The details given proved correct. The official announcement of the forthcoming issue was given in a circular to postmasters dated 10th June and signed by the Deputy Postmaster-General:[177]—
Postmasters are hereby informed that a new issue of postage stamps, bearing the portrait of His Majesty King Edward VII., and comprising five denominations (1c., 2c., 5c., 7c., and 10c.), is about to be supplied to Postmasters for sale in the usual way, but none of these stamps are to be sold until the first of July, 1903.
The colours of the forthcoming series will be the same respectively, as those now used for the denominations specified, except that the shade of the 7c. will be slightly deeper.
Postmasters will please bear in mind that, notwithstanding the new issue, they are not to return to the Department any of the old stamps on hand, but will sell them in the ordinary way. At first, the public may prefer getting new stamps, and if so, there is no objection to this wish being acceded to, but it is also desirable to work off in due course all remnants of old stamps.
A change in the design of the stamp of the present series of post-cards, post-bands and stamped envelopes, to correspond with that above referred to, will be made as soon as the present stock of these items shall have been exhausted.
The new stamps were accordingly issued on "Dominion Day" (July 1st) of 1903. Their actual appearance brought forth the following interesting account of their preparation in the London Philatelist:[178]—
Although for a long time past we have been aware of the circumstances attending the preparation of the new postage stamps for Canada, and in a position to illustrate the approved design, we have refrained from publishing the facts in compliance with the desire of the authorities that no details should be made public until the stamps had been completed and were ready to be put into circulation.
We believe that the delay which has taken place in bringing out the new issue has been due to questions arising out of the existing contract under which the postage stamps of the Dominion are produced, and that even after the approval of the design and the receipt of the die some difficulties were experienced in connection with the preparation of the plates by the contractors.
These have happily been surmounted, and now that the issue is an accomplished fact it is with much gratification that we illustrate