps were regularly mentioned
    in all parts of the Departmental accounts.

    “It was the same in 1856, 1855, and 1854. A person would
    imagine from the way the accounts read that stamps had been
    used for twenty years previous.

    “In the Reports dated January 7th, 1854 (being the work for
    1853), I found an item of information which is not given in any
    catalogue. It is as follows:

      “‘ONE PENNY postage stamps having recently been received from
      London and put into circulation are now to be had in nearly
      every Post-office in Nova Scotia.

      “‘There are at present stamps for One Shilling, Six Pence,
      Three Pence, and One Penny; and the public have thus every
      facility afforded them to prepay their letters to any place
      to which stamps can free them. His Excellency’s Government
      having at considerable outlay introduced into the country
      the system of prepayment by stamps, it is a subject of
      gratulation that the public at large are beginning to feel
      and appreciate their convenience and advantages, a much
      larger amount having been issued from my office during the
      past than the previous year, being an increase of over 25 per
      cent., as will be seen by reference to Report I.’

    “Thus finding that the One Penny had not been issued till some
    time after the other values were, I then turned to the Report
    dated January 2nd, 1853 (being the report for the year 1852),
    in which he says:

      “‘Postage stamps valued at One Shilling, Six Pence, and
      Three Pence have been procured from Trelayney Saunders,
      Esq., stationer, of London, and supplied to stationers,
      postmasters, merchants, and others at a discount of 5 per
      cent. allowed on sums of £5 and upwards. During the past year
      there have been issued from my office postage stamps to the
      value of £355 2s. 6d. This is a much smaller circulation than
      was anticipated at the time of their introduction into the
      provinces, the public generally, I apprehend, not yet clearly
      understanding their use, nor appreciating their advantages.

      “‘They are deposited with the Receiver-General for safe
      keeping, from whom I procure them when a supply is needed.
      Application has been made for One Penny stamps, which are
      expected to arrive shortly.’

    “Then taking the Report for January 5th, 1852, I find among the
    accounts of the Post Office Department for the quarter ending
    the 5th January, 1852, the following issues:

      “‘By amount of postage stamps on hand                   £100
      By amount due Receiver-General for postage stamps        100
          Consisting of 3 penny to value of             £52
              ”      ”  6   ”       ”                    24
              ”      ”  1 shilling  ”                    24’

    “Also in same Report accounts for quarter ending 5th October,
    1851.

      “‘By amount of postage stamps                           £100
      Cash paid to Hon. Jos. Howe, being amount remitted by
        him to Trelayney Saunders, Esq., for postage stamps
        for Nova Scotia                              £221 14s. 8d.’

    “These extracts from Postmaster General’s Reports and from Post
    Office Department Accounts will positively decide the question
    as to date of issue.

    “The Three Penny, Six Penny, and One Shilling were, I should
    think, issued to the public in the second quarter of 1851; and
    the One Penny were probably put out about the last part of 1853.

    “In the same Reports I also found the following:

      “‘To remedy to some extent the serious inconvenience said
      to be experienced by merchants and others in consequence
      of there being no Seven and One Halfpenny currency postage
      stamp, by which parties who feel desirous could thus prepay
      their letters to England, and not wishing to put the province
      to any further expense in having another ‘die’ prepared,
      I considered it expedient to allow half stamps to be used
      with those now in use, to obviate the want of accommodation
      complained of; and a circular was accordingly forwarded to my
      deputies, and a notice issued to the public, to the effect
      that letters could be prepaid to England by stamps by parties
      using a Six Pence or two Three Penny stamps together with
      half a Three Penny stamp. The Three Penny stamp to be cut
      diagonally, and the Half to be equivalent to 1½d. The Three
      Penny stamp alone to be used for that purpose.’


    “The Three Penny stamp I have never seen cut and used in that
    manner. This order was issued after the reduction of the packet
    postage to England from 1 shilling to 7½ pence.

    “Major Evans in his Catalogue mentions the Three Penny
    surcharged ‘PAID 5 CENTS,’ and also overprinted ‘5 CENTS.’
    This I think can be easily explained, as will be seen by the
    following: About 1854 (I think, but am not sure) an agreement
    was entered into between the Postmasters-General of Nova Scotia
    and the United States for the exchange of correspondence
    between their respective countries. It was agreed upon that the
    postage should be 5 cents, the Nova Scotian Three Penny stamp
    to be equal to that value.

    “All letters going to the United States from Nova Scotia, west,
    to be stamped on the face, whether they were paid or not, by
    the office which despatched the mail to the United States.
    The stamp which was used for that purpose corresponds in all
    particulars with the supposed surcharges. This stamping I have
    no doubt has occasionally been done on the postage stamps, and
    thus those so-called surcharges have become known.

    “All the efforts that I made to find out who first proposed
    the introduction of postage stamps in Nova Scotia were in
    vain. But I presume, judging from the accounts of the Post
    Office Department, that the Hon. Joseph Howe was instrumental
    in doing so. This indeed was an act worthy of the liberal and
    enlightened mind of one of Nova Scotia’s greatest sons.

                                                  “DONALD A. KING.”

    “NOVA SCOTIA STAMPS.

    “In the December number of this paper I had an article on the
    proper date of issue of the Pence stamps of Nova Scotia. In it
    I ventured to assert that they were issued in the middle of
    1851. Since then, on further investigation, I have discovered
    the exact date of issue. The proof is obtained in the following
    extract from the _Chronicle_ of the 30th of August, 1851:

      “‘NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.

      “‘Postage stamps having been received from England, notice
      is hereby given that stamps of Three Pence, Six Pence, and
      One Shilling can be purchased at this office on and after
      _Monday, the 1st day of September next_.

      “‘NOTE.—Postage stamps before being used should be examined
      to ascertain that they will firmly adhere (as in the event of
      their falling off the letters become charged with postage),
      they should then be placed on the front of the letter, _and
      upon the right hand corner of the upper side_. Should this
      direction not be attended to, from the rapidity with which
      the duty must be performed, letters which bear stamps will
      frequently be taxed, while the parties receiving them will
      be put to much trouble in obtaining a return of the postage
      improperly charged.

      “‘In all cases of complaint, whether of any irregularity,
      the covers of the letters (and contents in all practicable
      cases) must invariably be kept and sent to the post-office as
      affording the only means of investigating the complaint.

                                            “‘A. WOODGATE, D.P.M.G.

      “‘GENERAL POST OFFICE, HALIFAX, _August 25th, 1851_.’

    “This will, I think, settle the matter as to the proper date of
    issue.

    “While on this subject it would be as well to give the same
    information in regard to the Cent issue of Nova Scotia,
    although there is no error in regard to the date of those as
    there is to the first issue. The extract following is taken
    from the Report of the Postmaster-General of Nova Scotia for
    1860. He says:

      “‘Postage stamps of a new design, and adapted to the decimal
      system, were obtained, with the consent of the Governor
      in Council, from the New York American Bank Note Co., and
      circulated on the 1st of October last (1860). The design,
      colour, and value of the stamps are as follows: One Cent,
      black; Five Cent, blue; Eight and a Half Cent, green; Ten
      Cent, scarlet; and Twelve and a Half Cent, black.

      “‘A supply of 19,000 sheets, or 1,900,000 stamps, equal in
      value to 132,000 dollars, has been obtained from the above
      firm, costing for their manufacture and incidentals 901.50
      dollars.’

    “It will be seen that there is no mention made of the Two Cent
    stamp. This value was not issued till some time after the other
    stamps had been, for the reason that there was no use for it
    until what was called the ‘County Postage Act’ came into force.
    The following extract from the Postmaster-General’s Report is
    self-explanatory:

      “‘To enable me to carry out that part of the Act, passed
      during the last session, in reference to the Post-office
      reducing the postage to two cents on a letter posted in a
      county for delivery within the said county, it was necessary
      to procure for the public convenience a stamp for the
      prepayment of this particular class of letters. Application
      was accordingly made to the New York American Bank Note Co.
      for a supply, and 5000 sheets were procured at a cost to the
      Department, including die, of 226 dollars.

      “‘The reduced rate came into operation on the 11th May
      last, and has yielded for the first five months, ended 30th
      September last (as far as I have been enabled to glean from
      the returns in my possession) a revenue of 450 dollars, a
      less amount, in my opinion, than would have been realized
      under the higher rate for the same period.’

    “The following list will give us the precise date of all except
    the One Penny. Of it I can do no more than give the year, and
    about the probable time, judging from the Postmaster-General’s
    Report. The list is as follows:

      3 pence    }
      6  ”       } Issued 1st September, 1851.
      1 shilling }
      1 penny        ”    about 3rd quarter, 1853.
      1 cent     }
      5   ”      }
      8½  ”      } Issued 1st October, 1860.
      10  ”      }
      12½ ”      }
      2   ”          ”    11th May, 1863.

    “Those extracts will, I think, finally settle the date of the
    stamps of Nova Scotia.

                                                  “DONALD A. KING.”

    “THE SURCHARGED AND PROVISIONAL STAMPS OF NOVA SCOTIA.

    “The title of this is no doubt startling, but it is true
    nevertheless. It is a well-known fact in Philately that nearly
    every country has some stamps, provisional or error, that are
    not found in catalogues, but which are nevertheless known to
    exist, as the St. Pierre Miquelon P.D., the Bremen Marken
    error, and so in Nova Scotia we have the so-called surcharges.
    In February of this year I received a parcel of old Nova Scotia
    stamps from a friend in Port Hastings, Cape Breton, and among
    them I found three Three Penny stamps, with 5 c. in an oval
    printed on them. They had all been cut out of the envelopes,
    having a part of the paper as a margin, and as I had in writing
    for them specified the dates between which the Pence issues
    would be found, all the stamps had the respective dates of the
    letters pencilled on the backs of them. Immediately taking
    the three surcharged stamps I returned them, and asked if the
    envelopes from which they were cut could be sent me, and I
    was lucky enough to get them. I then thought I had a bonanza,
    a regular surcharged stamp of Nova Scotia, overlooking the
    fact that there were no other cancellation marks on them.
    The three letters had all been mailed from the same office,
    Baddeck, within a month—January 13th, 20th, the third the day
    of the month does not show, 1860—and all addressed to the
    same person. To make me more sure of the fact of their being
    really a surcharge, I saw in No. 304 of _Le Timbre Poste_
    an illustration of one which was in the collection of M. de
    Ferrari, and which was precisely the same as the three I had.
    Being informed that the postmaster who is now at Baddeck, was
    the same as was there in 1860, I decided to write him for
    information on the subject, and find out how those stamps came
    to be surcharged. Imagine my disappointment when I received the
    following answer:

                        “‘BADDECK, NOVA SCOTIA, _April 24th, 1888_.

      “‘DEAR SIR,—Twenty-eight years ago I made my own stamps out
      of wood, and had the 5 c. one that appears on envelopes
      enclosed. Without any order I used the latter in manner
      thereon as I do now in a hurry with ink or date stamp.
      Enclosed paper shows stamps then in use, but I cannot find
      the 5 c. one. I could tell you how the wind blew and the
      temperature forty years ago, but I had a job to find the old
      stamps.
                                         “‘(Signed) ROBERT ELMSLY.’

    “The stamps referred to in the letter were impressions from the
    old hand stamps in his office. To understand the latter part
    of this letter thoroughly, it must be understood that it was
    a rule of the Nova Scotia Post Office Department (and is now
    of the Canadian) that a stamp should not be cancelled with pen
    and ink, or with date stamp, but with a cancellor, so that in
    case the stamp should come off the postmark would be on the
    envelope, and the origin of the letter could thus be found.
    This of course could not be done if the postmark was on the
    stamp. The objection to ink was that it could be cleaned, and
    the stamp used again. This letter, of course, exploded the idea
    of a surcharge. Not long after this Mr. J. N. Crane showed me
    an envelope he had, which was mailed from Whycocomagh, C.B.,
    February 29th, 1860, with a pair of Six Penny stamps with the
    figure 10 surcharged on each; but, as in my own case, there
    was no other cancellation on them. Mr. Crane’s theory is,
    that as the currency was changed to dollars and cents in the
    beginning of 1860, and that as 6d. was then worth only 10 c.,
    that the postmaster at Whycocomagh put it on the Six Penny
    stamps to show that he sold them for that price. If this was
    the case I should think more would be found, and until then
    I will continue to believe that this surcharge was only an
    accidental cancellation, although in support of Mr. Crane’s
    argument there is a figure five alongside of my own Three Penny
    stamp, illustrated. It seems, however, a singular coincidence
    that his and mine should be mailed at almost the same dates,
    Mr. Crane’s being mailed at Whycocomagh, 1860. Another manner
    in which those stamps are likely to be thus overprinted is
    this: In 1854 there was a new postal treaty arranged between
    the United States and Nova Scotia, one of the agreements of
    which was that the rate should be 3d. per ½ ounce, and that
    all prepaid letters sent by Nova Scotia to the United States
    should be stamped on the face of them ‘PAID 5 CENTS,’ the
    equal in United States currency to 3d., or 10 cents if it was
    a double rate. This may have been occasionally struck on the
    stamp accidentally, and would thus make a surcharge. I have
    myself seen an envelope in which the edge of the paid stamp has
    missed the Three Pence stamp by only a hair-breadth. Some of
    the surcharges have no doubt originated in this manner.

    “The provisional stamps of Nova Scotia are the split ones, of
    which only one value, the Three Penny, was authorized to be so
    used, and that for a specific purpose; viz., to allow the rate
    of postage to Great Britain, 7½d., to be made up. This cutting
    of the Three Penny was authorized by the Postmaster-General, as
    in his report for 1853 he says, ‘To remedy to some extent the
    serious inconvenience said to be experienced by merchants and
    others in consequence of there being no Seven and One Halfpenny
    currency postage stamps, by which parties who feel desirous
    could thus prepay their letters to England, and not wishing
    to put the province to any further expense in having another
    “_die_” prepared, I considered it expedient to allow _half_
    stamps to be used with those now in use to obviate the want of
    accommodation complained of; and a circular was accordingly
    forwarded to my deputies, and a notice issued to the public to
    the effect that letters could be prepaid to England by stamps,
    by parties using a Six Pence or two Three Penny stamps together
    with _half a Three Penny stamp_. The Three Penny stamp to be
    cut diagonally, and the half to be equivalent to 1½d. The Three
    Penny stamp alone to be used for that purpose.’

    “Of the authorised split stamps I have met with five varieties.
    The Six Penny cut diagonally, and used as three pence; also Six
    Penny, but cut perpendicularly, an extremely rare variety,
    which is the only one I have ever seen cut in this manner. I
    have also seen three other varieties; they are the Ten Cents,
    cut diagonally and used as Five Cents, also cut perpendicularly
    and used for same; and the Five Cents, cut diagonally and used
    for the county postage of two cents.

    “Another variety I have found is an oddity; it is a Six Penny
    cut, and used for what? Under it is written in red pencil ‘5
    CTS.’ I have two almost the same; the other has, however, only
    the figure 5 in red under the half stamp. The stamps have
    undoubtedly prepaid the letter, as the colour in which the ‘5
    CTS.’ is written shows it, red being the paid colour. They
    probably originated at some small post-office out of stamps,
    and who marked them in red as paid letters, and sent them and
    the money for stamps to the next post-office; or they were
    given by some one on the road to a mail courier (as was the
    practice then as now), with the money to prepay them, and he
    marked them in red as prepaid, and had them stamped at the
    nearest post-office.

    “All the split stamps of Nova Scotia are very rare, and should
    be greatly valued by collectors. Off the original envelope
    they are valueless, and I have been sorely disappointed more
    than once on receiving them in that condition. While in Nova
    Scotia we have not got those varieties of types in stamps which
    some other countries have; still, we can make up a number of
    interesting varieties which are unknown to most collectors, and
    in nearly every case have never been mentioned in catalogues.

                                                  “DONALD A. KING.”


POSTAGE RATES FROM NOVA SCOTIA IN THE YEAR 1854.

    LIMIT OF WEIGHT ¼ OUNCE.

                  _s._ _d._
    To Alexandria  2    3
       Algeria     1   10
       Austria     2    8
       Bavaria     2    2
       Belgium     2    3
       China       2   10
       France      2    3
       Gibraltar   2    1
       Holland     2    2
       Hong Kong   2   10
       India       2   10
       Norway      2    7
       Portugal    2    1
       Prussia     2    2
       Russia      2    6
       Spain       2    2
       Sweden      2    2
       Turkey      3    0

    LIMIT OF WEIGHT ½ OUNCE.

                         _s._ _d._
    To Adelaide           2    0
       Antigua            1    8
       Australia          2    1
       Bermuda            0    8
       Brazil             3    9
       Cape Verde         2   10
       Cape of Good Hope  2    0
       Chili              1    7
       Cuba               1    3
       Denmark            1   10

The following figures show the increase in the sale of postage stamps in
Nova Scotia in the first four years after their introduction, viz.:

                          £    _s._ _d._
    1852  Amount sold    325    2    6
    1853      ”          473    4    8
    1854      ”          898    0    6
    1855      ”         1656   16    3

An increase of five hundred per cent.—_The Halifax Philatelist_, vol.
ii., page 7.


REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.


Issue I. September 1st, 1851.

_Three values._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by Messrs.
Perkins, Bacon, and Co., of London, upon stoutish blue wove paper;
yellowish gum, imperforate. Design: The design is almost exactly
similar to that of the first issue of New Brunswick, but the lower star
contains a mayflower, the heraldic emblem of the Colony, instead of a
rose inverted. The name of the Colony is in block type on all three
values; “POSTAGE” and the value in Roman capitals on the Three Pence,
and block letters on the Six Pence and One Shilling. The word “SIXPENCE”
has a coloured line down the centre of each letter. Shape, lozenge.
(_Illustrations 86, 87, 88._) Upper left border, “NOVA;” upper right,
“SCOTIA;” lower left border, “THREE PENCE,” “SIX PENCE,” “ONE SHILLING;”
lower right, “POSTAGE.”

    3d., blue, dark blue           (shades).
    6d., dark green, yellow-green  (   ”  ).
    1s., lilac-mauve, dull violet  (   ”  ).

_Varieties._—All three stamps are found cut in two and used for half the
nominal values, although, as we see from Mr. King’s paper, the Three
Pence was alone authorized to be mutilated in this manner.

_Remarks._—The colour of the paper varies considerably, from deep blue to
almost white.

All the surcharges catalogued on the stamps of this issue may be put down
to obliterations, or as due to fraud. (_Vide_ Mr. King’s papers.)


Issue II. May 1st(?), 1853.

_One value._ Engraved and printed in _taille-douce_ by Messrs.
Perkins, Bacon, and Co., upon stoutish blue wove paper; yellowish gum,
imperforate. Design: Diademed almost full-face portrait of Queen Victoria
looking to left, within a single plain-lined lozenge-shaped frame with
engine-turned background. The spandrels are filled in with arabesque
ornamentation, in which four eight-rayed stars, that are cut in half by
the lozenge-shaped frame, figure prominently. At the top, bottom, and
two sides there are narrow coloured bands, composed of diagonal crossed
lines, containing inscriptions in plain Roman capitals. Plain square
blocks in the four corners, with coloured Roman numeral of value. Shape,
square. (_Illustration 89._)

    T. “NOVA.” B. “SCOTIA.” R. “POSTAGE.” L. “ONE PENNY”—both the latter
    reading downwards.

    1d., reddish-brown (shades).

_Remarks._—Specimens of this stamp are known upon white paper, but,
like the Three Pence of New Brunswick, the variety is only due to the
discharge of the blue colouring matter from the paper.

This is the only stamp of Nova Scotia Mr. King is unable to give the
exact day of issue of. A note in _The Philatelic Record_, vol. x. page
48, states that the first supply was sent over to the Colony by Messrs.
Perkins, Bacon, and Co. in April, 1853; so the issue most likely took
place on or about May 1st in that year.


Issue III. October 1st, 1860.

_Five values._ Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co.,
of New York, on yellowish or white wove paper; yellowish gum,
machine-perforated, 12. Designs: ONE CENT and FIVE CENTS.—Diademed
profile of Queen Victoria to left, upon a background of horizontal
lines, crossed by diagonal lines behind the head, within a circle
composed of a plain white and a fine coloured line, arched scrolls of
diagonal lines, crossed above and below, following the shape of the
circle; curved labels of solid colour in the centre of the scrolls on
the Five Cents value only. The scrolls of the One Cent and labels of
the Five Cents are inscribed, in white Roman capitals, with the name
of the Colony above and the value in words below. The remainder of the
design is completed by arabesques and foliate ornamentation, which
encompasses the two scrolls and the circle. EIGHT AND A HALF, TEN, and
TWELVE AND A HALF CENTS.—Diademed full-face portrait of Queen Victoria on
background of horizontal and diagonal crossed lines, within an upright
oval. Vertically-lined arched scrolls above and below, for the two lower
values, inscribed with the name of the Colony above and the value in
words below in white Roman capitals. The Twelve and a Half Cents has the
upper inscription upon a curved label of solid colour, placed in the
centre of the scroll. The lower inscription is in block letters, upon a
straight octagonal label of solid colour. The remainder of the designs
are filled in with arabesques and foliate ornamentation, which differ for
each of the three values. Shape, upright rectangular. (_Illustrations 90,
91, 92, 93, 94._)

    T. “NOVA SCOTIA.” B. “ONE CENT,” “FIVE,” “EIGHT & ½,” “TEN,”
    AND “TWELVE & ½ CENTS.”

    (A) _On yellowish paper._

    1 c., black.
    5 c., dark blue.
    8½ c., yellow-green, dark yellow-green.
    10 c., vermilion.
    12½ c., black.

    (B) _On white paper._

    1 c., black.
    5 c., dark blue.
    8½ c., yellow-green.
    10 c., vermilion.
    12½ c., black.

_Varieties._—(A) The Five Cents is known cut in two diagonally, and used
for the County Postage of Two Cents.

    2 c. (half 5 c.), dark blue.

(B) The Ten Cents exists cut diagonally, and is also found cut
perpendicularly, each half serving as Five Cents.

    5 c. (half 10 c.), vermilion.

_Remarks._—The bisected varieties are unknown to the Society, but they
may be found described in Mr. King’s last paper.


Issue IV. May 11th, 1863.

_One value._ Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co., on white
wove paper; yellowish gum, machine-perforated 12. The design is exactly
the same as that of the One Cent of the last issue, excepting the value.
Shape, upright rectangular. (_Illustration 95._)

    T. “NOVA SCOTIA.” B. “TWO CENTS.”

    2 c., lilac, brownish-lilac (shades).

_Remarks._—Some very dangerous and well-executed forgeries of this and
the previous set of stamps exist. They are quite as well engraved as the
real stamps, and were it not that the designs are of somewhat smaller
dimensions, they would be most difficult to detect.




PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.


PRELIMINARY NOTES.

_BY E. D. BACON._

This island is situated between 46° and 47° N. lat., and between 62° and
64° W. long. Its area is about 1,380,000 acres; it is about 140 miles
long, and 34 its greatest breadth. It was discovered by Sebastian Cabot,
1497; it was first settled by the French, but was taken from them in
1758. It was annexed to Nova Scotia in 1763, but, on the petition of
its inhabitants, was constituted a separate colony in 1770. By an Act
passed in 1798, which came into operation 1st February, 1799, the island
received its present name from Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

The introduction of postage stamps into the Colony took place on January
1st, 1861, as the following notice from _The Royal Gazette_ of that date,
published at Charlottetown, proves:

    “POSTAGE STAMPS.

    “The Public are hereby informed that stamps for the prepayment
    of Letters and Packets to be sent by the Post will, on the 1st
    January, 1861, be ready for circulation. The design, colour,
    and value of each class of stamps are as follows:

    The Queen’s Head, profile _green_, Six Pence.
     ”    ”      ”       ”    _blue_, Three Pence.
     ”    ”      ”       ”    _red_, Two Pence.

    “The _blue_ or _red_ stamp will be received for payment of half
    the sum it indicates, if cut in two diagonally.

    “These stamps can be had at the General Post Office,
    Charlottetown, and of all Postmasters on the island.

                        “(Signed) L. C. OWEN, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, _December 26th, 1860_.”

We see from this notice the first issue consisted of three stamps,
forming five values with the two provisionals. Those first issued were
evidently the Two Pence, Three Pence, and Six Pence, perforated 9, as
they are the only values found with this large perforation. With regard
to the two provisionals, Mr. T. K. Tapling’s collection contains a
specimen of the Three Halfpenny, but I have never seen the bisected Two
Pence. The latter probably could only be employed for the prepayment of
books, &c., and consequently the stamps would get destroyed. It may be
also this provisional was soon replaced by the One Penny, orange-yellow,
when there would be no further call for its use. The disappearance of the
variety, although in this case we know the stamp was so used, naturally
strengthens the suggestions I have thrown out as regards the bisection of
the Two Pence Halfpenny and Three Penny stamps of British Columbia for
the prepayment of newspapers.

I am unable to give the date of issue of the One Penny and Nine Pence,
as I have found no mention of these two stamps in _The Royal Gazette_;
but the file I have had access to is a very incomplete one, several years
being missing altogether from the series. The Nine Pence currency stamp,
equal to 6d. sterling, was evidently issued for the prepayment of letters
to England, as the ½ oz. rate for letters between the two countries at
that time was 6d. sterling. Here let me remark that the currency of the
island was apparently more depreciated than that of the other North
American Colonies, where we have seen 7½d. currency was equal to 6d.
sterling.

The next notice, taken from _The Royal Gazette_ for October 22nd, 1868,
shows us the reason for the issue of the Four Penny stamp, which came
into use at this date or shortly afterwards.

    “NOTICE.

    “His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor in Council has been pleased
    to approve of the following modifications in the Postal
    Arrangement between the United States and this Island; viz.:

    “On and after the first day of November next, the postage on a
    single Letter shall be FOUR PENCE, if prepaid at the mailing
    office, and Ten Cents (equal to Six Pence) if posted unpaid;
    and for other than single Letters the same charge shall be made
    for each additional half ounce, or fraction thereof. Letters
    for British Columbia, California, and Oregon shall be Six
    Pence, if prepaid, per half ounce.

                       “(Signed) THOMAS OWEN, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, CH’TOWN, P. E. ISLAND, _October 21st,
    1868_.”

Mr. Thomas Owen became Postmaster-General on April 30th, 1867, in place
of Mr. Peter Des Brisay, who succeeded Mr. L. C. Owen. Mr. John Andrew
McDonald was appointed to the office on January 15th, 1869, in place of
Mr. Thomas Owen, deceased.

_The Royal Gazette_ for May 27th, 1870, contains the following:

    “REDUCTION OF POSTAGE TO GREAT BRITAIN.

    “On and after the first June next, the postage on paid Letters
    for Great Britain will be Three Pence sterling per half ounce,
    instead of Six Pence sterling, as at present.

                  “(Signed) JOHN A. MCDONALD, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, CH’TOWN, _May 20th, 1870_.”

And in the issue of _The Royal Gazette_ of June 10th, 1870, this notice
is found:

    “MAILS, 1870. ARRANGEMENTS.

    ...

    “Postage on Letters for the Dominion of Canada, 3d. cy. each
    rate; for the United States, 4d. cy.; for Great Britain, 4½d.
    cy.

    “Newspapers for Newfoundland and West Indies, 1d. stg. each;
    for Australia, New Zealand, &c., 2d. stg. each. Newspapers
    for Great Britain, United States, and the Dominion of Canada
    forwarded free.

                 “(Signed) JOHN A. MACDONALD, _Postmaster-General_.

    “GENERAL POST OFFICE, CHARLOTTETOWN, _30th May, 1870_.”

The first of these two notices gives us the approximate date and cause
of issue of the Three Pence sterling (4½d. currency), brown stamp.
It is possible the stamp was not ready for issue on June 1st, as Mr.
Tapling’s collection contains a copy of the Nine Pence cut in half and
used as 4½d. This variety is said to have been taken off a letter sent
to England in 1870, so it is possible the Nine Pence was bisected and
used provisionally previous to the issue of the brown stamp. If this was
so, and the new stamp was not ready at the alteration of the rate, the
issue no doubt took place shortly afterwards. This Four Pence Halfpenny
stamp was engraved by the British American Bank Note Co., of Montreal
and Ottawa; the earlier stamps of the Colony being produced by Charles
Whiting, printer, of Beaufort House, Strand, London. It was this Mr.
Whiting who sent in so many essays and suggestions to the Government
previous to the introduction of postage stamps in Great Britain. As
collectors know, many of these designs are beautiful works of art
compared with the mean engraving of the stamps of Prince Edward Island,
but perhaps the price offered for the stamps at the time they were
ordered had a good deal to do with their poor workmanship.

In 1871 an Act was passed to establish a decimal system of currency in
the Island, which came into operation on January 4th, 1872. I have found
no notice in _The Gazette_ of the issue of the set of stamps with the
values in cents, but if they were not issued on the same day as the above
Act became law, they came into use shortly afterwards. The stamps of this
Colony were withdrawn from use on July 1st, 1873—the date the Island was
admitted into the Dominion of Canada.


REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.


Issue I. January 1st, 1861.

_Five values._ Lithographed (?) and printed by Mr. Chas. Whiting, of
London, upon medium white wove unwatermarked paper (that used for the
stamps first issued being yellowish in tone); white gum. The entire sheet
of each value contains thirty stamps arranged in six horizontal rows of
five, excepting the Two Pence, which has sixty in six horizontal rows
of ten. Designs: The same diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left
does duty for all five stamps, and the inscriptions are all in white
block letters. The ONE PENNY has the head upon a reticulated background,
enclosed within a band of solid colour, which touches the four sides of
the stamp, and is curved at the four corners. The band is inscribed at
the left top and right side with the name of the Colony and the word
“POSTAGE,” and at the bottom with the value in words. The four corners
of the stamp contain small conventional ornaments, and an outer line of
colour completes the design. TWO PENCE.—The head of Her Majesty rests
upon a reticulated background of a different pattern to that of the One
Penny, and is enclosed within a circular band of solid colour, inscribed
with the name of the Colony above and “POSTAGE” below. Straight label
of solid colour at the bottom of the stamp, with the value in full. The
spandrels are filled in with reticulations of the same pattern as the One
Penny, and the design is completed by a single outer coloured line. The
THREE PENCE is precisely similar to the Two Pence, but the Queen’s head
is contained within an upright oval band. The SIX PENCE is also similar
to the Two Pence, excepting that the head is enclosed within an octagonal
band. The NINE PENCE has Her Majesty’s head upon a similar background to
the One Penny, but enclosed within a ribbon-like band of solid colour,
inscribed with the name of the Colony and the word “POSTAGE.” The hand
is impinged upon at the bottom by a broad straight label of solid colour,
inscribed in three lines “NINE PENCE CURRENCY—EQUAL TO—SIXPENCE STG.,”
the first line being curved. Conventional ornaments in the upper corners,
and a plain outer line of colour completes the design. Shape, upright
rectangular. The One Penny and Nine Pence were not issued with the other
three values, and probably did not come into use until the year 1865.
(_Illustrations 96, 97, 98, 99, 100._)

    (A) _Perforated 9._ (January 1st, 1861).

    2d., dark rose    (shades).
    3d., dark blue    (  ”   ).
    6d., yellow-green (  ”   ).

    _Varieties._—Divided in two, diagonally, and used for half the
    values.

    1d. (half 2d.), dull rose.
    1½d. (half 3d.), dark blue.

    (B) _Rouletted._

    2d., dull rose.

    (C) _Perforated 11, 11½, 12, and compound._ (1865 ?)

    1d., brownish-yellow, orange-yellow (shades).
    2d., dull rose, carmine             (   ”  ).
    3d., dark blue                      (   ”  ).
    6d., yellow-green, bluish-green     (   ”  ).
    9d., lilac                          (   ”  ).

    _Varieties._—(A) Divided in two, diagonally, and used for half
    the value.

    3d. (half 6d.), yellow-green.
    4½d. (half 9d.), lilac.

    (B) _Imperforate, horizontally._

    3d., dark blue.

    (C) _Imperforate, vertically._

    9d., lilac.

    (D) _Imperforate._

    1d., orange-yellow.
    2d., dark rose.
    3d., dark blue.
    6d., bluish-green.
    9d., lilac.

_Remarks._—The Two Pence, rouletted, is unknown to the Society. The
variety is described in _The Halifax Philatelist_ for November, 1888,
page 129. The writer says the specimen seen was used, and on part of the
original envelope “it has a fine wide margin, and shows the roulette cuts
plainly.”

The imperforate stamps are believed to be proofs, and not to have been
issued in this state. A paper on the minor varieties found in these
stamps was published in _The Halifax Philatelist_ for September, 1888.
The author is Mr. David Lang, and the article a very interesting one. The
following is a reproduction of it:

    “VARIETIES OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND STAMPS.

    “This province has the reputation of issuing the worst-looking
    series of stamps in design and execution of any of the British
    North American provinces. On examining them closely there are a
    number of varieties in the stamps of which I propose to give a
    short list of the most conspicuous. In the

      =“One Penny, printed in sheets of thirty; six rows of five
      stamps each.=

      “_Second row, fifth stamp_: White line above ‘N’ in ‘ISLAND’
      broken, filled with solid colour for about one-eighth inch.

      “_Second row, second stamp_: Full stop above ‘L’ in ‘ISLAND.’

      “_Sixth row, fifth stamp_: No cross-bar to ‘A’ in ‘ISLAND.’

      =“Three Pence, printed in sheets of thirty; six rows of five
      stamps in each.=

      “_First row, second stamp_: White circle and coloured dot in
      centre before ‘P’ in ‘PRINCE.’

      “_Second row, fifth stamp_: Full stop between ‘E’ and ‘D’ in
      ‘EDWARD.’

      “_Third row, second stamp_: ‘I’ in ‘ISLAND’ with white dash
      at top, making it look like inverted L.

      “_Same stamp_: Full stop at the top bar of the last ‘E’ in
      ‘THREE PENCE.’

      “_Fourth row, fourth stamp_: Full stop after ‘EDWARD,’ it
      being in a line with top of ‘D.’

      “_Fifth row, third stamp_: Full stop between ‘P’ and ‘O’ in
      ‘POSTAGE.’

      =“Nine Pence, printed in sheets of thirty; six rows of five
      stamps in each.=

      “_Second row, fourth stamp_: Two full stops, one above the
      other, after ‘STG.’

      “_Second row, fifth stamp_: Full stop before ‘S’ in ‘STG.,’
      apparently put there instead of after ‘STG.,’ which has none.

      =“Two Pence, printed in sheets of one hundred; ten rows of
      ten stamps in each.=

      “_Third row, tenth stamp_: Part of ‘T’ in ‘TWO’ off, making
      it look like inverted I. Full stop before ‘T’ in ‘TWO.’


    “In the older printing of the One Penny a peculiarity exists
    which some of our readers may have in a complete form; that
    is, an outer line all around the stamp. I have four specimens
    with this line in the golden yellow and yellow-brown shades,
    perforated 12. Specimen No. 1 was the last stamp in the row,
    and has the marginal part of the sheet attached to it. The line
    is the full length of the right hand side of the stamp, the
    perforation going directly through it. No. 2 has the line on
    left hand side and bottom, the full length and width of stamp,
    with traces of it showing on perforation at top and right hand
    side. No. 3 has line showing in parts at left hand side and at
    bottom. No. 4 shows only at bottom. The last two are of the
    yellow-brown shade.

    “This peculiarity may also be found in the Four Pence, but
    parts of the line only showing. A peculiarity of the Four Pence
    is that in the diamond, on each side of the stamp, there is a
    small oval ornament, which has in the diamond on the right hand
    side of the stamp a small line to it at top and bottom, but on
    the oval at the left hand side none at all in any. The Cent
    issue with one exception is free from those errors or secret
    marks, or whatever they may be. The one is in the Three Cents,
    which are printed in sheets of one hundred, ten rows of ten
    stamps in each. The seventh stamp of the first, third, fifth,
    seventh, and ninth rows has a full stop between ‘PRINCE’ and
    ‘EDWARD,’ thus ‘PRINCE. EDWARD.’ The varieties in the Pence
    issue mentioned above are, I think, some kind of secret marks,
    although they are not found in a regular rotation as in the
    Three Cent, being arbitrarily scattered here and there over
    each sheet, the varieties of each stamp when they occur being
    precisely the same, so that it is hardly possible that such a
    series of errors could be made unintentionally; but of this
    some one with more knowledge of the stamps may be able to speak.

                                                      “DAVID LANG.”


Issue II. 1st November, 1868(?).

_One value._ Engraved and printed by Mr. Charles Whiting upon medium
white wove unwatermarked paper; white gum. The entire sheet consists
of thirty stamps arranged in six horizontal rows of five. Design: The
same diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, as in the preceding
issue, upon background of horizontal lines. Curved scrolls of solid
colour at top and bottom of the stamp, the upper inscribed with the name
of the Colony, and the lower with the value in words. Beneath the top
scroll a small curved label of solid colour inscribed “POSTAGE.” All the
inscriptions are in white block letters. Fancy ornaments at the sides
of the stamp and a single outer line of colour complete the design.
Shape: Upright rectangular, machine-perforated 11, 11½, 12, and compound.
(_Illustration 101._)

    4d., black

    _Variety._ Imperforate. Probably proof.

    4d., black.


Issue III. 1st June 1870(?).

_One value._ Engraved and printed by the British-American Bank Note Co.,
of Montreal and Ottawa, upon medium white wove unwatermarked paper;
yellowish gum, machine perforated 12. Design: Diademed, nearly full
face, portrait of Queen Victoria looking to left, upon background of
horizontal lines, enclosed within an upright oval. Curved label of solid
colour following the shape of the oval at the left, top, and right side,
inscribed with the name of the Colony and the word “POSTAGE” in white
Roman capitals. Arabesques in the lower corners, surrounding a background
of cross-hatched lines. The left contains “3d. STG.,” and the right “CY.
4½d.” in white numerals and letters. The upper corners also contain
arabesques. Shape, upright rectangular. (_Illustration 102._)

    4½d., yellowish-brown (shades).


Issue IV. January 4th (?), 1872.

_Six values._ Lithographed(?) and printed by Mr. Charles Whiting,
of London, upon medium white wove unwatermarked paper; yellowish or
brown gum, machine-perforated 12, 12½. The entire sheet of each value
consists of one hundred stamps, arranged in ten rows of ten. Designs:
The same diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left is found upon all
the stamps. ONE CENT.—The head rests upon a background of horizontal
lines, surrounded by a circular band of solid colour, inscribed with
the name of the Colony above and the word “POSTAGE,” below. Straight
label of solid colour at the bottom of the stamp, with value in full.
Small upright rectangular blocks of solid colour in the four corners,
containing numeral of value. Spandrels filled in with reticulations, and
a plain outer line of colour completes the design. TWO CENTS.—The head
is upon a background of solid colour, enclosed within a narrow upright
oval band of reticulations. Plain label of solid colour surrounding
the upper part of the oval, inscribed with the name of the Colony and
“POSTAGE.” Straight label of solid colour at the bottom of the stamp,
with value in full. Square blocks of solid colour in the four corners,
containing Arabic numeral of value. The remainder of the design is filled
in with reticulations, with a border formed of a plain coloured line.
THREE CENTS.—The head of Her Majesty is upon a background of horizontal
lines, enclosed within a fancy trilobed band of reticulations, having
over it a curved label of solid colour inscribed with the name of the
Colony. Straight labels of solid colour at the top and bottom of the
stamp, the lower one extending quite across. The upper bears “POSTAGE”
and the bottom one the value in full. Small upright rectangular blocks in
the upper corners, containing Arabic numeral of value. The rest of the
design consists of reticulations and a border of a plain coloured line.
FOUR CENTS.—The head rests upon a background of solid colour, enclosed
within a fancy-shaped octagonal band of reticulations. Straight labels
of solid colour at top and bottom of the stamp, the upper inscribed in
two lines “POSTAGE—PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,” and the lower with the value
in words. Square blocks of solid colour in the four corners, containing
Arabic numeral of value. The sides of the stamp are filled in with
reticulations, and a plain outer coloured line completes the design. SIX
CENTS.—The Queen’s head is on a background of horizontal lines, enclosed
within a fancy-shaped hexagonal band of reticulations. Two straight
labels of solid colour at the top, and a similar one at the bottom of
the stamp. The upper are inscribed “POSTAGE—PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,” and
the bottom bears the value in words. Square blocks of solid colour in
the upper corners, and similar upright rectangular ones in the lower,
contain the Arabic numeral of value. Straight bands of reticulations at
the sides of the stamp and a border of a plain coloured line complete
the design. TWELVE CENTS.—Head of Queen on background of solid colour,
enclosed within a band of reticulations forming a twelve-sided figure.
Curved plain label of solid colour above, and a similar straight label
extending the whole width of the stamp below. The upper is inscribed with
the name of the Colony and “POSTAGE,” and the lower with the value in
words. Square blocks of solid colour in the upper corners, with Arabic
numerals of value. The rest of the design is composed of reticulations
and a border of a plain coloured line. The inscriptions on all the stamps
are in white block letters, excepting the values in the bottom labels of
the Two, Four, Six, and Twelve Cents, which are in Roman capitals. Shape,
upright rectangular. (_Illustrations 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108._)

    1 c., orange-yellow (shades).
    2 c., ultramarine   (  ”   ).
    3 c., rose          (  ”   ).
    4 c., yellow-green  (  ”   ).
    6 c., black         (  ”   ).
    12 c., bright mauve (  ”   ).

_Varieties._—(A) All the values may be found with dark brown gum, which
has stained the paper and given it a brownish hue. (B) All the values
exist imperforate but they are probably only proofs. (C) The Six Cents is
known divided in two, each half serving as Three Cents.

_Remarks._—A large stock of the stamps of each issue remained in
the hands of the postal authorities at the time the Island became
incorporated in the Dominion of Canada. The stock was disposed of in
1874 to a speculator, who has since supplied the principal stamp dealers
throughout the world.

NOTE BY MR. T. K. TAPLING, M.P.—In _The Stamp Collector’s Magazine_,
vol. x. p. 105, will be found an amended notice relating to the values
constituting the above issue. Among them is catalogued a Ten Cents on
the authority of _The American Journal of Philately_. Some discussion
arose subsequently as to the authenticity of this value, but the mystery
attaching to it seems never to have been wholly cleared up. Very few
specimens were seen, and these appear to have been obtained by M. Moens
from what he considered a thoroughly satisfactory source. Much doubt has
been thrown upon the stamp by English writers; but a few weeks since I
was shown a specimen in Mr. Pearson Hill’s collection, which he told
me had been there over seventeen years. Mr. Hill’s connection with our
General Post Office enabled him to get nearly all his stamps direct from
Foreign and Colonial Governments, and his impression is that this stamp
reached him in the same way. It is similar in design to the Three Pence
of the first issue, of which it is apparently a copy, though the details
are rather larger and the general appearance rougher. It is a companion
in style and execution to the issue of which it is supposed to form a
part, and the perforation (machine 12) is identical. The colour is dull
mauve. It is possible that the stamp was prepared and never issued,
though even in this case Mr. Hill might quite well have had a specimen
sent him with the others by the Prince Edward Island Government; but if
it was merely a fraudulent speculation it seems strange that copies are,
and always have been, exceedingly uncommon. I venture no definite opinion
either one way or the other, and hope this short note may draw an answer
from some one qualified to speak with certainty.




ADDENDA.


Since the Catalogue was printed, the members of the Committee entrusted
with its publication have had the opportunity of consulting _The Halifax
Philatelist_ for the current year (1889), the numbers of which had not
previously been seen by them.

The May number contains a copy of a recently-published Canadian postal
notice, referring to certain alterations in the rates, &c.; and in the
numbers for January and February Mr. Donald A. King has two further
papers upon the stamps of Nova Scotia; while the April number contains
a letter from a correspondent upon the bisected stamp of New Brunswick.
The Committee consider it advisable to reproduce here all the four
articles mentioned, feeling sure their contents will be of interest to
philatelists, and help to add further to the completeness of the postal
history of each of the provinces.


CANADA.

    “The Canada Two Cent Registration Stamp will soon be a thing
    of the past. The following is the official order in connection
    with it:

      “‘NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.

      “‘CHANGES IN POSTAGE RATES UNDER AUTHORITY OF POST OFFICE
      ACT, 1889.

      “‘The rate of postage upon Letters posted in Canada,
      addressed to places within the Dominion or in the United
      States, will be three cents per ounce instead of three cents
      per half ounce as heretofore.

      “‘Upon drop Letters posted at an office from which Letters
      are delivered by letter carrier, the postage rate will be two
      cents per ounce instead of one cent per half ounce. The rate
      of postage upon drop Letters, except in the cities, where
      free delivery by letter carrier has been established, will be
      one cent per ounce.

      “‘The fee for the registration of a Letter or other article
      of mail matter will be five cents upon all classes of
      correspondence passing within the Dominion. For the present,
      and until further instructed, the registration fee may be
      prepaid by using the two cent registration stamps and postage
      stamps to make up the amount.

      “‘Letters insufficiently prepaid will be charged double
      the deficiency as heretofore, provided at least a partial
      prepayment has been made.

      “‘Letters posted wholly unpaid will be sent to the Dead
      Letter Office for return to the writer.

                           “‘JOHN G. HAGGART, _Postmaster-General_.

      “‘POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, OTTAWA, _8th May, 1889_.’”


NEW BRUNSWICK.

    “COMMENTS ON THE SPLIT STAMPS OF NEW BRUNSWICK.

    “(_To the Editor of ‘The Halifax Philatelist.’_)

    “Having examined your plate of Nova Scotia split stamps and
    oddities, I would like to mention a few notes on the split or
    provincial stamps of New Brunswick. In the catalogue list of
    the Nova Scotia Philatelic Association I find that there are
    but two of these split or provisional stamps offered, both Nova
    Scotia Six Pence, cut diagonally and used as Three Pence, and
    not one split New Brunswick.

    “To all appearances, and from what I can learn, I think there
    were very few of these provisional stamps of New Brunswick
    used, and therefore they are very rare. I have never seen but
    three or four on the original envelopes, and have but two in
    my collection—a Ten Cent, vermilion, New Brunswick, cut in
    half vertically, and used as a Five Cent stamp. It is on the
    original envelope, and is postmarked ‘St. John, Nov. 5, 1860,’
    and ‘Kingston, Nov. 6, 1860.’ I have also heard of the Ten
    Cent, vermilion, being cut _diagonally_ instead of vertically,
    but have not seen any so used.

    “As the second issue of New Brunswick first came into use in
    1860, I presume the supply of Five Cent stamps ran short, and
    thus suggested the splitting of the Ten Cent, vermilion, stamps.

    “I have also heard of the Six Penny stamps being cut both
    diagonally and horizontally, and used as Three Penny, but have
    not seen but one so used.

    “Can any of my brother collectors tell what rate was charged
    for single or double letters to Australia in 1860? On the 9th
    of this month I received from New Brunswick an envelope which
    had been sent out to Melbourne, Australia, in 1860. It was
    mailed at Kingston, N.B., in May, 1860, and went _viâ_ London.
    On the envelope, which is yellow, are a One Shilling, violet,
    and one half of a Six Pence, yellow, cut in half diagonally,
    and presumably used as Three Pence, making a total of fifteen
    pence, quite a high rate for a single letter, as such I presume
    it to be. The Six Penny stamp is very bright, but the One
    Shilling is somewhat faded.

    “I would like to know if any of the readers of _The Halifax
    Philatelist_ have ever seen any of the high values thus
    combined, as I think they are very rare, and should occupy a
    prominent place in the representation of New Brunswick stamps
    in all collections.

                              FRED. NORTHRUP, _Port Jervis, N. Y._

“[The split stamps of New Brunswick are no doubt scarce, but they are
not more so than any of the other B. N. A. Provinces. Canada seems to be
the only one which did not do this, as split stamps from there are very
scarce. The rate on a half-ounce Letter from Nova Scotia to Victoria was
one shilling and threepence, and we presume it was the same from New
Brunswick.—EDITOR of _The Halifax Philatelist_.]”

From the above letter, we can therefore add the following at the bottom
of the issue of May 13th, 1860, on page 30 of the Catalogue:

    _Variety._—The Ten Cents is known cut in two diagonally, and
    also vertically.

    5 c. (half 10 c.), scarlet-vermilion.


NOVA SCOTIA.

    “SOME OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE FIRST ISSUE OF NOVA
    SCOTIA STAMPS.

    “The postal service of the British-American provinces, until
    the year 1851, was directly under the control of the English
    Post Office Department. This, with the high rate of postage,
    the insufficient mail accommodation, and the stringent laws
    against a private person carrying or delivering a Letter on the
    post road, was the cause of innumerable complaints on the part
    of the Colonies, and gave the English Post Office officials the
    trouble of sending out long despatches.

    “The Colonies complained that the English Post Office took
    a large amount of revenue, derived from the postal service,
    which the Colonies were not able to lose out of the country.
    The English officials said that there was an annual deficit
    in Nova Scotia alone of £2,000 per annum. This state of
    things existed for years, and every annual report of the
    Post Office Commissioners which was laid on the table of the
    local Legislature was full of complaints under this head. To
    give a specimen from one of the reports of these Post Office
    Commissions, the following is extracted from their annual
    report for the year 1844 in Nova Scotia. After speaking in
    favour of a large reduction in postal rates, they say: ‘This,
    with the use of post stamps from dies authorized by the proper
    authorities, would render the transit of Letters and Papers
    less complicated, and give the relief required by the people.’

    “To this no answer was returned till some time in 1845, when a
    long despatch was received from the Postmaster-General of Great
    Britain, Lord Lonsdale, who thus gives his Department’s views
    of the issue of postage stamps for Nova Scotia as follows: ‘The
    suggestion that postage stamps for Letters should be introduced
    into Nova Scotia is one which I cannot recommend your lordship
    (Viscount Falkland, then Governor of Nova Scotia) to entertain,
    as I cannot but consider that considerable objections exist
    to such a measure, and particularly from the facility which
    it would afford to the circulation of forged stamps, with but
    little chance of detection; while it is believed that the
    offence, if committed in the United Kingdom, could not be
    punished in the Colony, while on the other hand if committed
    in the Colony it could be visited with no penalty on parties
    in the United Kingdom.’ This will give some idea of the
    narrow-mindedness of the English postal administration of that
    time.

    “As a specimen of the postal accommodation of the province, see
    this: From Halifax to Truro, by the coach road, was a distance
    of eighty-three miles, and between those two points there were
    only two post-offices for all the people between these places.
    The mail couriers were not allowed to deliver mail on the way.

    “At last by a united effort of all the Colonies (Canada, New
    Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and P. E. Island), the
    English Government turned over the postal administration to the
    different provincial governments. From this date (July 1st,
    1851), the interesting part of the postal history of these
    provinces commences.

    “In the Post Office Department’s Letter Book the first
    reference to postage stamps is in the following letter:

                                     “‘HALIFAX, _April 21st, 1851_.

      “‘SIR,—As the period is fast drawing near when the reduced
      rate of postage is to take effect in Nova Scotia, and as I
      perceive, by the Provincial Act that provincial stamps are to
      be provided for the convenience of the public, and not being
      aware that any steps have been taken by the Government to
      obtain them, I request to be informed whether His Excellency
      would authorize me to make application for a supply from the
      authorities of the General Post Office.

      “‘I would beg to suggest that a requisition for 5,000 sheets
      or more be made, each sheet containing 240 heads, which, at
      threepence, would be equal to £15,000, or £3 for each sheet.

      “‘Also, £5,000 of Six Penny stamps for double Letters, or
      Letters exceeding the half ounce; and also sixty “_defacing
      stamps_,” for the use of the several postmasters throughout
      the province.

      “‘I would further suggest that the _head_ should be something
      similar to that represented in the margin; the field to be
      _blue_ instead of red, or any other colour His Excellency
      would prefer.

      “‘This supply would, I imagine, be sufficient for the
      first introduction of this reduced rate, when, should His
      Excellency think proper, other arrangements could be made for
      keeping up the supply.

      “‘Should the Lieutenant-Governor approve of this proposition,
      I will apply to the Post Office in London by the next packet.

      “‘I have, etc.,

                                            “‘(Signed) A. WOODGATE.

      “‘_The Honourable Joseph Howe._’”

    “A copy of the design mentioned in this letter is on the margin
    of the Letter Book. It is a large rectangular shape, in centre
    the head of the Queen, of a type somewhat like the early
    Mauritius, excepting that there is not any crown or wreath
    on head. This is drawn on a square of red—at top, ‘POSTAGE;’
    bottom, ‘Three Pence’ in small script writing; left side,
    ‘NOVA’ reading up, and at right side ‘SCOTIA’ reading down; in
    each corner a small square, with figure ‘3’ in it. The whole
    look of the design is much like the early Mauritius.

    “The ‘defacing’ or cancelling stamp’s design was very much
    like the one adopted, being the same oval shape; but the lines
    on the face were perpendicular instead of horizontal, and the
    space for inserting the office a diamond instead of circular
    shape.

    “This design for stamps did not likely go further than the
    office of the Provincial Secretary, to whom it was written,
    and it appears that stamps must have been ordered before
    this, as there does not appear to be time enough between
    this date and that when stamps were issued (September 1st,
    1851) to have designs approved of and plates prepared. It is
    more than probable that the Hon. Joseph Howe, the Provincial
    Secretary, who, I am informed, was in London the winter
    previous, had designs then submitted to him and approved of,
    and ordered the necessary stamps without the knowledge of the
    Postmaster-General. At the same time he apparently had the
    power to decide on the design of the New Brunswick stamps, as
    may be inferred from the following memorandum; or perhaps the
    stamps of both Colonies were bought together for the sake of
    economy. The memorandum is dated July 8th, 1851, and is copied
    from the same letter-book:

      “‘MEMO.

      “‘When Mr. Howe made the application for stamps, it was
      proposed that, after the first supply had arrived, the
      plates could have been sent out, and impressions taken off
      by engravers in Halifax. As Mr. Saunders, however, seems
      to report against the proposition, I would beg to suggest,
      for the consideration of the Government, that £10,000 worth
      of stamps for Nova Scotia, and a similar amount for New
      Brunswick; viz.—

      3d.    £5,000
      6d.    £2,500
      1s.    £2,500

      be furnished for immediate use; or, should this amount be
      considered too small, to double the above numbers.

      “‘I would also recommend that 200 half-pound canisters of
      obliterating ink be also provided—100 for the use of this
      province, and 100 for New Brunswick—and directions for its
      use.

                                                   “‘(Signed) A. W.

      “‘W. H. KEATING, Esq., _July 8th, 1851_.’

    “What amount of stamps was ordered could not be found out, nor
    can any trace of further orders be found until 1857, when an
    application letter was sent to the Provincial Secretary, and
    which will be copied later on.

    “It was mentioned in above letter that a proposal was made
    that the plates should be sent out, and stamps wanted could be
    printed from here. This seems to be the opinion among English
    philatelists, as Mr. W. A. S. Westoby says in a letter to me of
    February 6th, 1888, that he was informed by the makers of the
    plates—Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co.—that the plates of the
    Nova Scotia and New Brunswick stamps were sent out here on the
    same day—August 6th, 1851.

    “On receipt of this, I wrote Mr. F. M. Passow, who was chief
    clerk of the Nova Scotian Post Office Department, to enquire
    whether the plates ever came here. He said, ‘I doubt if the
    plates were ever sent out to Halifax; I never saw them.’ To
    make this positive, we find, in the letter to the Provincial
    Secretary above referred, indisputable evidence that the plates
    were in England in 1857. The letter is as follows:

                  “‘GENERAL POST OFFICE, HALIFAX, _July 2nd, 1857_.

      “‘SIR,—The stock of postage stamps procured from England
      some time ago being nearly exhausted, I have the honour to
      request that you will be good enough to issue the necessary
      directions to Mr. Stanford, No. 6, Charing Cross, London, for
      a further demand; viz.—

      10,000 sheets of  3d. postage stamps, value £20,000
       2,500    ”       6d.       ”           ”   £10,000
       1,250    ”       1s.       ”           ”   £10,000

      Each sheet to contain 160 labels of Three Penny, Six Penny,
      and One Shilling stamps, making each sheet of the value of
      £2, £4, and £8 respectively, and to be the colour of those
      affixed on the margin.

      “‘The last supply of stamps was furnished by Mr. Trelawney
      Saunders, who has transferred his business to Mr. Stanford.
      In applying for these postage labels, therefore, it will be
      necessary you should furnish Mr. Stanford with your authority
      to produce the key for opening the box containing the dies,
      which are now in the possession of the engravers, Messrs.
      Perkins, Bacon, and Petch, who also are in possession of a
      key for the safe custody of the dies.

      “‘It is particularly requested that the stamps may be
      forwarded at as early a period as possible, those remaining
      on hand being not only nearly expended, but much injured.
      When making the requisition, it would be as well to caution
      the engravers not to pack the parcels too close; for when
      they are strictly confined they adhere, and become useless,
      as was the case with some of the packages in the last supply
      furnished.

      “‘I have, &c. &c.

                                            “‘(Signed) A. WOODGATE.

      “‘The HON. C. H. TUPPER, M.D., M.P.T., _Halifax_.’

    “Only two requisitions for stamps (those of July 8th, 1851 and
    July 2nd, 1857) for Nova Scotia can be found, although no doubt
    more than two supplies were sent.

    “Of those the Three Pence, dark blue, Six Pence, yellow-green,
    and the light shade of the One Shilling, are the earlier issue.
    After examination of a large number of specimens of the two
    lower values on the original cover, a dark blue Three Pence or
    yellow-green Six Pence is seldom found after November, 1857.
    From that date the light blue Three Pence and dark green Six
    Pence is the rule. At the time the last supplies were sent
    out, in 1857, some sheets of the Three Pence and Six Pence
    were printed on an intensely blue paper, as I have in my
    collection a Six Pence on this blue paper split and used as
    Three Pence on original cover, postmarked ‘Lunenburg, Dec, 7,
    1859,’ and an entire one, on envelope from same place, ‘Feb.
    (date indistinct), 1860.’ The Three Pence is on a much bluer
    paper than the ordinary dark shades of same on blue paper of
    the earlier issue. Of the Six Pence on blue paper I have only
    seen four specimens, and I have examined a large number of that
    value.

    “The later printing of the Three Pence was on a white
    paper, which was tinted blue on face by the ink, or
    insufficiently-cleaned plates. The Six Pence is on a paper
    which shows a somewhat bluish shade in it.

                                                      “D. A. KING.”


    “DATE OF ISSUE OF THE ONE PENNY NOVA SCOTIA.

    “While the exact date of issue of the Three Pence, Six Pence,
    and One Shilling Nova Scotia stamps has been discovered, that
    of the One Penny has only been guessed at. Having lately been
    fortunate enough to procure access to the letter-books of the
    Nova Scotia Post Office Department, I have been enabled to make
    the date almost exact, as will be seen by the following letter
    of the Postmaster-General of Nova Scotia, and copied from the
    letter book of that Department:

                                       “‘HALIFAX, _May 12th, 1853_.

      “‘SIR,—I have the honour to request that I may be furnished
      with a supply of [A]200 sheets of One Penny stamps (amounting
      to £100), for the use of the Post Office in this Province.

                      “‘(Signed) A. WOODGATE, _Postmaster-General_.

      “‘_Receiver-General of Nova Scotia._’

      [A] The sheet of the One Penny therefore contained 120
      stamps, while those of the Three Pence, Six Pence, and One
      Shilling, as we see from Mr. A. Woodgate’s letter of July
      2nd, 1857, were each composed of 160 stamps.

    “This is the first mention of the One Penny stamps in the
    letter-book, and the date of issue should, I think, be taken
    from that application. In the letter-book containing copies of
    letters to deputies, the first requisition for One Penny stamps
    is from the Postmaster of Amherst, the answer to which, here
    given, is:

                                      “‘HALIFAX, _June 30th, 1853_.

      “‘SIR,—I beg to enclose herewith, agreeably to your request,
      postage stamps to the amount of £2 5s.; viz., one sheet of
      Three Pence and sixty labels of One Penny stamps. Also a
      supply of the proper printed applications, one of which I
      will thank you to fill up and return to this office with the
      acknowledgment.

      “‘I am, &c. &c.,

                                                “‘(Signed) C. H. H.

      “‘_Postmaster, Amherst._’

    “Amherst was then one of the largest towns of this Province,
    outside of the capital, and the amount of the One Penny
    required shows the small use of this value outside Halifax. The
    requisitions show that this was the usual number of One Penny
    stamps asked for, sometimes a little more, and very often less,
    and, being used as they were for a merely town or drop postage,
    accounts for their scarcity.

                                                      “D. A. KING.”

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