The surcharge in its first type, as described in the quotation given, with the capital C, has only been found on the 3 cent envelope of 1898, which was the one in the reserve stock of the Department when the reduction in postage took effect; but the second type, with the "lower case" C is found not only on this envelope but also on both sizes of the old "Burland & Co." envelopes of the 1877 issue.
It will be remembered that it took considerably more than two years after the death of Queen Victoria before the change to King's head adhesives was made in Canada. It took even longer for the change in the envelope dies, as the first one to appear, the 2 cent, was not issued until the beginning of 1905. It was thus described in Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News:[218]—
Mr. Wm. P. Anderson writes that the 2c Canada envelope, Queen's Head, is now obsolete, and that a new issue bearing the King's Head was first sent out Jan. 12. It is very similar to the existing type—same colour, shape and size and same description of paper and size of envelope. The bust of the King, a profile to the left, is larger, filling more of the central oval than did that of the young Queen. It is a very beautifully cut piece of embossing, the work of Wyon, the celebrated London die sinker. The engine turned border is not, Mr. Anderson thinks, so neat as that on the old stamp, from which it differs in detail. The word Canada has been removed from outside the frame to the upper label, which now reads Canada Postage. This and the value, two cents, on a label below the bust, are in white letters on a ground of solid colour. The lettering is very thin, which is the only blemish in a very neat and effective design.
The size of the envelope was not exactly the same as the previous issue, for it measures 152 x 90 mm., about 4 mm. longer than before and 3 mm. wider, the rough measurements being 6 x 3⅝ inches. The paper is a very white wove variety, and the color of the impression is in carmine.
The 1 cent envelope did not appear until about two months later, the
exact date not being available, but being very close to the 1st March, 1905. It is in all respects the same as the 2 cent envelope except that it is printed in a deep green.
The use of stamped envelopes in Canada, though never so popular as in the United States, yet seems to be largely on the increase in the last twelve years, the 1 cent having risen in number from 85,500 in 1899 to 1,360,100 in 1910, and the 2 cent from 262,000 to 2,928,400 during the same period.
[204] London Philatelist, XIII: 153.