DETAILS OF ISSUE.
| Date of Issue. | Name of Office. | Name of P. M. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 14, 1851 | Hamilton | E. Ritchie | 300 |
| Oct. 17, 1851 | Chippewa | W. Hepburn | 100 |
| Nov. 13, 1851 | Thorold | J. Keefer | 20 |
| Nov. 25, 1851 | Toronto | C. Berchy | 200 |
| Mar. 8, 1852 | Montreal | J. Porteous | 200 |
| Sept. 14, 1852 | Ingersoll | D. Phelan | 100 |
| Apr. 5, 1853 | [15]Bytown | G. W. Baker | 100 |
| Oct. 20, 1853 | Sherbrooke | Wm. Brooks | 15 |
| Jan. 13, 1854 | Smith's Falls | Jas. Shaw | 50 |
| Jan. 20, 1854 | Bytown | G. W. Baker | 100 |
| Feb. 8, 1854 | L'Islet | Ballantyne | 15 |
| Feb. 27, 1854 | Ingersoll | Chadwick | 20 |
| Mar. 22, 1854 | Sault S. Marie | Jos. Wilson | 25 |
| May 15, 1854 | Port. du Fort | McLaren | 15 |
| Oct. 21, 1854 | Rowan Mills | de Blaquiere | 50 |
| Oct. 26, 1854 | Melbourne | Thos. Tait | 50 |
| Oct. 27, 1854 | Montreal | A. La Rocque | 100 |
| Dec. 4, 1854 | Smith's Falls | Jas. Shaw | 50 |
| Total number issued, | 1,510 | ||
From the above it is seen that Hamilton and Montreal each received a total of 300 copies, Toronto and Bytown each 200, Ingersoll 120, Chippewa and Smith's Falls each 100, and so on down.
So much for the 12d. stamp. The tables of the Post Office reports tell us also that the issues of the 6d. stamp to postmasters for these same four years totalled 102,600, or only 2200 more than the original number delivered, the second delivery of the 6d. not having taken place until March 21, 1855,[16] at the end of the last fiscal year of the four. If, then, the entire first printings of the 6d. and 12d. stamps were on laid paper, as is usually claimed, there would be no such thing as a 12d. on wove paper, and the 6d. stamp in the same state would not be found used (provided proper postmark evidence were forthcoming) before the end of March, 1855. During the same period there were at least five deliveries of the 3d. stamp, so that several things may have happened to that value. But, curiously enough, it is the other two stamps that furnish us with our best evidence.
We now come literally to the "nigger in the wood-pile." The 12d. stamp does exist on the wove paper! Mr. Worthington and Mr. Pack each possess an unused copy, and careful examination by the writer has failed to disclose any appreciable difference in the color, quality or appearance of the paper, save for the impossibility of discovering the laid lines, between these copies and those possessing proper credentials as the regular laid paper 12d. of 1851. The color of the stamp and its general appearance give no hint of the supposed irregularity, and a letter to Mr. Worthington from the well known expert, Mr. John N. Luff, gives his approval to the specimen in Mr. Worthington's collection. It was formerly considered that the supposed 12d. on wove paper was merely a proof, and in the "Catalogue for Advanced Collectors" we find the following note concerning it under Canada.[17]
Although the 12p is catalogued by some as existing on thin wove paper, we do not believe in it as in every copy on wove paper sent to us for examination some traces of the word specimen were to be discovered thus showing them all to be merely proofs.
As far as the writer has seen them, specimen copies have been on India paper, which is quite distinct from the regular paper of the issue, and they have been overprinted with the word "SPECIMEN" in carmine ink, either diagonally or vertically upward. The copies referred to in the paragraph just quoted probably had been treated with chemicals to remove the red ink overprint.
Of course the desideratum for the settlement of the whole question is to
find a copy of the stamp used on cover; but inasmuch as up to the present time but three copies of the 12d. on laid paper are known in this condition, it seems a hopeless quest. Nevertheless there appear to be several used copies of the wove paper 12d. known, the first mention we find of one being in the report of the proceedings of the Philatelic Society of London for 4th May, 1888,[18] which reads: "The business of the evening consisted in the revision of the Society's reference list of the Stamps of Canada, which was concluded, Mr. F. Ransom showing an undoubted postmarked specimen of the 12d. first issue, printed upon stout wove paper." Mr. W. H. Brouse, the eminent Canadian philatelist, also possessed a cancelled copy of this stamp, which later adorned the Ayer collection, it is understood. An editorial in the Dominion Philatelist thus speaks of it:[19]—"We have received from W. H. Brouse, of Toronto, a photograph of ... 12 pence Canada on wove paper [which] appears to be a beautiful specimen with fine margin and light cancellation." Two fine copies, one unused and one used, were sold in the auction of the Mirabaud collection at Paris, in April, 1909.
From the above it is plainly evident that the 12d. on wove paper properly exists, in spite of the "first [and only] printing on laid paper" theory, which is usually laid down as an a priori consideration. Also it appears that it is found in a used condition, though this cannot be taken as an absolute test, because of the uncertainty that may lurk in a cancellation on a detached specimen of a stamp. Only the discovery of a copy properly used on the original cover, as already intimated, can effectually settle the question of its actual issue and use. But there is a fact which doubtless furnishes the clue to the seeming mystery of its being. We have already noted that the laid paper first used varied considerably in thickness, and also that the wove paper next used was in all respects similar to the former, but of course without the laid lines. Now it happens sometimes that it is quite difficult to distinguish the laid paper, a very careful scrutiny or even the extreme resort to the benzine cup being necessary to bring out the watermarked lines, and perhaps then only in a half suspicious way. If such be the case, it is only a step further to the entire disappearance of these "laid lines," and lo, the wove paper!
Writing to Mr. F. C. Young concerning the 12d. stamp, Mr. John N. Luff says:[20]—"It is my opinion that both the wove and laid papers are quite
genuine and I think it is possible that both varieties might occur though there was only one lot sent out by the printers. It does not, of course, follow that the entire batch was printed on the same day or that two varieties of paper might not have been used. The early printers were not always very particular about their paper, provided it was somewhat alike in a general way. Some collectors claim that laid paper is often of such nature that the lines do not show in some parts of the sheet, and I believe there is evidence to support this theory." Finally Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack, in some notes sent the London Philatelist, sums matters up in these words:[21]—"After a very careful investigation I believe that the 12d., on wove paper, was issued, and that the stamp was on sale at the Post Office, in Hamilton, Canada West." Mr. Pack writes us further:—"When I was a boy I went to school at St. Catherines, Ontario. There were keen stamp collectors in St. Catherines at that time, not only among boys, but among grown people. That was about 1869 or 1870. I was told that part of the 12d. Canada which had been on sale at the Hamilton post office were on wove paper and I was convinced that that was the case."
Concerning the laid and wove papers of this issue Mr. King writes as follows:[22]—"The texture of these papers is virtually the same, and it is indeed often difficult, particularly in the case of the 6d., to distinguish between the laid and wove papers. The lines in the laid paper are of a most peculiar character, and cannot, as a rule, be brought fairly out by holding the stamp between one's eyes and the light. The best way to test these two papers is to lay the stamps, face down, on a black surface, and let the light strike them at about an angle of fifteen degrees, when the laid lines are brought most plainly into view. It is necessary, however, to place the specimens so that the light will strike them parallel to their length, as the laid lines run horizontally in the 3d., and vertically in the 6d. and 12d."
We now come to the most interesting and confirmatory part of our evidence. We have already referred to the fact that Messrs. Corwin & King give June, 1852, as the date when the wove paper appeared, and 1852 is given in all catalogues and lists as the year of issue for all three stamps on this paper. In their article on British North America, the above gentlemen, in discussing early dates established by entire covers for the varieties of paper that they describe, remark under the caption "Series IV." (the thin wove paper): "We took a six-pence from a letter dated June 25th, 1852."[23] This statement can
hardly be questioned, after the careful and minute study that they gave to the papers of this issue, and it therefore means just one thing: the 6d. on wove paper came in the first lot delivered, for we have seen that the second supply did not arrive until 1855. The fact is therefore established that the first deliveries of stamps in April and May, 1851, included the wove paper, and we therefore have here what amounts to the proper credentials for the appearance and even use of the 12d. on wove paper.
As the 3d., having been delivered first, was undoubtedly printed first, this value may have been entirely upon the laid paper, particularly as it seems to be not especially rare on this paper and has not been recorded on wove paper used earlier than the receipt of the 1852 supplies. But this of course is negative evidence, and this value may yet be found to have been printed upon the wove paper along with the other two values in 1851.
We have remarked that there were but three covers known bearing copies of the 12d. stamp. It is with great satisfaction, therefore, that we are able to present reproductions of two of them for the benefit of our readers. The earliest date is on the cover numbered 90 on [Plate VI], which is in the Worthington collection. This bears the postmark of "Montreal, L. C. JY 21, 1852" in red. The stamp is a little heavily cancelled by the concentric rings type of obliteration in black. The word CANADA within the curved frame and the word PAID are stamped in red on the cover. This was a requirement of the first postal convention between Canada and the United States, signed on March 25, 1851. Section 9 reads:—
"The Offices designated for the despatch and receipt of Canadian Mails on the side of the United States will stamp 'U. States' upon all letters sent into Canada for delivery; and the Offices designated for the despatch and receipt of United States mails on the side of Canada will stamp 'Canada' upon all letters sent into the United States for delivery."
The other two covers were both the property of the late John F. Seybold, but the one upon which the stamp appears in finest condition now ornaments the collection of Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack. This is illustrated as No. 91 on [Plate VI] and bears the postmark of "Hamilton, C. W. NO 23, 1853." The stamp is cancelled with the concentric rings in blue, and an additional handstamp appears in red reading "CANADA—PAID 20 Cts" in two lines. The "20" is made over from "10" by the use of a pen in changing the first figure. In
this connection it will be remembered that 6d. currency, equal to 10 cents, was the single rate for ½oz. letters between Canada and the United States.[24]
The third cover is in all respects a companion piece of the second, bearing the same marks and (probably) the same address originally, but dated from Hamilton on "DE 8, 1853."
All three of these covers show the particular use of the 12d. stamp—simply as a multiple of the 3d. and 6d. in currency rates. That it was not issued with any intention of being especially used for the British packet rate must be evident, as we have seen that this was 1s. 4d. currency if prepaid and sent via the United States, or 1s. 1½d. currency if prepaid and sent via Halifax[25]—rates that could not be made up by means of the three stamps first issued.
On the other hand the stamp was quadruple the domestic rate, double the rate to the United States, and the single rate for the fortnightly mails from Montreal viâ Boston to Newfoundland, Bermuda and the British West Indies.[26] Probably letters in the first category were not common, and, as it happens, all our specimens fall in the second. The third category doubtless did not entail a large correspondence, particularly as the more direct route to the places mentioned, viâ Quebec and Halifax, was at the lesser rate of 7½d.[27] For the above reasons, then, the covers as we find them evidently exemplify the usual use to which the 12d. stamp was put, and explain why more were not used, as surely would have been the case had the stamp been convenient for prepaying the packet rate to England, with which there was a large correspondence.
Having now described the two main varieties of paper common to the three values of this issue, let us look at some further varieties of the stock used for the 3d. and 6d. values, which, because of their long term of use, were subject to quite a number of printings and therefore gave opportunity for the variation in paper which is a characteristic of this issue. We have already given the statistics of the receipt and issue of 3d. and 6d. stamps for the five years from 1851 to 1856,[28] and find they total 1,600,500 for the 3d. and 150,400 for the 6d. From succeeding reports of the Postmaster General we cull the following:—
| REPORT OF 30TH SEPT., 1857, [including 1 year 6 months, by statute.][29] | ||
| 3d. stamps | 6d. stamps | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance on hand 31st March, 1856 | 255,800 | 9,381 |
| Received from Mfrs. in half-year to 30th. Sept. | 50,000 | |
| Total | 255,800 | 59,381 |
| Issued for sale during half-year | 186,200 | 24,781 |
| Balance 1st October, 1856 | 69,600 | 34,600 |
| Received from Mfrs. year ending 30th Sept., 1857 | 600,000 | 50,078 |
| Total | 669,600 | 84,678 |
| Issued for sale during yr. ending 30th Sept., 1857 | 587,900 | 60,600 |
| Balance on hand | 81,700 | 24,078 |
| REPORT OF 30TH. SEPT., 1858. | ||
| Received from Mfrs. year ending 30th Sept., 1858 | 900,000 | 100,000 |
| Total | 981,700 | 124,078 |
| Issued for sale during year | 717,200 | 82,500 |
| Balance on hand 30th Sept., 1858 | 264,500 | 41,578 |
| REPORT OF 30TH. SEPT., 1859. | ||
| Rec'd from Mfrs. during 9 mos. to 30th June, 1859 | 449,900 | 70,000 |
| Total | 714,400 | 111,578 |
| Issued for sale during above 9 months | 692,700 | 94,000 |
| Balance on hand 30th June, 1859 | 21,700 | 17,578 |
On July 1, 1859 the stamps in decimal currency were issued, so the above remainders represent the last of the 3d. and 6d. stamps. Adding the receipts from the manufacturers in the above tables, therefore, to the totals already given for the years 1851-6, and then deducting the remainders (which were later destroyed), we have for the total issue of the 3d. stamp 3,528,700, and of the 6d. stamp 402,900. In these figures are of course included the perforated stamps, which we will consider later.
It will be seen from the tables that there were at least eight deliveries of the 3d. stamps and at least six deliveries of the 6d. stamps, but inasmuch as these are totalled by years, and as some of the amounts are quite large (e. g. 900,000 of the 3d. in 1858), it seems certain that there were even more deliveries and consequently more printings of the stamps than is indicated. In no other way can we account for the variety in the paper used, and also
the variety in the color of the 6d. stamp. The 3d. does not vary so much, probably because its shade of red did not require much mixing of inks and the ingredients were such that slight variations in the proportions did not greatly affect the tone. The normal color being a bright red, we find it running to a deeper, almost brick red in one direction, and to a vermilion in the other. As to the normal color of the 6d. it would be almost impossible to hazard a guess, if we had simply a series of one stamp of each distinct variation in color or shade in which it is found. The common run of shades is from a slate violet to a slate or "near black" with a "cast" of violet, of brown, or even green. What can one do in trying to describe the "color" of such a chameleon stamp with such an uncertain basis to work upon? The check list gives the nearest approximation to the various shades that we have been able to translate into color names, but it is almost impossible to so describe some of them as to convey the proper idea of the exact shade to the reader.
For papers used, Mr. King describes no less than fourteen.[30] Four of these are the two grades of the laid and wove "bank-note" paper already mentioned. A third variety of laid paper is described by him as entirely different, being a stout white paper in which "the laid lines are most distinct, while the paper is of a different texture and color from the regular grey shade." Mr. Pack states: "This paper is very rare, and I have never seen but very few copies."[31] Mr. King's sixth variety is described as "hard, stout, grayish wove," but we have included it with the ordinary wove paper in the check list, of which it is but a little heavier manifestation. The same may be said of his varieties XII and XIII, described as "medium" and "thick, hard, white wove paper, very slightly ribbed," respectively, which we have classed under "stout, hard, white wove paper." There is an extreme case in the 6d. stamp, which comes on a very thick hard paper, concerning which Mr. Pack says:—"The unused 6d. on very thick, hard paper is one of the greatest rarities of Canada. It is as rare as the 12d. unused. Curiously enough, this stamp in used condition is very rare in a pair or strip. So far as I know there are only two or three strips or pairs in existence. It is my understanding that the very thick hard paper stamps were printed previous to those on the soft paper." The last remark refers to the very thick, soft paper, almost a card board (Mr. King's variety XIV) which is now well known as an exceedingly rare variety. It is distinct, both in paper and
color, from any other variety of the 6d. stamp, the shade being a dull purple. The same may be said of the thick hard paper stamp, which appears to be in a very even shade of slate violet.
Mr. King's varieties X and XI are both peculiar, the former being a "very soft, thin, cream wove which is quite fragile and will not bear much handling," and the latter a "soft, thick, coarse white wove paper; the surface presents a sort of hairy appearance, and the quality is better than series X." The 3d. is the only value occurring in these two varieties, which we have placed under "soft white wove paper" in the check list.
Lastly comes the ribbed paper. The first variety is a very soft, thin paper on which the 3d. appears. This is Mr. King's variety VII, and he makes a variety VIII of the same paper in a "cream" tone. The same value comes on a thicker, hard paper, Mr. King's variety IX, and he lists a 6d. in violet black as well.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the first issue of Canadian stamps furnishes plenty of material for study, and is an extremely difficult series to work out and put into proper form for a reference list. Mr. King truly says:—"If the papers and shades of this series of stamps are thoroughly studied, there are more varieties than in all the other British North American stamps put together; in many cases they are minute, in others more decided, but in every case distinct." Some criticism may be made of our not using in extenso, the excellent "Reference List"[32] prepared by Messrs. King and Corwin, but it has seemed wise, in working with the specialized collections already alluded to, to condense this list to some extent; nor do we think its correctness and usefulness have been impaired thereby.
We have spoken of the three values of stamps already treated as the "first issue" of Canada. Some may cavil at this, for there are three more values belonging to the pence series which may be regarded as part of the "first issue," inasmuch as they were complementary as well as supplementary to the original three. But they did not appear until nearly four or more years later, and therefore escaped the laid paper varieties. For this reason, and because there appears another important question to solve in connection with two of them, we have reserved a separate chapter for these three. We may also say that as one of them appears in the perforated series of pence values we have left the consideration of these latter stamps until the next following chapter.
[7] This correction of the date must be noted, for in Mr. King's article in the Monthly Journal, VII: 7, it is wrongly given as 1st April, which might lead to erroneous conclusions. In the Article by Messrs. Corwin and King, (Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 149), the date is correctly given.
[8] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83.
[9] London Philatelist, XIII: 153.
[10] London Philatelist, VI: 147.
[11] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 170.
[12] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83.
[13] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 149.
[14] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83.
[15] Now Ottawa, Capital of Dominion of Canada.
[16] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83.
[17] American Journal of Philately, 2d. Series, III: 121.
[18] Philatelic Record, X: 124.
[19] Dominion Philatelist, No. 34, p. 8.
[20] Canada Stamp Sheet, IV: 142.
[21] London Philatelist, XVI: 144.
[22] Monthly Journal, VII: 9.
[23] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 149.
[25] See Secs. 60 and 62 on [page 30].
[26] See Sec. 70 on [page 31].
[27] See Secs. 67 and 68 on [page 30].
[29] 20o Vict. cap. XXV. Sec. VII; see [page 61].
[30] Monthly Journal, VII: 9.
[31] London Philatelist, XVI: 144.
[32] Monthly Journal, VII: 9.
CHAPTER III
THE REMAINING PENCE ISSUES
A resume of the chief happenings of the year and other items of interest is given in the annual reports of the Postmasters General, and a brief summary of these first few years will not be without its importance here. It will be recalled that the Provincial Government took over the control of its posts on the 6th April, 1851, and by the Act to Amend The Post Office Act, passed 30th August, 1851,[33] the Postmaster General was required by statute to "report to the Governor General of the Province annually, for the purpose of being laid before Parliament at each Session, First. A report of Finances, Receipts and Expenditure of the Post Office Department for the year ending on the fifth day of April previous," etc., etc. Accordingly the first annual report of the Postmaster General was rendered on the 5th April, 1852. In it we find the following information:—
Upon the transfer of the control of the Post Office Department in this Province, by the Imperial Post Office Authorities to the Provincial Government, on the 6th April, 1851, the number of Post Offices in operation was found to be 601—the number of miles of established Post Route, 7595—over which the annual transportation of the Mails was 2,487,000 miles—and the Gross Revenue raised under the authority of the Imperial Post Office, at the high tariff of rates then prevailing, had been for the year preceding the transfer £93,802 currency, including in that sum the collections in Canada of British Packet Postage, estimated to have amounted to £10,000 sterling.
The Provincial Act of the 12th and 13th Vic. cap. 66, providing for the management of the Department after the transfer, reduced the Postage charges in Canada upon all letters passing between places within the Province, or within British North America generally, to a uniform rate of 3d. per ½ oz.; whereas under the tariff in force previous to the transfer, the average charge on each letter was computed to have been as nearly as possible 9d. per ½ oz.; the reduction therefore consequent upon the introduction of the uniform 3d. rate was equivalent to ⅔, or 66⅔ per cent, on the former average letter Postage charge.
The Postage charge on Box or Drop Letters, and the additional charge on letters delivered in the Cities by Letter Carriers, have in
each case been reduced to one half penny, being one half the former rates.
With regard to newspapers, the Postage charge has been altogether taken off upon several important branches of newspaper circulation, and papers to and from the other British North American Provinces, papers sent to the United States, and Editors' exchange papers, pass free of all Postage charge whatever. The rates on printed papers, circulars, pamphlets, books, &c., have also been modified and reduced.
The gross receipts of the Department for the year under review are given as £71,788 18s. 5d. currency, a drop of over £20,000 from the previous year; but this is a good showing after all, for when it is remembered that the new uniform rate of postage was but one third the former average rate, it is readily figured out that correspondence nearly doubled under the new tariffs. This is confirmed by the following comparative statement of pieces mailed:—
One week preceding 5th April, 1851, No. of letters, 41,000; papers, 90,000.
One week preceding 5th April, 1852, No. of letters, 86,051[34]; papers, 101,000.
There were 243 new post offices added during the year and 1023 miles of post routes.
"An agreement was concluded with the Post Master General of the United States, which has continued in satisfactory operation since April, 1851, under which letters pass between any place in Canada, and any place in the United States, at a Postage rate of 6d. currency, per half oz., except to and from California and Oregon, when, the distance being over 3,000 miles, the rate is 9d. per half oz. Letters are posted on either side, paid or unpaid, at the option of the sender."
The total correspondence passing between the two countries is given as having a postage rating of $85,636.97.
The second annual report of the Postmaster General is dated the 31st March, 1853, and contains little of interest but statistics. 176 new post offices were established and 504 miles of new post routes added. The gross revenue of the Department for the fiscal year is given as £84,866.6.11½. and the total postage on the correspondence passing between Canada and the United States was $104,966.40.
The third report, of 31st March, 1854, speaks of a large reduction in the postal charges upon newspapers circulating within the Province and on certain classes of periodical prints, which took place on Feb. 1, 1854, but gives no further details. Concerning the British packet postage, however, the report says:—
In March, 1854, the charge on packet letters passing between Canada and the United Kingdom and most foreign countries was reduced by the Imperial Government from 1s. 2d. sterling to 8d. sterling per ½ oz. when sent in closed mails through the United States, and from 1s. to 6d. when sent direct from a Provincial Port, Quebec or Halifax.
Further on are the following recommendations:—
Should no further change be likely soon to take place in the charges on the correspondence with England, it would promote the public convenience to procure Postage stamps of the value of 10d. and 7½ d. respectively to correspond with the present packet letter charges.
And again:—
Much unnecessary labor and waste of time is occasioned to this Department by the practice now followed of rating and collecting Postage on all Government and Legislative correspondence, and it would be an improvement, in my belief, very worthy of adoption, to authorize by enactment the transmission of all such matter through the mails, under proper regulations, free of Postage charge, and that in lieu thereof, a certain fixed annual sum estimated to be equivalent to the aggregate of the Postage arising upon such correspondence, should be paid by the Receiver General to the Post Office, to be accounted for as Post Office Revenue.
Perhaps the most pregnant remark is one short statement:—"The use of stamps has materially increased"; for it will be remembered that the first annual report of the Postmaster General was pessimistic with regard to the employment of stamps, fearing that their use was diminishing.
The accounts accompanying the report contain but one item concerning stamps:—
Rawdon, Wright & Co., Postage Stamps furnished Post Office
Department £12.11.3
This amount was of course only for printing supplies, evidently for the 250,000 3d. stamps received during the fiscal year.
In the fourth report, of 31st March, 1855, there are several items of interest. The lowering of the British packet rates proved a popular step, naturally, and the report states that "Notwithstanding the important reduction granted by the Imperial Government in the postage rate between this country and the United Kingdom in March, 1854," the results were as follows:—
British Packet Postage collected in Canada in year ending 31 March, 1855 (postage rate 8d. sterling) £16,449.14.3½.
British Packet Postage collected in Canada in year ending 31 March, 1854 (postage rate 1s. 2d. sterling) £17,495.1.4½. which was a drop of but six per cent. in receipts upon a reduction of over forty per cent. in the postal charge.
Again:—
In March, 1855 the Imperial Post Office authorized a reduction in the charge on letters passing through the English Posts between Canada and France, from 2s. 8½d. Currency to 1s. 8d. Currency per ¼ oz. letter.
The suggestions contained in the report for 1854 concerning the franking of official mail matter, and the payment of a fixed annual sum to the Post Office Department on this account, were acted upon, and the report states:—
In July last the Act of last Session came into effect, removing altogether the Postage charge on the circulation of Provincial Newspapers and according a franking privilege to the correspondence of the Legislature and of the Public Departments of the Government.
The Act referred to was doubtless the following:—
18o Vict. Cap. LXXIX.
An act to abolish Postage on Newspapers published within the Province of Canada, and for other purposes connected with the Post Office Department of this Province.
[Assented to 19th May, 1855.]
WHEREAS papers devoted to the advancement of Education, Temperance, Science, Agriculture and other special objects, are now exempt from postage; And whereas it would further materially aid the diffusion of useful knowledge to remove all postal restrictions on the transmission of Newspapers in general, published within this Province, and of all documents printed by order of either House of Parliament: Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative
Council and the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, * * * * and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, as follows:
I. All Newspapers published within the Province of Canada, shall be transmitted by mail free of Postage.
* * * * *
IV. All Letters and other mailable matter addressed to or sent by the Governor of this Province, or sent to or by any Public Department at the seat of Government, shall be free of Provincial Postage under such regulations as may be directed by the Governor in Council.
V. All Letters and other mailable matter addressed to or sent by the Speaker or Chief Clerk of the Legislative Council or of the Legislative Assembly, or by or to any Member of either of said branches of the Legislature during any Session of the Legislature, shall be free of Provincial Postage.
VI. All public documents and printed papers may be sent by the Speaker or Chief Clerk of the Legislative Council or of the Legislative Assembly, to any Member of either of the said branches of the Legislature of Canada, during the recess of Parliament, free of Postage.
VII. Members of either branch of the Legislature of Canada may send during the recess of Parliament by mail, free of Postage, all papers printed by order of either branch of the Legislature of Canada.
* * * * *
IX. This Act shall come into effect on and after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and fifty-five.
There is a bit of conflict here. The "enactment clause" of the above Act makes it operative unequivocally on July 1, 1855. Yet the Postmaster General's report, just quoted, which is supposed to be for the fiscal year ending 31st March, 1855, distinctly states that the provisions of the above Act came into effect "in July last," which would seem to be July, 1854. The Act itself is not in error, so the discrepancy must lie in the Postmaster General's report. Probably the report was written much later in the year than March 31st, as it was not presented to Parliament until the fall session, and therefore gave opportunity to refer back to happenings in July.
The growth of the Department during the first four years under Provincial control is illustrated by the following table:—
| Date | Post Offices in operation. | Miles of Post Routes. | Letters mailed per week. | Gross Revenue | Correspondence with the U. S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th April, 1851 | 601 | 7,595 | 41,000 | £ 93,802 | |
| 5th April, 1852 | 840 | 8,618 | 71,726 | £ 71,788.18. 5 | $ 85,636.97 |
| 31st Mar., 1853 | 1,016 | 9,122 | 81,896 | £ 84,866. 6. 11½ | $104,966.40 |
| 31st Mar., 1854 | 1,166 | 10,027 | 98,350 | £ 98,495. 6. 7 | $129,921.67 |
| 31st Mar., 1855 | 1,293 | 11,192 | 116,671 | £110,747.12. 9½ | $145,377.69 |
The number of post offices had more than doubled; the length of the post routes had increased by fifty per cent; and although the revenue had dropped one quarter during the first year, owing to the reduction in postage rates, it had increased by half in the next three years; while the total correspondence between Canada and the United States had increased by two thirds in the same three years.
But the item that interests us particularly in this report reads:—
To promote the general convenience in prepaying letters to the United Kingdom at the new rate, postage stamps of the value of 10d. Currency, equal to 8d. sterling, were procured and issued for sale to the public.
Thus part of the recommendation contained in the report for the preceding year was carried out.
In the accounts for the fiscal year we find the following entries:—
| 1st. Quarter, Rawdon, Wright & Co., Postage Stamps for P. O. Dept. | £12.12.6 |
| 3rd. Quarter, Rawdon, Wright & Co., Making Stamps | 42.18.6 |
| 4th. Quarter, Rawdon, Wright & Co., Postage Stamps for P. O. Dept. | 17.13.6 |
From this it would appear that the bill for engraving ("making") the new 10d. stamp was paid in the third quarter of the fiscal year, corresponding to the last quarter of 1854. According to the table of receipts from manufacturers in the "summary" already quoted,[35] the 10d. stamp was first received by the Post Office Department on Jan. 2, 1855. In Mr. King's "Reference List,"[36] however, the date "Dec. 5, 1854" is given as being "taken from used stamps on the original covers," but this must certainly be a mistake. The "summary" also gives the quantities issued to postmasters by quarters, and there were none issued (naturally) in the quarter ending Dec. 31, 1854. In the next quarter, ending Mar. 31, 1855, there were 16,200 issued to postmasters, so that the first issue probably took place soon after receipt, that is, in January, 1855. The total number received from the manufacturers in this first delivery was 100,080.
The plate for this stamp is stated to have been made up for printing sheets of 100 impressions in ten rows of ten, like the three values of 1851, and also to have had the eight marginal imprints. But there are reasons for
thinking it may have been made to print 120 impressions, ten rows of twelve each, concerning which more will be said later. Suffice it to remark here that the number delivered (100,080) is exactly divisible by 120, making 834 full sheets, which is not the case if 100 is used. The normal color of the stamp is a very deep blue.
The design of the new 10d., illustrated as No. 3 on [Plate I], corresponds in general style to the 6d. and 12d. of 1851, but the portrait in the central oval is of Jacques Cartier, the explorer and founder of Canada. There has been some discussion over the identity of the original, it having been claimed that the subject was Sebastian Cabot, the discoverer, just as the portrait on the 6d. stamp has been assigned to Lord Elgin, Governor-General of Canada from 1846 to 1854.[37] Unfortunately no circular announcing the issue of the stamp has come to hand, and, as seen from the quotation already given, the report of the Postmaster General does not give us the information. It is nevertheless a fact that the portrait represents Cartier, the original being a three-quarter length painting in the Hotel de Ville at St. Malo, France, the birthplace of Cartier. The inscriptions in the oval frame are in this case separated by a small picture of the beaver at the right, and three maple leaves at the left. The value is expressed as TEN PENCE, with the numerals "10" in the lower spandrels, followed by the letters "cy" for "currency." In the upper spandrels is the corresponding value in sterling money, expressed as "8d stg". The relation between sterling and currency values and their equivalents in the decimal coinage of the United States was fixed by law, and the matter seems important enough to reproduce the statute here.
16o Vict. Cap. CLVIII.
An Act to regulate the Currency. [Assented to 14th June, 1853.]
* * * * *
II. And be it enacted, That the denominations of money in the Currency of this Province, shall be pounds, dollars, shillings, pence, cents and mills: the pound, shilling and penny shall have, respectively, the same proportionate values as they now have, the dollar shall be one-fourth of a pound, the cent shall be one-hundredth of a dollar, and the mill one-tenth of a cent....
III. And be it enacted, That the Pound Currency shall be held to be equivalent to and to represent one hundred and one grains and three hundred and twenty-one thousandths of a grain Troy weight of Gold of the Standard of fineness now prescribed by Law for the Gold Coins of the United Kingdom; and the Dollar Currency shall be held to be equivalent to and to represent one fourth part of the weight aforesaid of Gold of the said Standard....
IV. And be it enacted, That the Pound Sterling shall be held to be equal to one pound, four shillings and four pence, or four dollars, eighty-six cents and two-thirds of a cent, Currency....
* * * * *
IX. And be it enacted, That ... the Gold Eagle of the United States, coined after [1st. July, 1834], ... and weighing ten penny weights, eighteen grains, Troy weight, shall pass current and be a legal tender in this Province for ten Dollars or two pounds ten shillings currency....
Further supplies of the 10d. stamp were not needed for three years, the next lot, numbering 72,120, having been delivered during the year ending 30th Sept., 1858, according to the table of stamp statistics. These two lots were the only ones delivered, and the balance on hand when the decimal stamps appeared being 31,200, we find a total issue for the 10d. stamp of 141,000.
Puzzling questions seem to be the rule with this first series of Canadian stamps, and the 10d. is no exception. The stamp occurs, to all appearances, in at least two sizes, one of which has been termed the "wide oval" and the other the "narrow oval." These are well brought out by illustrations Nos. 70 (wide) and 71 (narrow) on [Plate IV]. Very likely the peculiarity was noticed much earlier, but it seems to have been brought to the attention of collectors generally for the first time by Mr. W. H. Brouse, in a paper read before the London Philatelic Society on Feb. 3, 1894.[38] We quote this entire:—
"I have carefully read such Philatelic articles or publications relating to British North American stamps as have come under my notice, but have as yet not come across anything relating to the difference in Canadians that is to be found in the 7½d. Canadian currency (6d. sterling), green, and the 10d., blue, and so concluded that it may have passed my observation, or, if not, has not yet been 'written up.' Will you therefore pardon a short note on the subject?
"Of the 10d., blue, there are three distinct varieties in design, viz.,
- First (a) the long and narrow;
- Second (b) the long and broad: and
- Third (c) the short and broad.
"The outside edges or ornaments are in all three cases the same, but the difference lies in the fact of the oval or frame around the head having been, as the case may be, elongated or contracted, or sometimes widened out.
"The extreme variation in length is about one-sixteenth of an inch, which is considerable in a postage stamp. I doubt very much if this happened through intention, but rather think that it is the result of what might be termed 'engravers' license.' However, whatever it may be, the result is that there are three distinct varieties.
"It will, I think, be found that the earlier one of these is the long and narrow, on thinnish paper; then the long and broad (which is the most common), on thicker paper; and lastly, the short and broad, on medium paper. The latter is the scarcer, and consequently the most valuable.
"I have for a long time known of the above differences, and at first thought it only an optical delusion, owing to some of the copies having had their sides closely trimmed, but on closer observation the distinct differences, as I have mentioned, were manifest. What is said of the 10d. may also be said of the 7½d. (but to a lesser degree of variation), only the latter are generally found in the long and broad frame or oval. A slight difference also occurs in the 6d., violet; no variation appears in the length of the stamp, though I have two specimens in which the oval or frame shows a contraction in width to the extent of about one-forty-eighth of an inch, and is quite noticeable.
"This may be 'piper's news' to some of the members of the Philatelic Society, London, but to others it may be of interest, and for that reason I beg your indulgence."
Mr. Castle, in reading the foregoing paper at the meeting of the London Philatelic Society, shewed specimens of the stamps described by Mr. Brouse, and added a few remarks as under.
"I venture to think the modest disclaimer on the part of Mr. Brouse, in his closing sentence, is hardly borne out in view of the interesting communication he has made. To me the information was certainly novel, and I could hardly credit that there should exist such differences in size until I had verified the fact by examination of specimens. Owing to the kindness of Messrs. Stanley Gibbons, Limited, and Mr. W. H. Peckitt, I was enabled to inspect a number of these pence issues, and I have tabulated the measurements as nearly as I can:—
| HALFPENNY. | |
| Size. | Paper. |
|---|---|
| (a) 22 × 18½ mm. | Medium thick |
| (b) 22½ × 18 mm. | Medium thick |
| THREEPENCE. | |
| (a) 22 (full) × 18 mm. | Very thin wove |
| (a) 22 × 18mm. | Very thin laid |
| (b) 22½ × 17½ mm. | Thin |
| (c) 22¾ × 17½ mm. | Thick |
| SIXPENCE. | |
| (a) 22 × 18 mm. | Thin wove |
| (a) 22 × 18 mm. | Thin Laid |
| (b) 22¾ × 17¾ mm. | Thick |
| SEVENPENCE-HALFPENNY. | |
| (a) 22¼ × 18½ mm. (bare) | Med. thick |
| (a) 22½ × 18½ mm. | Medium thick |
| (a) 22¾ × 18 mm. | Medium thick |
| (a) 22¾ × 18½ mm. | Medium thick |
| TENPENCE. | |
| (a) 22¾ × 17½ mm. | Thin to very thin |
| (b) 22½ × 18 mm. (full) | Thick |
| (b) 22¾ × 18½ mm. (bare) | Thick |
| (c) 22 × 18 mm. | Thin |
"The varieties of the Tenpence are those described by Mr. Brouse as (a) long and narrow, (b) long and broad, and (c) short and broad. I may add that in the case of this value I have examined and measured some forty copies, including a strip of three, as also a proof on very thin India paper, which corresponds exactly in measurement with variety (b) on the thick paper (22¾ × 18½mm.). It is obvious that to be absolutely accurate beyond a half mm. with an ordinary gauge is hardly possible, but in several of the given cases I have averaged the sizes of several that very closely approximated.
"As will be seen, I have gone somewhat beyond the lines of Mr. Brouse's paper in including the ½d., the 3d., and 6d., the variation in the former being slight, but in the two latter noteworthy. The question how these varieties have arisen is an interesting one, nor can I see that they can be accounted for by shrinkage of the paper, as in the case of the 10d. proof above cited, which is on all fours with the ordinary stamp on thick paper. In the case of the strip of this value I found all three stamps measured the same, and the fact remains that variety (c) is short and broad. In any case the existence of these varieties is palpable, the question of their origin a genuine philatelic problem, and I think that the thanks of us all are therefore due to Mr. Brouse for his interesting paper."
This may have been the first record of the peculiarity in the case of the Canadian stamps, but it was at least not the first time that variation in the dimensions of certain line engraved stamps, supposed to have been produced from the same original die, had been noted and discussed. We refer to the case of the early Ceylon stamps, which furnished food for contention in the philatelic press for many years. The first mention of a difference in the length of these seems to have been in December, 1864.[39] Ten years later the reference list of Ceylon prepared by the London Philatelic Society[40] noted the fact that the stamps of 1863 on unwatermarked paper were in general about a millimeter shorter in the vertical dimension than the succeeding issue on paper watermarked Crown C C, although the engraved designs were otherwise absolutely identical. Major Edw. B. Evans, in his catalogue,[41] appends a note on the unwatermarked stamps of 1863 as follows:—
These stamps are apparently (indeed, we may say certainly) from the same plates as the other issues, but at the same time the impressions on this paper are about 1-16 inch shorter than those on other papers. This can only have been occasioned by the paper having shrunk to some extent since the stamps were printed....
Later, in 1887, Mr. T. K. Tapling, writing in Le Timbre-Poste,[42] claims the difference cannot be due to shrinkage of paper because the stamps have all shrunk evenly, and attributes it to some defect in the process of making the plates. He reasons thus:—
Les timbres sur les feuilles de n'importe quelle valeur étaient tous identiques comme type. Ils furent gravés sur acier, je pense par MM. Perkins Bacon et Co., chaque timbre par un procédé de réduplication, étant reproduit d'une matrice; la planche étant ensuite durcie pour l'impression. Il n'y a par conséquent pas de variété de types, les lignes des gravures sur les timbres courts étant les mêmes que celles sur les timbres longs, excepté qu'elles sont un tant soit peu contractées.... Il me semble plus que probable que la différence en longeur des exemplaires puisse être attribuée à un léger défaut dans le procédé de réduplication des planches de la matrice originale.
As a matter of fact the stamps did not shrink evenly, but very unevenly. Mr. W. B. Thornhill, writing on these same stamps in 1889,[43] says:—"You can hardly find two stamps of exactly the same measurements in the same value, though the difference in many cases is too small to signify"; and he proceeds to show the extreme variations in a carefully prepared table including every value on every variety of paper for issues from 1855 to 1867. The greatest variation in the vertical dimension seems to be about 1 mm. in 26 mm., or roughly 4%, and in the horizontal dimension about ¼ to ½ mm. in 19 mm. or roughly 1¼ to 2½%. These dimensional differences being so palpably existent, therefore, what factors are we to consider in looking for their cause? There seem to be but three: first, an original die or matrix for each different size; second, one original die only, whose impressions on the printing plate show variations resulting from the process of transferring them; third, a printing plate with all the impressions exact duplicates of the one original die, but whose reproductions in ink on dampened paper are varied by the shrinkage of the paper in drying.
Mr. Thornhill convinces himself by inspection that the first proposition is untenable; in fact its absurdity is at once apparent on a little thought, for the engraving of the original die is a laborious and costly piece of work, and that very fact, coupled with the comparative ease of exact reduplication by mechanical processes on the printing plate, furnishes the chief reason for the employment of this method of producing stamps. Since there is such
a variety in the size of the stamps, therefore, the first theory would indicate many original dies, and this we know was not the case. Its refutation indeed is seen in the stamps themselves; for each original die, if differing in size from its fellows, meant a separate engraving, and it is humanly impossible to make these separate engravings exact duplicates, whereas, on the other hand, no appreciable variation in line or dot can be detected on the same stamp in its different sizes save the general expansion or contraction of the design, which is proportionate in all its parts. The different die or matrix theory is therefore thrown out on grounds of impracticability and absurdity.
Accepting the one original die proposition, then, Mr. Thornhill agrees with Mr. Tapling in turning down the shrinkage of paper theory and favoring the second supposition, that the variation comes on the plates and is due to the process of transference. Let us glance at this a moment. The original die is engraved on a block of soft steel of very fine and even quality. When finished it is tempered to a very great degree of hardness. Next the engraving is transferred by tremendous pressure to a transferring roller of similar soft steel, which is in turn hardened. In this process there might be an opportunity for a slight variation in the size of the transferred impression, due to the expansion and contraction of the steel in the tempering process. Next, this hardened transfer roller is impressed upon the printing plate of soft steel as many times as there are copies desired. These naturally all agree among themselves and with the transfer roller impression in size. Now when the printing plate in turn receives its hardening, there may again be a chance for a slight difference between the transfer roller and the plate impressions; but it is wholly unlikely that the plate impressions will vary much among themselves, otherwise the perfection of Mr. Jacob Perkins' invention, the chief merit of which was exact reduplication, would be impaired. As a matter of fact, the high grade and even quality of the steel necessarily employed, and the care naturally taken in hardening the plate, preclude any other than an even variation, if any, due to the tempering process. This means that such variations would be practically constant over the printing surface of the plate, and that therefore the impressions would still remain practically identical in size.
Where, then, does this bring us? With such numerous and well defined variations in dimensions in the printed stamps, we should look for the cause in the simplest and most natural method by which they could readily be pro
duced, which is furnished by the third theory presented. Concerning this we quote from the London Philatelic Society's work on Ceylon:[44]—
In reference to the variations in the size of the stamps of Issues III and V [no watermark and Crown CC], Major Evans, who was the first to propound the theory that these variations were due to differences in the nature of the paper employed, writes as follows:—
"The theory of the expansion and contraction of the paper being now pretty generally accepted, as accounting for the variations observed in the size of the stamps of the early issues of Ceylon, it seems necessary to explain exactly what that theory is, and how these differences are supposed to arise. Previous to printing from plates engraved in taille-douce the paper is wetted, which, as is well known, causes it to expand; the amount of expansion varies, no doubt, considerably in different kinds of paper, and it must also vary with the amount of moisture in the same kind of paper, for as the paper dries it returns to its original dimensions, and, therefore, up to a certain point, the wetter it is the greater will be the expansion. In any case the paper is in a state of expansion at the time of printing, both from being wetted and from being stretched out flat and pressed, and the impression when first printed is then, and then only, in all cases the size of the engraving upon the plate. It then dries, and in so doing contracts, and the greater the amount of expansion the greater will be the amount of the subsequent contraction, so that the smallest stamps are those printed on the paper which expanded most, and the largest those on the paper which expanded least. The minor variations of size may be due to the paper being more or less damp when used, but probably a very slight difference in the thickness or density of the paper would cause some variation in its expansion. The marked difference in size of the stamps on thin, unwatermarked paper, which were the first to attract the attention of Philatelists, is no doubt due to that particular variety of paper, which is very tough and elastic, and which has been found to expand very greatly on being wetted and stretched."
So much for the Ceylon stamps, which we have discussed in extenso; but we have only to substitute in every case a reference to the first Canadian issues, particularly the 10d. which we started out with, to make the discussion apply with equal force in this case as in the other. The question is the same—the variations occur in the same way, the method of engraving and reproduction is the same, and the varieties in the paper are very similar.
Major Evans, in a reply to Mr. Thornhill's paper,[45] states that he tried some experiments in wetting a thin, tough note paper, and found an expansion of three per cent., while by stretching it he increased the expansion to eight per cent, without difficulty! Yet the greatest variation in Mr. Thornhill's table was only four per cent. Major Evans then tried some of the 1863
Newfoundland stamps, which he judged were on paper of almost the same nature as that of the unwatermarked Ceylons of the same year, and they gave precisely similar results.
Mr. Frank C. Young, who was in the printing business, also tells of similar experiments which he carried still further.[46]
Having provided some twenty-five sheets of paper of different qualities and thicknesses, each was cut into sixteen pieces. Selecting a common half tone cut which measured exactly 100 × 69 mm. and dampening the sheets of paper to different degrees of wetness I proceeded to impress the cut on each sheet, using a common roller proof press. After the printed sheets had been allowed to dry it became a matter of a good millimeter gauge and careful measurements of the printed impressions, not the paper.
... Hardly two sheets of the whole lot were identical in size, nor was I able to formulate any table as to how much or how little or which way of the paper shrinkage would occur. The only general rule which seemed to come out clearly was that thin paper would invariably shrink more than thick. In many of the sheets the difference was barely noticeable, while, on the other hand, such measurements as 96 × 68, 97 × 68½, 99 × 67½, 98 × 68 mm. were fairly common, and one sheet, after several very careful measurements, was undeniably 95½ × 69 mm., thus showing a shrinkage of 4½ per cent, one way and none at all the other. This was very thin laid linen paper.
Contrary to all expectations, more than one impression measured more than either the cut or those printed on dry paper, one on thin wove paper being fully 101 mm. long.
Looking back now at Mr. Castle's tables,[47] we find his greatest variations in length amount to ¾ mm. in 22 mm., or roughly 3½%, and in width 1 mm. in 18 mm., or roughly 5½%—results entirely within bounds according to Major Evans' and Mr. Young's experiments, and doubtless settling once and for all the reason of the "three distinct varieties in design" of Mr. Brouse.
As for the paper actually used for the printing of the 10d. stamp, we find it a hard, white wove variety varying very much in thickness from a very thin, almost pelure quality, through which the design is quite plainly evident, to a medium and finally a considerably thicker quality. The pelure paper seems naturally to be the one on which the greatest variation in dimensions occurs, the long and broad size of the stamp coming principally on the thicker paper,[48] which is supposed to shrink the least upon drying and therefore keeps the printed impression nearest the size of the plate impression. The long and narrow impression, being the commoner variation, was prob
ably due to the paper being fed to the press the same way of the "grain" as a rule, while the short and broad variation, which is much scarcer, occurred by an occasional sheet of paper being fed the other way of the "grain." That paper has a "grain" is readily proved by tearing a piece in one direction and then tearing it at right angles to the first tear; one will be found much easier of accomplishment generally than the other, and this "grain" doubtless has its due effect in the amount of shrinkage in one way or the other upon drying a dampened sheet.
One further variety we have to record in the 10d. stamp, this being a "shifted transfer" variety similar to that occurring in the 3d. value. In this case we find the letters A D A and S of "Canada Postage," and P E N of "Pence" showing a distinct doubling at the bottom, the transfer roller evidently having been set a little too high at first and a very slight impression made on the plate. The stamp has not been seen in a pair to prove its character absolutely, but it bears all the ear-marks of being a proper plate variety and not due to a careless impression when printing.
To continue again with the Postmaster General's reports. We find in that for 31st March, 1856, a note to the effect that the postage on letters to France had been once more reduced, this time to 10d. currency per ¼ oz., which gave further employment to the new 10d. stamp. There is also some information concerning the registry system, but this will be treated later under that head. One item is found in the accounts to interest us:—
Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson, for printing 300,000 postage stamps for Post Office Department £15.2.3.
As only 3d. stamps were received during the year, this of course refers to that value, and the price charged is found to be practically one shilling, currency, per thousand, or twenty cents American money.
In June of 1857 the Canadian Parliament made further changes in the newspaper rates, etc., according to the following Act:—
20o Vict. Cap. XXV.
An Act to Amend the Post-Office Laws of this Province.
[Assented to 10th June 1857.]
Whereas it is expedient to amend the Post-Office Laws, in the manner hereafter provided: Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Assembly of Canada enacts as follows:
I. [Repeals sections I and V of 18o Vict. Cap. 79.][49]
II. Newspapers printed and published within this Province and addressed from the Office of Publication, shall be transmitted from the Post-Office where mailed to any other Post-Office in Canada, or to the United Kingdom, or to any British Colony or Possession, or to France, free of Canadian Postage.
III. Newspapers printed and published in the United Kingdom, or in any British Colony or Possession, or in France, when received in mails addressed to this Province, and directed to any place in Canada, shall pass through the Post and be delivered at the Post-Office addressed, free of Canadian postage.
IV. For the purposes of this Act, the word "newspapers" shall be held to mean periodicals published not less frequently than once in each week, and containing notices of passing events, or any such newspaper published fortnightly or monthly at the time of the passage of this Act.
V. Periodicals printed and published in this Province other than newspapers, when specially devoted to Religious and to General Education, to Agriculture or Temperance, or to any branch of Science, and addressed directly from the Office of Publication, shall be transmitted from the Post-Office where mailed to any other Post-Office in this Province free of postage.
VI. Letters and other mailable matter addressed to or sent by the Speaker or Chief Clerk of the Legislative Council or of the Legislative Assembly, or to or by any Member of the Legislature at the seat of Government, during any session of the Legislature, or addressed to any of the Members or Officers in this section mentioned, at the seat of Government as aforesaid, during the ten days next before the meeting of Parliament, shall be free of postage.
VII. So much of the twelfth section of the Post-Office Act, passed in the session held in the 14th and 15th years of Her Majesty's Reign and chaptered 71, as requires the Postmaster General to make to the Governor General of this Province, annually, certain Reports for the purpose of being laid before the Provincial Parliament at each Session thereof, for the year ending the fifth day of April previous to such Session, is hereby repealed; and it shall, hereafter, be the duty of the Postmaster General to furnish such Reports annually so that they may be laid before the Provincial Parliament within ten days after the assembling thereof, and such Annual Reports shall be made up to the thirtieth day of September previous to each Session.
* * * * *
X. This Act shall take effect on and from the first day of August next.
Although the enactment clause made the above Act operative on 1st August, 1857, because of which we should not expect it to affect the Postmaster General's report for the year ending 31st March, 1857, yet we find
this report dated 30th September, 1857, thus including the year and a half from 1st April, 1856. Among other items of interest in this report we find the following:—
There is very material economy of labor to the Department in dealing with letters pre-paid by stamp as compared with letters on which the postage is collected in money, as well as a manifest gain to the public, in the increased facilities which pre-payment by stamp enables the Post Office to afford for posting and delivering letters so pre-paid.
It is gratifying, therefore, to observe that the use of stamps is gradually gaining ground, encouraging as it does the hope that it may be found practicable and expedient ere long to make prepayment by stamp the prevailing rule in Canada, as it has for some time been in the United Kingdom, in France, and in the United States.
A reduction in the charge of Book Post Packets, when not exceeding 4 oz., in weight between Canada and the United Kingdom, of one half the former rate has been made.
To facilitate the pre-payment of letters passing from Canada to England by the Canadian steamers, a new stamp bearing value at 6 pence sterling, or 7½ pence currency, being the Canadian Packet rate, has been secured and put in circulation.
A new stamp has also been introduced of the value of one halfpenny to serve as the medium for prepaying transient Newspapers.
The above is the only reference we have to the issue of the 7½d. stamp. The accounts for the fiscal year ending 30th September, 1857, contain the following item:—
"Rawdon, Wright and Co., Postage Stamps, £165.9.6"
which must include the cost of dies and plates for the two new values. There is no record of the date of issue of the 7½d. stamp, as far as our research has gone. The London Society's work[50] gives it as June 2, 1857, but upon what authority is not stated. It will be recalled that a stamp of this value was suggested, in company with the 10d., in the Postmaster General's report for 31st March, 1854, as being the reduced rate granted in that same month on letters sent "direct from a Provincial Port, Quebec or Halifax," to England. The Halifax Philatelist states:[51]—"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." It hardly seems to have been very "necessary" when it took three years at least to bring the Postmaster General's suggestion to
a realization. Besides, the Allan Line steamers began their service over a year before the appearance of the stamp, and the rate it represented had even then been in force for two years, nor was it reduced for many years thereafter.
The Postmaster General's Report for 1856 says:—
The month of May, 1856, was marked by the first voyage to the St. Lawrence of the line of Canadian Mail Steamers, under the contract between Mr. Hugh Allan of Montreal, and the Provincial Government. These vessels have performed the service for which they were bound, with laudable punctuality, and have crossed the Atlantic at an average speed which compares successfully with the performances of the steamers of the Cunard and Collins lines from New York and Boston.
The average time of passage is given as—Westward, 12 days, 20½ hours; Eastward, 11 days, 2 hours.
The design of the stamp was simply adapted from that of the discarded 12d. stamp, as will readily be seen from the illustration (No. 5 on [Plate I]). The inscriptions were changed to CANADA PACKET POSTAGE, which of course referred to the fast mail steamers then known as "packets," and not to any "parcel post" as is sometimes erroneously stated; and SIX PENCE STERLING, a new departure in labeling a Canadian stamp. Like the 10d. that preceded it, however, the corresponding values were inserted in the spandrels, "6d. stg." in the left hand pair and "7½d. cy." in the right hand pair. The stamp is generally listed under its "currency" value to conform with the rest of the set and avoid confusion with the regular "six pence" stamp. The normal color of the stamp is a dark green.
The 7½d. stamp is known to have been arranged on the plate for printing sheets of 120 stamps, ten rows of twelve stamps each, this being to facilitate the reckoning in English money. The eight marginal imprints appeared as on the other values. There was but one supply received, on the first order, of 100,080 stamps which, if we divide by 120, gives an even 834 sheets. Now, if we but glance back at the first supply received of the 10d. stamp[52] we find exactly the same number, evenly divisible by 120 but not by 100. The second supply of the 10d. stamp works out in exactly the same way,—72,120 makes an even 601 sheets at 120 per sheet. Is it not probable to suppose, therefore, in the absence of entire sheets or horizontal
rows of the 10d. stamp, that the latter was also printed in sheets of 120, as previously suggested, instead of sheets of 100 as stated in Mr. King's article?[53]
When the issue of the decimal stamps took place, on July 1, 1859, there were 17,670 of the 7½d. stamps on hand, so that the total issue of this value was 82,410 copies.
As will be gathered from Mr. Brouse's paper, which we quoted in connection with the 10d. stamp, a similar variation in the width of the oval is to be found in the case of the 7½d. stamp, but the extremes are not so great and it is therefore not so noticeable. A glance at the table of measurements[54] will show that the variation in width is confined to a half millimeter and that in height to practically the same amount. Of course the discussion and conclusions detailed at length under the 10d. stamp apply with equal force in the present instance, and the fact that the 7½d. stamp is not found on the very thin paper probably accounts for the lack of extreme variations. It was printed upon paper of the same kind as used for the 10d., but only on the medium and thicker qualities. A pair of the stamps in juxtaposition, showing the wide oval and the narrow oval, will be found as numbers 67 and 68 respectively on [Plate IV].
The last—and also least—of the pence issues was the half-penny stamp. There had been a need for this value since the introduction of stamps, for there were several rates that were impossible to make up with the denominations that were issued and which therefore had to be paid in money. Among these were the ½d. charge on newspapers from 1851 to 1855, the same charge per ounce on magazines and books during the entire period, the ½d. and 1d. carrier's fees, the 1d. rate on circulars and on soldier's letters, and the several 7½d. rates for letters and for the book post with England. But the Act last quoted,[55] which restored a charge on transient newspapers, seems to have been the direct cause of the belated issue of the half-penny stamp. The circular announcing its issue is as follows:[56]—
POSTAGE ON NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS.
Post Office Department,
Toronto, 18th July, 1857.
Under the Post Office Law of last Session, taking effect from 1st. August, 1857, Newspapers printed and published in Canada, and
mailed direct from Office of Publication, will pass free of Canadian Postage.
Periodicals so printed, published, and mailed when specially devoted to Religious and to General Education, to Agriculture, or Temperance, or to any branch of Science, will pass free from any one Post-Office to another within the Province.
Transient and re-mailed Papers and Periodicals will pass by Post if pre-paid by Postage stamp—one halfpenny on each Newspaper, and on each Periodical, one halfpenny, if not exceeding 3 oz., in weight, and 2d. if over 3 oz.
Postage Stamps of the value of one halfpenny each will be sold to the public at all the principal Post Offices (including all Money Order Offices), with a discount of 5 per cent upon purchases of not less than twenty stamps, and will be available in prepayment of Newspapers and Periodicals, and of Drop and Town Letters.
R. SPENCE, Postmaster-General.
The London Society's work gives the date of issue of the ½d. value as 18th July, 1857, and it is clearly seen from the preceding notice where the date was obtained. But it is more likely that the stamp was issued on 1st. August, the day the new rates took effect.
The new stamp was very plain, as will be seen from the illustration, No. 4 on [Plate I]. The profile head of Queen Victoria was quite evidently taken from the head on the British penny stamp. The usual inscription, CANADA POSTAGE, occupies the upper part of the oval frame, and ONE HALF PENNY the lower part, but the value is not expressed by numerals in the corners, as on all the other stamps of the issue, the spandrels being merely filled in with a reticulated pattern. The stamp was printed in sheets of 100, ten rows of ten, with the eight marginal imprints as described for the series of 1851.
The tables of statistics in the Postmaster General's reports give the number of ½d. stamps received previous to 1st. October, 1857, as 1,341,600; during the next fiscal year 1,258,920 were received; and between 1st. October, 1858 and 30th June, 1859, when they were superseded, 850,100 more arrived, making a total stock of 3,450,620. The balance on hand when the decimal series was issued was 60,660, which makes the total issue of the ½d. stamp 3,389,960.
The normal color of the stamp is a deep rose. It is found printed on a soft ribbed paper, with the ribbing both horizontal and vertical, as well as on the ordinary hard white wove paper of this issue in both the thin and thicker qualities.
The London Society's work has the following remarks:[57]—
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.
We find that the original chronicle of these varieties was in Le Timbre-Poste in 1869. Concerning them M. Moens writes as follows:—
Un de nos correspondants nous annonce qu'il possède un timbre rose ½ penny, surchargé de la marque: 8 d. stg. Cette émission, provisoire sans doute, doit être le résultat de la penurie momentanée de timbres 10 pence, dans un ou plusieurs bureaux secondaires.[58]
And in the next issue of the paper:—
On nous a montré le ½ p. rose, non dentélé, surchargé en noir, du chiffre 1, de 20 mm. environ et placé dans le sens horizontal. C'est probablement encore un timbre émis provisoirement, pour une raison qui nous échappe, le 1 penny n'ayant jamais existé. Quant au timbre dont nous avons parlé le mois dernier, le chiffre 8 et la lettre S ont pour dimension 16 mm.[59]
We think all idea of a "surcharge" can be at once dismissed, as the raising of the value, particularly to 8d., would be a very foolish and doubtless wholly unnecessary proceeding, and certainly some record of such procedure would have been found ere this. The impressions were probably from rating stamps that were accidentally struck on the postage stamps, or possibly used purposely as cancellations.
The report of the Postmaster General for the 30th Sept. 1858, notes the fact that previous to 1854 all newspapers were rated at ½d. each, but in that year were granted free transmission. Concerning the new regulations it continues:—
In pursuance of the Act of 1857, limiting free transmission to such as are posted directly from the office of publication, a halfpenny rate, pre-payable by postage stamps, has been taken since 1st. August, 1857 on all transient newspapers—that is, papers posted by individuals other than the Publishers.
The same report states:—"The Department has, from 1st. January, 1859, put in operation an arrangement for the conveyance of Parcel Packets between any two Post Offices in Canada with the ordinary mails." The charge was fixed at 1s. 3d. per pound with a maximum weight of two pounds, and prepayment was enforced.
In the Department accounts we find the following:—
| Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Co., Supply of letter and newspaper stamps | £99.6.6 |
which was simply a printing bill. The last payment for the pence issue of stamps appears in the report for 30th Sept., 1859, and is for the deliveries during the nine months from 30th. Sept. 1858 to 30th June, 1859, when the pence stamps were retired. The charge is given in decimal currency:—
| Rawdon, Wright & Co., supply of letter and newspaper stamps | $238.69 |
The report for 1858 gives an interesting table showing the growth of the postal business by decades for the thirty years previous. The remarkable increase during the last period, within which the Province assumed control and the use of stamps was introduced, is to be noted:—
| Year | Number of P. Offices | Miles of P. Routes | Gross Postage | Letters Annually | Newspapers Annually |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1828 | 101 | 2,368 | £15,000 | 340,000 | 400,000 |
| 1838 | 380 | 5,486 | 35,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,250,000 |
| 1848 | 539 | 6,985 | 65,000 | 2,000,000 | 3,000,000 |
| 1858 | 1,566 | 13,600 | 151,000 | 9,800,000 | 13,500,000 |
The year 1859 brings us to the end of the pence issues, but before leaving them there is still one more question to consider, that of the perforated varieties, which will form the subject of the next chapter.
[33] 14o & 15o Vict., cap. LXXI, sec. 12.
[34] This is explained in the report for 1853 as being "a clerical error for 71,726."
[35] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83.
[36] Monthly Journal, VII: 9.
[37] Philatelic Record, X: 50.
[38] London Philatelist, III: 34.
[39] The Stamp Collectors' Magazine, II: 191.
[40] The Philatelist, IX: 10.
[41] A Catalogue for Collectors, page 39.
[42] Le Timbre-Poste, Numéro Jubilaire, page XXXV.
[43] Philatelic Record, XI: 71.
[44] Postage Stamps, &c., of British India and Ceylon, page 69.
[45] Philatelic Record, XI: 158.
[46] Canada Stamp Sheet, IV: 173.
[50] The Postage Stamps, etc., of the North American Colonies of Great Britain, page 14.
[51] Halifax Philatelist, II: 74.
[53] Monthly Journal, VII: 8.
[56] Canada Stamp Sheet, IV: 184.
[57] The Stamps, etc., of the North American Colonies of Great Britain, page 14.
[58] Le Timbre-Poste, VII: 82.
[59] ibid. VII: 94.
CHAPTER IV
THE PERFORATED PENCE ISSUES
The perforated series of the pence issues of Canada furnishes another one of those knotty problems for which these stamps are noted. The first intimation of the improvement that was announced officially appears in the Report of the Postmaster General for 30th September, 1857, in these words:—
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 lines, in the manner adopted in England, to facilitate the separation of a single stamp from the others on a sheet when required for use.
One would naturally suppose that the stamps would be ordered in this condition from the manufacturers, and we think they were; but no further light is thrown upon the matter by the Reports, and other facts that persist in intruding themselves have given rise to a theory that the Department either bought perforating machines of its own and operated upon the stock on hand, or engaged some local concern to perforate the stock in question. This might have been done, but if so why were the 7½ and 10 pence stamps omitted? Again, had such been the case, it is passing strange that the ½ penny, issued unperforated but two months before the date of the report, should be approximately twice as common in that state as perforated. In the case of the 3d., taking stock on hand the 30th September, 1857, and subsequent deliveries, two-fifths of the entire issue should have been perforated, which would make the latter stamps almost as common as the earlier issues; while in the case of the 6d., under similar conditions, almost the same ratio holds, the figures being a trifle more in favor of the perforated series. This does not conform with facts at all, and it can hardly be explained by supposing that a relatively small stock of but three values was operated upon in 1857 and the improvement then dropped for a couple of years.
For further proof of the incorrectness of this theory we think the following fact speaks for itself. Appended to each Postmaster General's Report are various tables of expenditures. One of these statements is headed:
"Sums paid in discharge of Tradesmen's Bills," and in it are found the amounts paid to various parties named for all kinds of supplies furnished the Department. This is where the payments to the engravers of the stamps appear, as well as items for cancelling stamps, post-marks, etc. Now a careful examination of all items for the years 1857, 1858 and 1859 fails to disclose any payment either for purchase of a perforating machine or for having the stamps perforated by outside parties. This may be "negative evidence" but we feel that it has its due weight.
Nevertheless, we find at least two other perforations on stamps of this issue besides the regulation gauge 12, which has made it appear to some that the Department might have experimented with means of separation before settling definitely on the type adopted. The stamp operated upon was the 3d., probably as being the most commonly employed value, which would naturally be the case were the perforations the efforts of private parties. The first "irregular" perforation was listed by Major Evans[60] as gauging 13, and the London Society's work lists it as well, probably following the earlier catalog. But Messrs. Corwin and King state:[61]—"This perforation is totally unknown in America, and we doubt its existence." Neither the Pack nor the Worthington collection contains a copy and we think it can be passed by.
The next perforation is of gauge 14, and this is well known though of extreme rarity. Messrs. Corwin and King did not know of over twenty specimens in 1891. We are fortunate in being able to illustrate a fine used pair on piece of cover from the Pack collection as No. 128 on [Plate XIII]. Most unfortunately, however, as will be noted, some vandal cut the cover, though perhaps unwittingly, just so as to destroy most of the postmark and thus lose forever the date and place of mailing. Messrs. Corwin and King state:[62]—
We have lately seen a pair of 3d. perf. 14, upon the original cover, but which, unfortunately, presents a most indistinct dating stamp, and, although endorsed by the recipient with date of writing, May 30, date of receipt and date of reply, all three year dates are so indistinctly written that one is unable to tell whether it is 1857 or 1859, although we think the former was the date. Should this be the case it would seem as though the perf. 14 and another curious perforation just discovered ... were experimental, or provisional, pending the receipt from the makers of those perf. 12. Most of the few stamps perf. 14 which we have seen, appear cut on one or more
sides with the shears, as though the users were not familiar with the advantages of perforation as a means of separating the stamps, and adhering in a measure to the old methods. This is one of the reasons which lead us to believe that these stamps, perf. 14, were issued before those perf. 12, because the latter are almost invariably separated by tearing apart as is proper.... The writer has in his collection seven copies of the 3d. perf. 14, and of these four specimens show double perforation on one or more sides. It is a rare occurrence when a double perforation is found upon any of the stamps so treated by the American Bank Note Co. or their predecessors, and when we find four out of seven specimens in that condition, we are justified in stating that these stamps, gauging 14, were never perforated by the makers.
In another part of the article just quoted is the following:[63]—
The American Bank Note Co. and Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson, their predecessors, have never, according to official information from them, employed any other gauge than 12, in fact they call 12 their standard and only perforation. Allowing that they did perforate the ones found perf. 12 (which are the rule, while those perf. 14 are the exception), then those perf. 14 must have been certainly operated upon elsewhere than in the shops of the Bank Note Co., where this perforation is unknown.
From all the foregoing we can seem to make but one deduction for the 3d. perforated 14 and that is—unofficial. The dated cover, if 1859, would be but a month before the issue of the decimal stamps, and the regular "perf. 12" stamps were plentifully supplied at that time. It would therefore seem that the date must have been 1857, as suggested, which would have been well ahead of the appearance of the "perf. 12" issues as we shall see later. Then the fact that the manufacturers cannot be held responsible for this perforation, and the Department accounts furnish no item of expenditure directly traceable to such work, make it seem wholly probable that it was done by private parties for their own or customers' convenience.
The "curious perforation" alluded to as just discovered was announced by the Scott Stamp & Coin Co. as follows:[64]—
Canada.—In a large lot of pence issues purchased by us lately, we have found two copies of 3 pence on grayish wove paper perforated 13 with oblique parallel cuts. This seems to confirm the theory that the pence issues of Canada were not perforated by the manufacturers, but either by the Canadian Government or by some persons authorized by them, who most likely experimented with different perforating machines, finally selecting the one perforating 12.
With regard to the deductions given, we think that what we have already presented concerning the unofficial character of the gauge 14 perforation applies with even more force in the present instance, and we unhesitatingly put these two curios in the "privately perforated" class.
Messrs. Corwin and King give further details as follows:[65]—
As one of them has passed into the possession of the writer, we are able to particularize somewhat with reference to this particular perforation.... Our specimen is from the bottom of the sheet, or else the shears have been used, so that we find the perforation as it originally existed between each stamp, before separation. This perforation consists of oblique curved parallel cuts; they are not straight, but show a very decided curve from right to left, looking at the face of the stamp. The other sides of our specimen present, having been torn from the stamp on either side, a very well defined saw-tooth perforation, very much like that found on the Bremen stamps, but much coarser, clearly gauging 13. It occurs to us that, perhaps, this is the 13 perforation listed by the London Society, although, had a specimen been before the society when the reference list was compiled, the peculiarity of this style of perforation would surely have been noted by them.
To return to the general subject, Mr. Donald A. King in his own article says:[66]—
It is an open question whether these stamps were delivered to the Canadian Post Office Department in a perforated condition or not. The manufacturers are wholly unable to throw any light on the subject; and while there is much to be said in favor of their having perforated the stamps, there are points against it almost as strong. In favor of it there is the fact that, at the date that these stamps were issued, it was more than probable that a firm like the manufacturers would have perforating machines. The normal gauge of the perforated set is 12, that being the only size of perforation ever used by the manufacturers, or their successors, the American Bank Note Company; indeed, they call 12 their standard and only gauge.
The stamps in issue from the time of the announcement of perforation in the Report of 1857, to the appearance of the decimal stamps in 1859, were the ½d., 3d., 6d., 7½d., and 10d. values, but only the first three appeared with perforations. The first supply of the 10d. stamp, as we know, was received in January 1855, and was naturally unperforated. The first and
only supply of the 7½d. stamp was received probably in the second quarter of 1857, and these were all unperforated. The first supply of the ½d. stamp was doubtless delivered about midsummer of 1857, and these were evidently all unperforated. The other supplies received in the fiscal year of 1857 were 300,000 of the 3d. in September 1856, and the same number again in March 1857, together with the 50,078 of the 6d.[67] Evidently these were still in the unperforated class, as they were delivered before either the 7½d. or ½d. supplies. We must therefore look to the supplies delivered after the 30th September, 1857, as a basis for reckoning up the perforated series. The values and quantities given in the stamp accounts (already quoted) are as follows:—
| ½d. | 3d. | 6d. | 10d. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec'd, yr. ending 30th Sept. 1858 | 1,258,920 | 900,000 | 100,000 | 72,120 |
| Rec'd. half-yr. end'g 30th June, 1859 | 850,100 | 449,900 | 70,000 | |
| Total, | 2,109,020 | 1,349,900 | 170,000 | 72,120 |
| Balance on hand 30th June, 1859 (destroyed) | 60,660 | 21,700 | 17,578 | 31,200 |
| Issued | 2,048,360 | 1,328,200 | 152,422 | 40,920 |
The first thing that confronts us here is a second supply of the 10d. stamp in this supposed "perforated period," over half of which was issued for sale, and yet the 10d. stamp is practically unknown in a perforated condition! We say practically, because the London Society's work[68] 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." We think it is more than doubtful, as it is practically certain that neither value was ever issued in this condition. Messrs. Corwin and King state:[69]—"We agree with the Society in doubting the authenticity of the 7½d. and 10 pence, perforated, as these stamps, thus treated, have never been seen in America, nor can anything be ascertained from the makers of the Stamps or the Canadian Post Office Department concerning them." The last statement is hardly convincing, for neither party referred to can give any more information concerning the other three values that we know were issued. We can heartily
subscribe to the next remark, however:—"We have no hesitation in pronouncing them impostors."
The date usually assigned to the appearance of the perforated stamps is January 1858. The London Society gave simply "1857," which is apparently set down merely because they have just quoted the announcement from the Postmaster General's Report for that year. Evans and Moens, in their catalogs, both name the date as November 1858. Unfortunately no more authoritative statement has been found, except that in Messrs. Corwin and King's article[70] they say "Mr. Hooper positively states that it took place in January, 1858." Mr. John R. Hooper was at that time [1890] connected with the Canadian Post Office Department at Ottawa and took pains to look up much information for the above-mentioned gentlemen. His reasons for the "positive statement" are not given, and inasmuch as he is quoted elsewhere as saying that "the records of the Post Office Department are silent as to where this perforation was performed and by whom,"[71] and also seems a little uncertain in some other details, we feel that further confirmation is needed.
In our table above we have given the supplies received after the 30th September, 1857, and deducted the remainders so as to have the actual number issued. The 10d. has already proved a stumbling block, for it was not perforated at all! Next we find the 6d. to the number of 150,000, when the total issue, including the laid paper, was but 400,000; yet the catalog value of the imperforates is some $6 for each variety, and of the perforated stamp at least $30! Can anyone doubt that all these 150,000 6d. stamps were not perforated? In the case of the 3d. we have one and a third millions to compare with a total issue of three and a half millions—about a third in the supposed perforated class. Yet the catalog value of the latter is $2.50 against 36 cents for the wove paper imperforate alone. With the ½d. stamp there are two millions against a total of three and a third millions, or about two to one in favor of the supposed perforated stamps, yet the latter are double the catalog price of the former! The only conclusion to be drawn from these regularly appearing inconsistencies in each value is that all the supplies after 30th September, 1857 were not perforated, as the 10d. stamp very glaringly intimates!
If this be so, is it not possible that the order to perforate new supplies was given to the manufacturers much later than has hitherto been thought to
be the case? It hardly seems likely that this improvement would be ordered for a few supplies and then dropped, only to reappear a year and a half later as a permanent feature of the new set. Once adopted it was more than likely to be retained.
Let us see, then, just for curiosity's sake, what the supplies of the last six months of issue yield us for data. For the ½d. we find 850,000, roughly, with 60,000 remainders. Call it 800,000 issued which, if perforated, would be a quarter of the total issue of ½d. stamps, or a ratio to the imperforates of one to three. This is not so far away from the catalog ratio of two to one (inversely, of course) in the value of the perforated stamps. With the 3d. stamp we have 450,000, roughly, with 20,000 remainders, say 430,000 issued. Of a total issue of 3,500,000 this represents one-eighth, or a ratio of one to seven. The inverse ratio of seven to one for catalog value comes pretty close when we compare $2.50 with 36 cents! In the case of the 6d. there are 70,000 less 17,500 remainders, or 52,500. This is approximately one-eighth the total issue of 400,000, or again a ratio of one to seven. The inverse ratio of seven to one for a catalog value would make the perforated stamp list $42 with the imperforate at $6. But both laid and wove paper 6d. stamps list at approximately $6, whereas if all had been issued on but one variety of paper we might find perhaps a single list price of say $4. With this as a basis, the catalog value of $30 for the perforated 6d. is in as close agreement with our supposition as are the others. And, best of all, the second supply of the 10d. stamp is disposed of without any difficulty whatever under this hypothesis!
It may be argued that reasoning thus from catalog prices is too uncertain to prove of value. Granted in many cases. But here is an issue from fifty to sixty years old; the stamps were regularly used in increasing numbers during their years of issue; they have always been popular and eagerly collected, so that the stock in existence has been pretty well handled and pretty well distributed. Under these conditions the catalog prices should by this time reflect fairly accurately the relative rarity of the main varieties of each stamp at least; and it is this relative rarity that we are after in order to approximate the original supplies of the main varieties. The result is certainly of more than mere interest, the agreement being such that we are tempted to lay down the following propositions in regard to the perforated stamps for further proof or disproof:—
First. The regular perforation (gauge 12) was done by the manufac
turers and applied to the last requisitions previous to the change to decimal stamps.
Second. The date of the supposed issue of the perforated stamps should be changed from January 1858, to November 1858 or January 1859.
Third. The quantities of perforated stamps issued are placed approximately at:—½d., 789,440; 3d., 428,200; 6d., 52,422.
In further support of the above postulates, we must say that every cover bearing any one of the three perforated stamps which we have been able to get a satisfactory date from has been postmarked in 1859! Not one has yet been seen which bore a date in 1858 even, and one 6d. from the Seybold collection, which was dated at Brantford, Dec. 29, 1857, turned out to be bad. Of course perforated pence stamps are hard to find on original covers, but it is curious that so far not one has upset the theory we have laid down.
There is one point left which perhaps needs some attention. The London Society's work lists a 6d. on laid paper, perforated 12, and Mr. King has followed by including it in his reference list. This would imply that the Canadian Government had perforated its stock on hand, in which might be a few remainders of the early laid paper issue, and naturally would go far toward confirming that view of the origin of the perforated series. But this stamp seems to be an unknown quantity, almost as much so as the 3d. "perforated 13" of Major Evans' Catalogue. Mr. Pack says:[72]—"I have never heard of the 6d. perforated, on laid paper. It is catalogued in the Society's publication, but a copy, so far as I can learn, has never been seen in Canada or in the United States."
We have been interested to track this stamp, and have apparently found the original located in the Tapling collection, now housed at the British Museum. In a catalog of the Canadian portion of this collection by Gordon Smith,[73] we find two unused copies listed on laid paper, one marked "perf. 12" and the other "forged perf." The sequel is found in the American Journal of Philately for 1891[74] in the following note:—
There is no longer any mystery in regard to the origin of that great rarity! the perforated 6 pence on laid paper, these stamps having been perforated for four or five years in the shops of Messrs. Benjamin Sarpy & Co., Cullum street, London, who openly boast of having manufactured and sold those in the collection of the late Hon. T. K. Tapling and other prominent collectors.
The paper upon which the perforated pence series is found seems to give further confirmation to the theory that they came from but one or possibly two printings. Outside of the two lower values on ribbed paper, which are rare, the series seems to be entirely on a hard, white wove paper, varying in thickness from a medium to a thicker quality, which is in every way similar to the paper employed for the succeeding cents issue. On the thin ribbed paper the London Society (1889) and Messrs. Corwin and King (1891) list the ½d. stamp, but this is not found in the catalog of the Tapling collection already referred to, nor in the Pack or Worthington collections; we have therefore listed it with a query. The 3d. stamp we have seen, however, and Mr. Pack says it "is a scarce stamp even in used condition, but in unused condition I find it one of the great rarities of Canada."[75]
As noted under Chapter II,[76] the use of split stamps was not usual, as in Nova Scotia, but Mr. King chronicles the 6d. perforated, in dark violet, split diagonally and used as a 3d. in like manner to its unperforated predecessor.
[60] A Catalogue for Collectors, page 33.
[61] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 226.
[62] ibid. I: 275.
[63] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 226.
[64] American Journal of Philately, 2d. Series, IV: 23.
[65] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 277.
[66] Monthly Journal, VII: 9.
[67] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83.
[68] North American Colonies of Great Britain, page 15.
[69] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 226.
[70] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 275.
[71] ibid. I: 226.
[72] London Philatelist, XVI: 144.
[73] The Stamp News, X: 43.
[74] American Journal of Philately, 2d. Series, IV: 365.
[75] London Philatelist, XVI: 144.
CHAPTER V
THE CANCELLATIONS OF THE EARLY ISSUES
A rather interesting study, particularly for the collector of entires, is that of postmarks and cancellations, and sometimes much assistance in the solution of knotty questions is rendered by these often despised and neglected adjuncts to the proper use of postage stamps.
The early cancellations of Canada have been the subject of some attention, more so, in fact, than the postmarks, as they were required to be used on the stamps while the postmark was struck on the cover, where the date and place of mailing would be plainly visible. In one of the early volumes of reports it is stated that "Office Stamps and Seals were supplied from England on 21st July, 1851." It is presumed that this included postmarks and cancellations.
It will be remembered, perhaps, that in the circular announcing the issue of stamps in 1851[77] it was ordered that "Stamps so affixed are to be immediately cancelled ... with an instrument to be furnished for that purpose." The first one so supplied was the "concentric rings" cancellation, consisting of seven concentric circles and having an outer diameter of 18 mm. This is the most common of all, being found from the very earliest dates down to 1870, at least, as it occurs on the early shades of the "small" cents issue. It was generally struck in black ink, but may occasionally be found in a dull blue. A good illustration of this cancellation is seen on the cover numbered 90 on [Plate VI].
By 1855, at least, a modified form of the concentric ring cancellation was introduced. This had a number in the center in large figures, some 8 mm. high, with four concentric circles enclosing it, the outside diameter being about 23 mm. This type was generally struck in black, but is sometimes found in a dull blue also. It can be seen on the strip of stamps numbered 81 on Plate V. The numbers, of course, were placed in the cancellations with a definite purpose, and a little study of entire covers shows that certain numbers were
assigned to certain post offices, as might be suspected. Number 21, for instance, is the most common one and will be found to be connected with Montreal. Further study will reveal the fact that the names of the post offices were taken in alphabetical order, and the numbers assigned to them consecutively in that way. Still further inspection develops the fact that most of the post offices were those in Upper Canada (or Canada West), while but a few of the most important ones were included from Lower Canada (or Canada East.)
Mr. Edgar Nelton seems first to have made a study of these numbers in an attempt to identify their corresponding post offices, and he published a list of some twenty-two as the result of his examination of many original covers.[78] The numbers run up to 52 at least, and using the facts that we have deduced concerning the arrangement of the names, we have endeavored to fill out his skeleton list with such offices as it seems possible may yet be identified with the corresponding numbers. We have done this with some assurance for the following reasons:—
We were fortunately able to examine a Canada Directory for 1857-8, and on looking up the postal information given therein, found a list of the money order offices then existing. This was in two sections, the first containing the names, alphabetically arranged, of 31 offices in "Class No. 1," which included most of the principal cities and towns; and the second a lengthy alphabetical list of offices in "Class No. 2." The first section had a somewhat familiar appearance, and inspection showed that a majority of the names on Mr. Nelton's list of numbered cancellations were there in proper order! But 21 more names were needed, according to the cancellation numbers, to fill out the latter series. The second section was therefore examined for such towns as had the largest populations and were presumably most important. The result enabled more than one name, already on Mr. Nelton's list, to be fitted in its proper place! Here, then, was apparently the solution of the first series of numbered cancellations, and we hazard a guess that the 52 names are the original list of money order offices, arranged when the money order system was instituted in February, 1855.
The subjoined table gives the list of post offices and their corresponding numbers, which has been worked out along the lines above mentioned. It is offered in the hope that more will be done to determine positively the cor
respondence between the two. The names in ordinary type are those that have been identified without any reasonable doubt; those that have been fitted in tentatively are in italics. The Roman numeral following indicates the Class to which the Money Order Office belongs.
LIST OF NUMBERED CANCELLATIONS.
| 1. | Barrie, U. C. | I |
| 2. | Belleville, U. C. | I |
| 3. | Berlin, U. C. | I |
| 4. | Bowmanville, U. C. | I |
| 5. | Brantford, U. C. | I |
| 6. | Brighton, U. C. | II |
| 7. | Brockville, U. C. | I |
| 8. | Chatham, U. C. | I |
| 9. | Clinton, U. C. | II |
| 10. | Cobourg, U. C. | I |
| 11. | Cornwall, U. C. | I |
| 12. | Dundas, U. C. | I |
| 13. | Galt, U. C. | I |
| 14. | Goderich, U. C. | I |
| 15. | Guelph, U. C. | I |
| 16. | Hamilton, U. C. | I |
| 17. | Ingersoll, U. C. | II |
| 18. | Kingston, U. C. | I |
| 19. | London, U. C. | I |
| 20. | Melbourne, L. C. | II |
| 21. | Montreal, L. C. | I |
| 22. | Napanee, U. C. | II |
| 23. | Napierville, L. C. | II |
| 24. | Newcastle, U. C. | II |
| 25. | Niagara, U. C. | I |
| 26. | Oakville, U. C. | II |
| 27. | Ottawa, U. C. | I |
| 28. | Paris, U. C. | I |
| 29. | Perth, U. C. | II |
| 30. | Peterborough, U. C. | I |
| 31. | Picton, U. C. | II |
| 32. | Port Dover, U. C. | II |
| 33. | Port Hope, U. C. | I |
| 34. | Port Sarnia, U. C. | II |
| 35. | Prescott, U. C. | I |
| 36. | Preston, U. C. | II |
| 37. | Quebec, L. C. | I |
| 38. | St. Catherines, U. C. | I |
| 39. | St. Hyacinthe, L. C. | II |
| 40. | St. Johns, L. C. | II |
| 41. | St. Thomas, U. C. | I |
| 42. | Sherbrooke, L. C. | II |
| 43. | Simcoe, U. C. | II |
| 44. | Smith's Falls, U. C. | II |
| 45. | Stanstead, L. C. | II |
| 46. | Stratford, U. C. | I |
| 47. | Three Rivers, L. C. | I |
| 48. | Toronto, U. C. | I |
| 49. | Whitby, U. C. | II |
| 50. | Windsor, U. C. | I |
| 51. | Woodstock, U. C. | I |
| 52. | York, U. C. | II |
It will be noticed, if Mr. Helton's list is compared with the above, that there are a few discrepancies. He assigns Toronto to No. 24, which is manifestly out of place. Owen Sound is given to No. 26, while 28 should be its location; the latter must be reserved for Paris, however, which is a first class office where Owen Sound is but second class. Richmond is given as No. 42, but as St. Catherines, a first class office, has been identified as No. 38, there seems no place for the second class office of Richmond, which should precede it alphabetically. Niagara has been assigned to No. 23, but in such case it would necessitate two blanks preceding Ottawa, so it seems that the proper number should be 25. With these few exceptions no further trouble was experienced in working out the list, and since it was drawn up Numbers
2, 4, 8, 38 and 49 have been identified and tallied exactly with it! Such proof has gone far toward confirming our propositions in regard to it, and we hope for more.
A third cancellation, which was apparently used mainly for newspapers and packages, consisted of nine somewhat thick diagonal bars, the whole impression having a square outline. This was generally struck in black, but occasionally in dull blue.
Postmarks were supposed to be used only on the cover, where they would plainly exhibit the story they were to tell, while the cancellation marks were intended to deface the stamp. But sometimes the postmarks are found used for the latter purpose. They seem to be mostly of two varieties, both circular in outline, a larger one having the town name in a curve above, with U. C., L. C., C. W., or C. E., at the bottom, and arcs of two concentric circles filling in the outline between; a second being smaller with a single arc of a circle filling in the outline. The first variety is plainly shown on the cover numbered 90 on [Plate VI], and the second on the cover numbered 130 on [Plate XIV]. The date in the center seems always to be given in full—month, day and year. The postmarks are generally in black, as usual, but sometimes in dull blue.
Penmarked specimens are sometimes met with, but not often.
With the issue of 1859 the duplex mark seems to have been adopted, with the postmark (the ordinary complete circle with the usual arrangement of name, abbreviation of province and date) and the cancellation mark (a series of parallel lines with a circular outline) on the same instrument so as to be struck on the letter together.
With the 1868 issue for the Dominion we of course find the cancellations of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, then British Columbia and finally Prince Edward Island, all of which introduce complications. A new cancellation, which seems to have been for the Dominion as a whole, consisted of two heavy concentric circles containing a number. It is one of this kind that Mr. Nelton refers to in his article as having the number 627. A notable cancellation is one in the shape of a large maple leaf.
An interesting and rare postmark which was found on the 3 cent of the 1868 issue, is thus written up by Mr. F. G. Bing[79]:—
The stamp had been obliterated with a small thick lined circle in which appear the words "WAY LETTER" in large type. Eventually
a full account of the matter was obtained from the Canadian postal authorities.
* * * * *
Post Office Department, Canada.
Office of the Superintendent of the Postage Stamp Branch.
Ottawa, 13th March, 1908.
Dear Sir:—Replying to your enquiry on the subject, as to the object of the post office mark consisting of a rather thick circle in which are the words "WAY LETTER" only, impressed upon a Canada postage stamp (3c.) similar to the one you enclosed, and which I herewith return, I find on enquiry that previous to the Confederation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, there was in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick a regulation requiring mail couriers on the coach roads to accept letters for mailing, when these were offered them at a distance of not less than one or two miles from the nearest post office, to place them in a locked leather pouch provided for the purpose, and to post them at the first post office, the Postmaster of which was instructed to stamp these with the words "WAY LETTER." After Confederation this postmark lingered at some of the offices in the provinces named, when it was used for general cancellation purposes, if not for its primary purpose. It has now, however, wholly disappeared. Some think it lasted up to 1887 or 1891, but I am sorry I cannot furnish you with a more definite date as to its extinction.
Very truly yours,
E. P. STANTON, Superintendent.
It will be seen from this interesting letter that the postmark was in the first instance applied to the postage stamps of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and it is quite possible that only upon the stamps of these two provinces does it possess its full original significance. At the same time it does not follow that the regulations under which this cancellation was in use were immediately withdrawn with the Confederation of the Dominion of Canada; and it is more than probable that the custom based upon these regulations of accepting letters from the public at a distance from a post office, and applying the special obliteration, would continue long after that date, as it is evident that the use of the "Way Letter" postmark was never definitely prohibited by the Canadian postal authorities, or the date of its extinction would not have been in doubt. It is, however, quite certain that only a comparatively small number of letters would be entitled to receive this special mark, and its rarity is therefore indisputable.
Various new varieties came with the "small" cents issue and later, concerning which there is not so much of interest as in the earlier years of the postal service; we therefore pass them by, remarking only on the special "jubilee" machine cancellation which was used at Montreal in 1897. This was of the "flag" form and somewhat ornate, bearing the name "VICTORIA" and the dates "1837" and "1897."
[78] Chicago Collectors' Monthly, II: 21.
[79] The Postage Stamp, VII: 6.
CHAPTER VI
THE ISSUE OF 1859
With two valuations placed upon the cumbrous English monetary system inherited by Canada from the Mother Country—"sterling" and "currency"—and with the practical illustration of the advantages of the decimal system manifest in all the transactions with its great southern neighbor, whose currency was already legalized in the Province,[80] it was only a question of time when Canada would adopt a decimal system of its own. This was done, but all that interests us is the Decimal Postage law resulting, which is as follows:—
22o Vict. Cap. XVII.
An Act to amend the Post Office Laws.
[Assented to 4th May, 1859.]
Whereas it is expedient to amend the Post Office Laws, in the manner hereinafter provided: Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Assembly of Canada, enacts as follows:
1. There shall be payable on all Newspapers sent by Post in Canada, except "Exchange Papers" addressed to Editors and Publishers of Newspapers, such rate of Postage, not exceeding one cent on each such Newspaper, as the Governor in Council shall from time to time direct by regulation, and such rate shall be payable on all such Newspapers posted on or after the first day of July next.
2. So much of any Act as provides that Newspapers posted within this Province shall pass free of Postage, in cases other than those in which they will be free under this Act, is hereby repealed.
3. In order to adapt the operations of the Post Office to the Decimal Currency, the internal letter postage rate shall be changed from three pence to its equivalent of five cents, per half ounce—the charge for advertising a dead letter from three farthings to two cents—the charge for returning a dead letter to the writer, from one penny to three cents; and in all cases where a one half-penny or penny rate of Postage is chargeable, these rates shall be changed to one cent and two cents respectively.
4. To promote simplicity and economy in the business of the Post Office, all letters posted in Canada for any place within the
Province, and not prepaid, shall be charged seven instead of five cents per half ounce on delivery; and on letters posted for the British Mails, for the other British North American Provinces, or for the United States, when not prepaid, there shall be charged such addition to the ordinary rate, not in any case exceeding a double rate, as the Post Master General may agree upon with the Post Office Authorities of those Countries, for the purpose of enforcing prepayment.
5. The Post Master General may establish a Parcel Post and parcels other than letters and not containing letters, may be sent by such Parcel Post, and when so sent shall be liable to such charges for conveyance and to such regulations as the Governor in Council shall from time to time see fit to make.
* * * * *
8. [To inclose a letter in a parcel or a newspaper, posted as such, is a misdemeanor.]
From the above Act we see that the transmission of newspapers has again been subjected to revision looking toward an increase of revenue, all free transmission by post being now limited to exchange copies between editors or publishers. The making of prepayment by stamps obligatory was another step which had been quite strongly recommended in the last Postmaster General's report in these terms:—
No single improvement would be so valuable to the Post Office service as the introduction of the system of the pre-payment of letters by stamp. It is not recommended that pre-payment of letters should be made absolutely compulsory, but where stamps are readily procurable, pre-payment in that form should be insisted on, and the principle of pre-payment should be enforced by imposing an additional charge on letters posted unpaid.
By referring to the Act subsequently passed we see that these recommendations were carried out to the letter.
In regard to the fifth section of the Act, concerning the Parcel Post, we come across another example of the curious shuffling of dates and apparent ex post facto law making which we have previously noted. In quoting the Postmaster General's report for 30th Sept., 1858,[81] we found it stated that the Parcel Post had been in operation "from 1st January, 1859," and now we have the Legislative Act providing for it passed under date of 4th May, 1859! This is going it one better on "reading history backward" by actually making it backward! The reports at least, as we previously deduced, were evidently written some time after the dates given them and did not confine
their record to happenings previous to those fictitious dates. Confirmation of this is furnished by the Postmaster General's report that we have to consider, that of the Hon. Sydney Smith for the year ending 30th September, 1859, the report being actually dated 20th February, 1860.
Further details concerning the Parcel Post are not given until the Report for 30th June, 1864, where we read:—
By means of the Parcel Post a parcel may be sent within the Province to or from any place, however remote from the ordinary lines of traffic conveyance, on prepayment of a postage rate of 25 cents per lb., provided that the weight or size of the parcel does not exceed the carrying capacity of an ordinary mail bag; and provided that the contents of the parcel are not of a character to injure the rest of the mail.
The rate is given in decimal currency, then in use, but at the time of the establishment of the Parcel Post the equivalent rate would have been 1s. 3d. currency. In the Report for 1865 it is stated that:—
The provisions of the Parcel Post have been extended to parcels passing between Canada and New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and parcels not containing letters may now be forwarded by post from one end of British North America to the other, on prepayment of a uniform rate of 25 cents per lb.
In the report for 1859, mentioned above, we find the following:—
The Law of last Session directing the conversion of all postage rates into decimals, and the collection of postage in the new decimal currency, was put in operation on the 1st July.... Decimal stamps of the value of 1 cent, 5 cents, and 10 cents for ordinary correspondence, and of 12½ cents for Canadian, and of 17 cents for British Packet Postage Rates were obtained in readiness for the commencement of the Decimal Postage Law in July, 1859, and have from that date been issued in lieu of the stamps previously in use.
The cents issue of Canadian stamps therefore dates from July 1, 1859. The stamps themselves were merely an adaptation of the designs of the pence series to the corresponding values of the decimal currency. The ONE CENT stamp was unchanged from the half-penny except for the substitution of the new for the former value. The FIVE CENTS stamp had these words in place of the old denomination, with a quarterfoil ornament separating them at each side from CANADA and POSTAGE. Oblique figures 5 were
placed in the spandrels on a cross-hatched ground instead of the upright figures 3 on foliations. A similar change was made in the TEN CENTS, Roman numerals X being placed obliquely in the spandrels on a cross-hatched ground where upright figures 6 were previously on foliations; while the new denomination was substituted for the old. The sole change in the 12½ cent stamp was to substitute "12½c." in the spandrels for the former values in sterling and currency. The 17 cent stamp had the value in words replacing TEN PENCE, but the new value was so much longer that the emblems between the old value and CANADA POSTAGE were removed and replaced by two small elliptic ornaments. "8d. stg." still occupies the upper spandrels, but figures 17 are placed in each of the lower ones. The central designs in each of the above stamps are absolutely identical with those of the pence stamps that preceded them—indeed the portrait and surrounding oval with inscriptions on the 12½ c. are all unchanged. From this it is evident that the new dies were "built up" from the old ones, the central portions being transferred and the required changes in surrounding inscriptions, etc., being newly engraved. This was easy enough of accomplishment since the American Bank Note Co., who furnished the new stamps, were the successors of Messrs. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson, the firm name having been changed on May 1, 1858, and the dies of the pence issue were of course in their possession. Illustrations of the five values will be found as Nos. 10, 15, 12, 13 and 14, respectively, on [Plate I].
There was one addition to the list of values in this set during its period of use—a 2 cent stamp. In the Postmaster General's Report for 30th June, 1864, it is noted:—"A new Postage Stamp, of the value of two cents, was added to the other denominations supplied, from the 1st. August last [1864]." The Report for the succeeding year has this further to say:—"A provision has been made for the transmission and delivery of Canadian periodicals, addressed to the United Kingdom, at the reduced rate of two cents each," and it was evidently largely on account of this that the new stamp was ordered. Its design was unmistakably "built up" as with the rest of the set, the 1 cent stamp serving as the model, figures 2 being placed in ovals in the spandrels and the wording of the value being changed to correspond. (Illustration No. 11 on [Plate I]). The stamp was issued as stated on the 1st August, 1864.
All the stamps of this issue were, as before, line engraved and printed in sheets of 100, ten rows of ten. The same style of marginal inscriptions as
in the first issue is found—"American Bank Note Co. New-York" in minute letters of the type known as "diamond," repeated twice in each margin, reading up on the left, down on the right, and inverted at the bottom of the sheet. In the 1, 2, 5 and 12½c. stamps the imprint is placed against the third and eighth stamps of each marginal row of ten, but from a block of 10c. at hand the inscriptions in the case of this value are apparently "centered" over the space between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth stamps of each marginal row, thus bringing them over two stamps instead of one. Curiously enough, the 17c. value has no marginal inscriptions at all.
The same plate variety that occurs in the 3d. stamp—the "shifted transfer" or "double strike"—is repeated in its successor, the 5c. stamp. That it is a true plate variety is abundantly proved by the fine block of seven stamps illustrated as No. 96 on [Plate VII]. The variety will be found in the upper right corner stamp, and the doubling of the frame lines at the left and of the oval frame line above CANADA will be readily apparent. A single copy is illustrated as No. 19 on [Plate I]. It seems to have been first noted by Mr. R. Wuesthoff in the American Journal of Philately for June, 1892.
A minor variety of the 5c. stamp printed from a worn plate is also to be noted, in which the fine lines of the groundwork have almost disappeared.
The entire series comes regularly perforated 12, the identical normal perforation of the pence stamps that immediately preceded it, and which we have endeavored to trace to the same source. The abnormal varieties in this series are of course the imperforate ones, and of these we present cuts of a full set in blocks of four, numbered 100 to 105 on [Plate IX]. That the stamps were actually issued and used in this condition is proved by copies of several with the proper postmarks of the period in the Pack collection. Mr. Pack writes of them[82]:—
I have the 1c. and 5c. postmarked in 1860 and 1861 at Toronto and Prescott, Canada West. I also believe that these varieties were on sale at Kingston, Canada West, at about that time. I have also the 2c. and 10c. in undoubtedly early used condition.
Further varieties are formed by "split" stamps, as before, though these were never authorized and seldom used. We are fortunate in being able to illustrate two five cent stamps used with half of a third to make up the 12½c. packet rate. This is No. 97 on [Plate VII]. The postmark is unfortunately mostly torn away, but is evidently "Montreal," and the last numeral in the
year figures seems to be an "8," which would mean "1868." A 10c. stamp also split and used for a 5c. is shown on the entire as No. 99 on [Plate VIII]. The postmark is "Bowmanville, U.C., Feb. 15, 1860."
The normal colors for the stamps of this series may be given as 1 cent deep rose, 2 cents dull rose, 5 cents deep red, 12½ cents deep green, and 17 cents Prussian blue. It will be noticed that we have omitted the 10 cents—and with reason. If the 6 pence stamp of the preceding issue was difficult to select a normal color for, how shall we find one for its successor? Messrs. Corwin and King say[83]:—"The most surprising fact about this issue is the vast number of colors and shades to be found in the 10 cents. We have several hundreds of them in our collection, and are continually adding new color varieties." They run all the way from a bright red lilac through shades of violet and brown to a black brown, which is so dark and distinct that it has for years been catalogued separately.
The paper on which these stamps were printed does not show as much variation as in the previous issue. Mr. King[84] gives a list of five varieties, all of which vary considerably in thickness. It seems sufficient for our purposes, however, to list them under three heads as ordinary wove paper, a thick, hard wove paper, and ribbed paper.
These stamps were in issue from the 1st July 1859, until the series issued for the new Dominion of Canada appeared on 1st April, 1868. The stamp accounts in the various Postmaster General's Reports give the quantities received and issued, and we present here a summary of these tables as their reproduction entire would serve no useful purpose unless to show the increase in the consumption of stamps from year to year as the postal business increased.
| Received from manufacturers: | 1c. | 5c. | 10c. | 12½c. | 17c. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| quarter ending 30th Sept. 1859 | 1,000,400 | 1,000,089 | 200,000 | 200,000 | 50,000 |
| year ending 30th Sept. 1860 | 2,000,050 | 2,499,986 | 300,000 | 300,000 | 50,000 |
| year ending 30th Sept. 1861 | 2,200,100 | 3,400,300 | 499,998 | 199,996 | 50,000 |
| year ending 30th Sept. 1862 | 2,799,900 | 3,300,350 | 400,000 | 399,996 | 50,000 |
| year ending 30th Sept. 1863 | 3,500,200 | 4,300,450 | 600,050 | 300,000 | 100,000 |
| 9mos. ending 30th June 1864 | 3,000,000 | 3,999,999 | 800,000 | 399,990 | 49,999 |
| year ending 30th June 1865 | 3,064,800 | 4,890,598 | 700,000 | 676,600 | 100,000 |
| year ending 30th June 1866 | 3,910,000 | 8,100,000 | 800,000 | 400,100 | 50,000 |
| year ending 30th June 1867 | 5,100,000 | 5,100,500 | 999,650 | 299,950 | 100,000 |
| year ending 30th June 1868 | (?)900,000 | 3,199,900 | 400,000 | ? | ...... |
| Totals | 27,475,450 | 39,792,172 | 5,799,698 | 3,176,632 | 599,999 |
The yearly supplies of the 2 cent stamps, first appearing in the 1865 accounts, were as follows:—
| 1865 | 360,000 | |
| 1866 | 300,000 | |
| 1867 | 200,500 | |
| 1868 | 50,000 | (?) |
| Total | 910,500 |
Unfortunately the stamp accounts for 1868 do not separate the supplies received in the old and new designs, so that in the case of the 1, 2 and 12½ cent stamps, which appear in both issues, the quantity delivered by the manufacturers is a total which we cannot divide with certainty. An approximation may perhaps be made, particularly with the 2 cent stamp. The balance of this value on hand 30th June, 1867, was 171,000, and the deliveries in the year ending 30th June, 1868, were 2,050,000. Inasmuch as the yearly issue of this value had been some 250,000, the probability is that the odd 50,000 delivered belonged to the 1859 series, as this would make 221,000 for the nine month's supply to 1st April; the even two millions were doubtless the order for the new series. The yearly issue of the 1 cent had been some 3½ to 4 millions; if from the 2,900,000 received, according to the 1868 Report, we take the odd 900,000, we find it makes 3,308,900 when combined with the balance on hand in 1867. This gives a sufficient supply for the nine months of the old issue and leaves an even two millions again for the new series. The 12½ cent presents a slightly different aspect. The yearly issue had been some 400,000, and the amount on hand in 1867 was 385,750—without doubt a plentiful supply for the nine months preceding the issue of the new stamps. It must be remembered, also, in all these cases, that the "amount on hand" was that of the Department's stock, and that the postmasters were of course in possession of local stocks. It therefore seems probable that the 500,000 12½ cent stamps received in 1868 were of the new series alone. The 5 and 10 cent stamps, however, which are lacking in the new set, can at once be added to their preceding deliveries, and it will be noted that no further supplies of the 17c. stamp were required during the year.
We find in the Department accounts that the American Bank Note Co. was paid $1331.70 for "engraving postage stamps" during the fiscal year, which was the final settlement with that Company.
What became of the remainder of the old issue does not appear, but it seems probable that they were largely used up in the course of regular business, as no object would be gained by turning in the relatively small quantities remaining, for accounting and destruction, unless it be the 17 cent value, which had become rather useless. Curiously enough, the stamp accounts do separate the old and new issues in the "balance on hand, 30th June, 1868," which was three months after the appearance of the new set. These figures are as follows:—
| 1 | cent | 319,900 |
| 2 | cents | 700 |
| 5 | cents | 138,400 |
| 10 | cents | 60,650 |
| 12½ | cents | 68,750 |
| 17 | cents | 33,876 |
Glancing now over the Postmaster General's reports for the years 1859-1868, during which the above issue was in use, and which were the last years of the strictly provincial control, we find many items of interest.
In the report for 1859 it is noted that "the issue and use by the public of Postage Stamps has increased with great rapidity since last return," and the issue of stamped envelopes "for the promotion of public convenience" is announced. These will be treated of by themselves in a later chapter. We find the experiment was made of placing street letter boxes in Toronto, and "with very encouraging results as to the extent to which the number of letters posted in these boxes would appear to demonstrate their usefulness. These Pillar Boxes are visited, at least twice each day, at suitable hours, by Post Office Messengers, in order to convey the letters deposited in them to the Post Office." Preparations were also being made to install letter boxes in Montreal and Quebec.
The Department accounts have the following entries:—
| Rawdon, Wright & Co., supply of letter and newspaper stamps | $238.69 |
| American Bank Note Co., engraving letter and newspaper stamps | 1487.40 |
Of course the amounts all went to the same concern, as the firm name had been changed on May 1, 1858, as already noted.
The report for 1860 contains interesting statistical information concerning the growth of the Department, which it may be well to put on record:
| Year | No. of Offices. | Miles of Post Route. | No. of letters by Post per annum. | Postal Revenue (deducting dead letters.) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | 601 | 7,595 | 2,132,000 | ||
| 1852 | 840 | 8,618 | 3,700,000 | $230,629.00 | First year of account under Provincial control. |
| 1853 | 1016 | 9,122 | 4,250,000 | 278,587.00 | Charge on newspapers reduced one-half. |
| 1854 | 1166 | 10,027 | 5,100,000 | 320,000.00 | |
| 1855 | 1293 | 11,192 | 6,000,000 | 368,166.00 | Newspapers conveyed without charge. |
| 1856 | 1375 | 11,839 | 7,000,000 | 374,295.00 | |
| 1857 | 1506 | 13,253 | 8,500,000 | 462,163.00 | |
| 1858 | 1566 | 13,600 | 9,000,000 | 541,153.00 | |
| 1859 | 1638 | 13,871 | 8,500,000 | 678,426.98 | |
| 1860 | 1698 | 14,202 | 9,000,000 | 658,451.99 | Additional 2c. rate on unpaid letters and charge made on newspapers. |
The Report continues:—
From the experience of the past, the confident hope may be entertained that, by a wise and judicious economy, (and without withholding from newly settled portions of the country, the Postal accommodations without which the settlement of the country cannot advance), in a comparatively short space of time the Postage upon letters may be reduced from the present five cent to a three cent rate, as near an approach to the Penny sterling postage system of the Mother Country as the relative value of our currency will conveniently permit.
It was eight years before these hopes were realized, however.
The "epistolary intercourse with the United States" is given for the same period, but we need only note that the postal value of the total correspondence exchanged was $83,630.97 in 1852, had increased to $187,469.59 in 1857, and then dropped gradually to $178,132.39 in 1860. The Report says:—
The prepayment of letters passing between the two countries continues optional on either side, at the combined rate of 10 cents per ½ oz. from any place in Canada to any place in the United States and vice versa, except to or from the States on the Pacific, California and Oregon, when the rate is 15 cents per ½ oz.
The accounts present a charge in favor of the American Bank Note Co. of $1697.95 "for engraving Letter and Newspaper stamps and Stamped Envelopes." Of the latter we shall have more to say in their proper place.
The Reports of 1861 and 1862 contain nothing special, and the accounts show payments of $1451.87 and $1583.63 respectively to the American Bank Note Co.
The Report of 1863 states that in November of that year an agreement
was entered into with the United States for the transmission between the two countries of seeds, bulbs, etc., at 1 cent per ounce, and also book manuscripts, printers' proof sheets, maps, prints, etc., at the same rate.
In January 1864, the Imperial Post Office extended to the mails between Canada and the United Kingdom regulations conceding patterns of merchandise and trade samples at the same rates as books and printed matter.
The American Bank Note Co. was paid $1946.62.
The next Report is dated 30th June, 1864, instead of the usual 30th September, and is therefore for nine months only. This was done to bring the fiscal year of the Post Office Department to correspond with the financial year of the General Government.
The enactment which was the cause of the change follows:—
27o—28o Vict. Cap. VI.
An Act to amend the Law respecting the Public Accounts, and the Board of Audit.
(Assented to 30th June, 1864)
10. It shall be the duty of the Board of Audit to prepare and submit to the Minister of Finance the Public Accounts to be annually laid before Parliament.
11. The said Public Accounts shall include the period from the thirtieth of June in one year to the thirtieth of June in the next year, which period shall constitute the Financial Year....
There is nothing particular in the Report for these nine months to quote here, except the payment of the relatively small sum of $619.25 to the American Bank Note Co.
The Report for 1865 states that "Regulations have been adopted establishing a sample and pattern post in Canada, and packets of trade samples, or patterns of merchandise, may be sent by post between any places within this Province, on prepayment of one cent per ounce, under certain conditions to prevent an abuse of the privilege." It further announces that "Street Letter boxes are being placed in all the principal streets of Montreal."
The Reports of 1866 and 1867 were published together, but contain little of interest beyond the statistics we have already used. Payments to the American Bank Note Co. were $2630.11 in 1866 and $1699.03 in 1867. The final payment to the American Co., which we have already quoted from the 1868 report, was $1331.70. We read that "The street letter boxes put up in the city of Montreal have worked satisfactorily. The number of letters
and papers posted therein weekly, appeared from returns taken to be, Letters 2400, Papers 500, or at the rate of 150,000 letters and papers per annum."
Authority to establish letter boxes was given by an Act of Parliament which contains several other matters of interest and which we therefore quote.
29o—30o Vict. Cap. XI.
An Act to amend the Post Office Act.
[Assented to 15th August, 1866.]
Whereas the more effectually to prevent frauds upon the Post Office Revenue, it is expedient to amend the Post Office Act: Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the consent of the Legislative Council and Assembly of Canada, enacts as follows:
1. If any person uses or attempts to use in payment of postage on any letter or mailable thing posted in this Province, any postage stamp which has been before used for a like purpose, such person shall be subjected to a penalty of not less than Ten and not exceeding Forty dollars for every such offense, and the letter or other mailable thing on which such stamp has been so improperly used may be detained, or in the discretion of the Postmaster General forwarded to its destination charged with double the postage to which it would have been liable if posted unpaid.
2. [To enclose a letter in a parcel, packet of samples or newspaper, posted an such, shall be an offense punishable by a fine of not less than ten or more than forty dollars in each case.]
3. The Postmaster General may grant licenses, revocable at pleasure, to Agents, other than Postmasters, for the sale to the Public, of Postage Stamps and Stamped envelopes, and may allow to such Agents a commission not exceeding five per cent, on the amount of their sales;—and it shall not be lawful for any person to exercise the business of selling Postage Stamps or Stamped envelopes to the Public unless duly licensed to do so by the Postmaster General and under such conditions as he may prescribe: and any person who shall violate this provision by selling Postage Stamps or Stamped envelopes to the public without a license from the Postmaster General, shall on conviction before a Justice of the Peace, incur a penalty of not exceeding forty dollars for each offence.
* * * * *
5. The Postmaster General may, when in his judgment the public convenience requires it, establish Street Letter Boxes or Pillar Boxes for the reception of letters and other mailable matter in the streets of any City or Town in this Province, and from the time that a letter is deposited in any such Street Letter Box or Pillar Box it shall be deemed to be a Post Letter within the meaning of the Post Office Act.
6. [Wilfully injuring such letter boxes is a misdemeanor.]
* * * * *
8. The Governor in Council may, by regulations to be from time to time made, provide for the transmission through the Mails of this Province, of patterns and samples of merchandise and goods
for sale, and of packages of seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots and scions or grafts, on such terms and conditions as may be set forth in such regulations.
9. [Wilfully destroying, damaging or detaining any of above articles is a misdemeanor.]
The only other item to quote from the report of 1867 is the following:—"On 1st July, 1867 the Union Act came into operation, and brought under one central administration the Postal Service throughout the Dominion." With this statement we close the account of the Postal history of the Province of Canada, and in the next chapter open up the larger one of the Dominion of Canada, whose later issues, though not without interest, still lack the charm that time can never tear from the simple, yet dignified and beautiful stamps of the Province.
[82] London Philatelist, XVI: 144.
[83] Metropolitan Philatelist, II: 3.
[84] Monthly Journal, VII: 32.