CAPTAIN HEARD'S EXPLOIT WITH A PRIVATEER.

The speed of the Baltimore clippers in days gone by made history redound with their exploits. Every boy and girl has read at some time or place of the piratical long, low, rakish-looking schooners that cruised the ocean ostensibly as privateers, but chiefly as pirates, in those days, and have marvelled more or less at their astounding adventures. A good story is told of the late Captain Augustine Heard, that while in command of a fine ship richly laden, bound from China to New York, he was overhauled by one of this kind, which came up under his lee, fired a shot into his ship, and demanded in "good English" that she should be hove to. Captain Heard watched a favorable opportunity, squared his yards, ran the privateer down, passed over her between the masts, and when well to leeward brought his ship to the wind and resumed his course. She had lost some of her head-gear, but sustained no damage in her hull. Captain Heard left the "long, low, black privateer," or pirate, to her fate, and had no doubt that all her crew perished.

It was a dangerous thing to do, but Heard relied upon the good timber in his ship's bows to withstand the shock, although his heart grew sad at the loss of life. Still, as he put it, "My honor and life were at stake, so he had to go under."

This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.

Another No. 89 Plate No. has been found, and is now offered at $100. There may be a lot of this No. at some small post-office, as the larger offices do not seem to have received any of this particular No.

During the past month the stamp business has begun to revive, and there are indications that better prices will be obtained in the auction-room than in the past three months. The main difficulty seems to lie in the fact that there are seemingly as many dealers as collectors. Years ago the New York city stamp business was practically in the hands of two or three men, while to-day Nassau Street and Twenty-third Street are overflowing with dealers. Some of these dealers have entered into an engagement with each other not to buy at auctions. If they keep to their word so much the better for the collectors.

Guatemala has just issued a new set of fourteen adhesive stamps, five postal cards, two envelopes, and one wrapper. The stamps are all printed in black on colored papers. The size is about that of our Columbian issue, and the entire set is made to commemorate and advertise the Central American Exposition to be held this year.

1	centavo	Black on lilac.
2	centavos	Black on olive.
6	centavos	Black on ochre.
10	centavos	Black on indigo.
12	centavos	Black on rose.
20	centavos	Black on vermilion.
50	centavos	Black on brown.
75	centavos	Black on blue.
100	centavos	Black on blue-green.
150	centavos	Black on light rose
200	centavos	Black on mauve.
500	centavos	Black on yellow-green.

The probabilities are that the entire issue will be condemned by the S.S.S.S.

The American Bank-Note Company of New York has just secured the contract for printing the Canadian stamps. It is said that the cost of printing will be about $600,000 for the five and a half years, and that the saving to the Canadian government compared with late contracts will be $125,000.

B. B. Perkins.—I would advise your buying a packet of 1000 stamps for $10, or 1500 stamps for $25. If you intend to collect certain countries only, such packets would not serve your purpose.

Beatrice Fink.—Tromsö stamps are locals from Norway. Wuhu is a Chinese local. Poste-Locale, 40 paras, is a Turkish local.

Beverly S. King, 31 New York Ave., Brooklyn, wishes to exchange stamps. Refer to your catalogue for the number of stamps issued by U.S., Great Britain, France, etc. A "complete" collection of stamps is a very vague quantity. I know one collection of Great Britain containing many thousands of stamps, no two alike, and yet the owner says he has just begun to collect Great Britain.

D. McPherson.—The unused Department stamps are higher than the used simply on account of the demand for unused stamps. The amount of money proposed by you will buy you very many good stamps, and ensure many hours of enjoyment, and that is the best investment.

W. R. Wheeler.—Before postage-stamps were used the postmaster used to print with an iron or copper hand-stamp "Paid," "Paid 10," etc. Envelopes with such printing are very common, and while very interesting have no money value.

Philatus.

Reject all compounds which dispense
With honest work and common sense;
With Ivory Soap the wash is good
And takes no longer than it should.

READY FEBRUARY 11

By Ellen Douglas Deland

IN THE OLD HERRICK HOUSE, and Other Stories. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.50.

Besides the title story, this volume contains "At the Camerons'" and "The Little Red Book." Like all of Miss Deland's stories, these are wholesome and attractive, while there is an abundance of incident.