The 1 cent card does not appear to have been chronicled until the number for 1st February, 1898, of the American Journal of Philately, so that it doubtless appeared early in January or possibly the latter part of December, 1897, following closely the 2 cent card. It was also of the usual size and same stock as before and, like the Jubilee card, had a copy of the 1 cent adhesive printed in the corner. This was of the maple leaf type, engraved for typographic printing and therefore of rather coarser appearance than its prototype. The inscriptions were simply CANADA POST CARD in plain Gothic letters, with the usual line of instructions beneath, all printed in black; while the stamp was printed in dark green.
Early in December, 1897, the following news item appeared in the Canadian daily press:—
Postmaster-General Mulock has formulated a scheme with respect to postal cards which he has been thinking over for some time and which he has now got so far into shape as to be ready for publication. It is to remove the restriction which has hitherto existed with respect to using the address side of the card for any purpose other than the address. It is intended to allow pictures, ads., etc., on the face of the card so long as there is room for the address. This will enable a business man to advertise his business and will no doubt be appreciated by both the advertiser and the public. It is intended the cards shall be printed in sheets instead of singly for the benefit of printers and lithographers.
The following was the official announcement:—
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.
Regulations under which designs, illustrations, portraits, sketches, or other forms of advertisement may be engraved, lithographed, printed, etc., on the "address" side of the one-cent Post-Card.
1. A clear space of, at least, a quarter of an inch shall be left along each of the four sides of the postage stamp.
2. There shall be reserved for the address a clear space at the lower right hand corner on the "address" side of the card immediately below the words "The space below is reserved for address only," such space so reserved for the address being, at least, 3¼ inches long by 1½ inches wide.
N. B. It is in the interest of both the Department and those availing themselves of the privilege hereby, granted that the spaces in question should be unconditionally reserved for the purposes intended. If any printing, engraving, or other matter appears on the spaces thus reserved, the Post-Cards cannot be permitted to pass through the mails.