And so on in proportion.
“Newspapers are conveyed free.
“On Books the postage is about 2d. per oz. up to 6 ozs., exceeding that weight, 3d. per oz. up to 16 ozs., beyond which weight they cannot be transmitted through the post.”
Postage stamps are not mentioned, so they had evidently not been introduced into the Colony at the time the above particulars were sent over; but 1857 is the year usually given as that in which the first issue took place. The present rates of postage are as follows:
| Letters Per ½ oz. | Newspapers. | |
|---|---|---|
| In St. John’s | 1 cent | Free. |
| Within Colony | 3 cents | Free. |
| Europe, United States, and St. Pierre, Miquelon | 5 cents | 1 cent. |
| South America and West Indies | 8 cents | 2 cents. |
Mr. John Delaney was Postmaster-General of the Colony in 1879, and Mr. J. O. Fraser holds that office at the present time.
I regret, as in the case of Canada, I am unable to give you copies of any of the official notices of the issue of the stamps of this Colony. I hope, however, I may shortly be followed by other writers, who may have greater facilities, and be more successful in obtaining the desired information than I have been.
REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.
Issue I. 1857.
Seven values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co., of London, on stoutish white wove paper; yellowish gum, imperforate. Designs: The design of the One Penny and Five Pence closely resembles that of the first issue of New Brunswick, except that the crown in the centre is printed straight instead of obliquely, and that there is a small oblong white label above that containing the value, inscribed “POSTAGE” in small coloured block letters. Numerals of value on white squares in each corner. Shape, square. Three Pence.—Heraldic flowers on a trilobed cartouche in centre, on reticulated background. Labels of solid colour at left, right, and at the bottom, inscribed in white Roman capitals. Lozenge-shaped blocks in the three corners, with coloured Arabic numeral of value in small white circles. Shape, triangular. The Two Pence, Four Pence, Six Pence, and One Shilling are very similar in design, which consists of a bunch of heraldic flowers in a central circle on the Two Pence, Four Pence, and One Shilling, and in an oval on the Six Pence. The central circle, or oval, is enframed in a larger engine-turned oval, inscribed above with name of Colony in a curve of white block letters. The remainder of the design varies in detail for each value; but all have the value in full in the bottom label, and Arabic numerals of value in the corners. Shape, upright rectangular. ([Illustrations 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64.])