From the above it is plainly evident that the new stamps were not placed in use on April 6th, the day of the transfer of the Post Office to Provincial control, as is usually stated. Furthermore, as this order announcing them states that the stamps are "about to be issued," it is evident that they did not appear concurrently with the order, which is dated April 21st.[7] As a matter of fact the first supply of the 3 pence stamps was only received by the Department from the manufacturers on April 5th, the day before the transfer, and the second supply on April 20th, the day before the above circular was issued; while the 6 pence and 12 pence stamps did not arrive until May 2nd and May 4th, respectively.[8] In a letter to Mr. Donald A. King,[9] dated 2d March, 1904, from Mr. William Smith, Secretary of the Department at Ottawa, the latter states "that postage stamps were issued to the public for the first time on 23rd April, 1851." This agrees with the other known facts, and can doubtless be taken as the correct date for the 3d. stamp. The 6d. stamp we have no further details for, but it was doubtless in use by the middle of May. For the 12d. stamp we have, fortunately, all the details, as will appear subsequently, and can give the exact date of issue as June 14, 1851.
At the time of the transfer, the Postmaster General issued a lengthy set of Regulations and Instructions for the Government of the Post Office Department in Canada, and it is perhaps best to reproduce here such sections as may prove of interest in connection with the use of the stamps, various rates of postage, etc., etc.
* * * * *
20. Letters posted to be sent by Mail are to be carefully postmarked on the face or address side, with the name of the Post Office,
the month and the day of the month in which they are posted, and, except when they are Prepaid by Postage stamps, with the Rate of Postage in plain figures. In performing these operations great care must be used to avoid interference with the address.
* * * * *
22. If the Postage is Paid in Money when the Letter is posted, stamp or write the word "Paid" against the Postage rate, and mark the rate in red ink; but if the Letter is "Unpaid" the rate is to be marked in black ink.
* * * * *
42. Should the Receiving Postmaster find that any of the Letters have been under-rated, that is, not charged with sufficient Postage,—if for example, a Letter weighing an ounce has only been charged with one rate, he will mark the additional Postage with the words "More to pay," and his initials on the Letter.
* * * * *