P. O. Dept., Ottawa,
March 30th, 1904.
In reply to your letter of the 24th March, re stamps '1' in blue, on 1/3 of 3, and '2' in violet on 2/3 of 3 cents, I beg to say that the Superintendent of the Stamp Branch assures me that no such stamps were ever issued or recognised by this Department, and if affixed to letters would be treated as ordinary mutilated stamps of no value. It appears that the Postmaster of Port Hood, N. S., at the time of the change of rate found himself short of 2 cents stamps, and, acting on the advice of some stamp fiend apparently, cut up a sheet or so of stamps to make twos and ones. He nearly lost his job over it, but the Department never got hold of any of the mutilated stamps. Anybody could make similar stamps by cutting up and marking old threes. Hoping this may be satisfactory to you,
Yours, etc.,
W. H. Harrington.
Reference List.
The 3c stamp of 1898 divided vertically and each portion surcharged with a new value.
- 73. 1(c) in blue on one-third of 3c carmine, Scott's No. 85A.
- 74. 2(c) in violet on two-thirds of 3c carmine. Scott's No. 85B.