at first the then current 15 centimes stamps with the overprint F.M. (Fig. 145); their distribution is in the hands of the military authorities, who allow two stamps a month to each private or non-commissioned officer in the Army and Navy, enabling them to send two letters not exceeding 20gr. free of postage. The two types of the 15 centimes "Rights of Man" issue exist with the F.M. overprint, issued in 1901 and 1903 respectively (Figs. 145, 146), and the succeeding Sower type (Fig. 147) appeared in 1904. When the French inland postage rate was reduced from 15 centimes to 10 centimes, April 16, 1906, the 10 centimes stamps were overprinted F.M. instead of the 15 centimes, two of the Sower types of 10 centimes value receiving the overprint F.M. respectively in 1906 and 1907 ([Figs. 148, 149]). Since January 30, 1912, these stamps have been used on the official correspondence of the French civil service as well as by the military.
145 146 147
148 149
After forty years the fair fields of France are once again ravaged by the German invaders, and already our allies across
the channel have issued special stamps which serve the double purpose of denoting postage and of collecting small contributions to the French Red Cross. The following is the official decree:
Le Président de la République Française.
Sur le rapport du Ministre du Commerce, de l'Industrie, des Postes et des Télégraphes,