“The Three Penny stamp I have never seen cut and used in that manner. This order was issued after the reduction of the packet postage to England from 1 shilling to 7½ pence.
“Major Evans in his Catalogue mentions the Three Penny surcharged ‘PAID 5 CENTS,’ and also overprinted ‘5 CENTS.’ This I think can be easily explained, as will be seen by the following: About 1854 (I think, but am not sure) an agreement was entered into between the Postmasters-General of Nova Scotia and the United States for the exchange of correspondence between their respective countries. It was agreed upon that the postage should be 5 cents, the Nova Scotian Three Penny stamp to be equal to that value.
“All letters going to the United States from Nova Scotia, west, to be stamped on the face, whether they were paid or not, by the office which despatched the mail to the United States. The stamp which was used for that purpose corresponds in all particulars with the supposed surcharges. This stamping I have no doubt has occasionally been done on the postage stamps, and thus those so-called surcharges have become known.
“All the efforts that I made to find out who first proposed the introduction of postage stamps in Nova Scotia were in vain. But I presume, judging from the accounts of the Post Office Department, that the Hon. Joseph Howe was instrumental in doing so. This indeed was an act worthy of the liberal and enlightened mind of one of Nova Scotia’s greatest sons.
“Donald A. King.”
“NOVA SCOTIA STAMPS.
“In the December number of this paper I had an article on the proper date of issue of the Pence stamps of Nova Scotia. In it I ventured to assert that they were issued in the middle of 1851. Since then, on further investigation, I have discovered the exact date of issue. The proof is obtained in the following extract from the Chronicle of the 30th of August, 1851:
“‘NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.
“‘Postage stamps having been received from England, notice is hereby given that stamps of Three Pence, Six Pence, and One Shilling can be purchased at this office on and after Monday, the 1st day of September next.