[1]

THE
Postage Stamps,
ENVELOPES,
Wrappers, and Post Cards
OF THE
NORTH AMERICAN COLONIES OF GREAT BRITAIN.

With Autotype Illustrations.

COMPILED AND PUBLISHED
BY
THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.

(ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

LONDON, 1889.

[2]

Investigation into the history of the various and successive issues of labels, wrappers, and envelopes connected with the Postal systems of the British Colonies in North America does not present the difficulties which had to be surmounted in the case of the Australian Colonies, and perhaps does not therefore include subject matter of so interesting a character as that comprised in the recent “Oceania” Catalogue.

Reference Lists of the North American Colonies have nevertheless been hitherto crude, as well as deficient, and even incorrect in detail, thus affording but superficial aid to the Philatelist: and the endeavour of the Society in the following pages has been to amplify the information at present in the possession of collectors; and by the collation of contents of recent papers in Canadian and English journals, as well as by reference to official gazettes and correspondence, to present as far as possible a complete history of the Postal Service in these Colonies.

In this endeavour it has derived a large amount of assistance from the researches of its late Secretary, Mr. E. D. Bacon, whose Notes at the head of each Colony were originally intended to have been read as a paper before the London Society, but which, by the desire of the Committee entrusted with the revision and publication of the accompanying lists, he has consented should be amalgamated with them, thus adding to the completeness of the present work. The Society is also largely indebted to Mr. Donald A. King for the permission to reproduce the valuable contents of certain papers he contributed to the Halifax Philatelist.

The lists of Canada and Newfoundland, the only two of the Colonies now using distinct stamps, have been completed to the end of June, 1889.

The same mode of illustration by the Autotype process, which proved successful in the case of the “Stamps of Oceania,” has been adopted on the present occasion, and is undoubtedly the most satisfactory of all methods of reproduction in fac-simile which have come under the notice of the Society.

August, 1889.

PRELIMINARY NOTES.

By E. D. BACON.

Before laying before the members of the Society the few official notices I have collected in reference to the Stamps of the North American Colonies, I purpose prefacing what remarks I have to make in each case with a short resumé of the history of each of the provinces. These historical particulars are taken for the most part from The Colonial Office List for 1889, and are supplemented by additions from one or two other works of reference.

British Columbia is situated on the north-west coast of North America, and comprises the territory between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coast; bounded on the north by the 60th parallel, and on the south by the United States, the average breadth being about 250 miles, and the length of coast line 450 miles. The area (including Vancouver and Queen Charlotte Islands) is about 341,000 square miles.

British Columbia was constituted a Crown Colony in 1858, owing to the large immigration consequent on the discovery of gold in that year. Vancouver Island, discovered in 1592 by Juan de Fuca, was leased to the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1843, and made a Crown Colony in 1819. In 1866 the colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island were united, and on July 20th, 1871, British Columbia entered the Dominion of Canada. Vancouver Island is sometimes called Quadra, after the Spanish commandant on the coast of the mainland, at the time that the island was visited, in 1792, by the British naval officer, Captain George Vancouver, from whom it derives its more usual name.

The earliest issue of The Government Gazette, British Columbia, I have been able to find in this country is that of January 7th, 1865. This number contains the following notices:

The above no doubt first appeared in The Gazette about the middle of June, 1864; but, as is customary with similar notices, copies were published in subsequent numbers, and in this case continued to appear until the latter end of 1865. Not having been fortunate enough to find a file of The Gazette for 1861—the year the Two Pence Halfpenny stamp is said to have been first issued in—I am unable to give the exact day this stamp came into use. I am inclined to think the stamp was first solely used to prepay letters sent between New Westminster, the capital of British Columbia, and Victoria, the capital of Vancouver Island. If this was so, we see from the first of the above notices that this rate was raised one halfpenny in June, 1864. It is apparent from the second notice that whatever distance the old 2½d. rate formerly paid, it was done away with or raised in the above month, as the stamp was to be sold at 3d., pending the arrival of a new one bearing the higher value. Perhaps it is as well for collectors that the idea of surcharging the Two Pence Half penny stamp 3d. did not enter the Postmaster’s head, or there is no telling how many varieties we should have had to add to our albums if the surcharge differed in type, as it probably would have done. The escape was no doubt due to the fact that at that time surcharges on stamps were few in number, and most likely altogether unknown to the Postal authorities of British Columbia. This Two Pence Halfpenny stamp is certainly admissable into a collection as a provisional Three Pence, provided it, or the paper it is attached to, is postmarked after June 19th, 1864. Another curious point in connection with the above notices is to know how the newspaper rate of one penny was prepaid. The second notice distinctly says, “All Letters and mail matter liable to postage must be prepaid.... There will be issued for the prepayment of postage the postage stamps at present in use.” Was this Three Penny provisional divided in any way like so many of the other North American Colonies stamps, or was the postage, even in face of the notice, prepaid in coin? One of these two alternatives naturally suggests itself to have been the case. I have never seen or heard of a copy of this stamp divided; but as it could have been only employed for newspapers sent by two special routes, the use of the stamp would probably be small, and the fact that it was found upon newspapers alone[7] would account for the disappearance of specimens. We shall see from the next notice I give that the provisional Three Penny stamp was in use down to the 1st November, 1865. This notice is taken from The Gazette for October 21st, 1865, and runs as follows:

The new postage stamp mentioned in the above is obviously the Three Pence, blue, with large fancy letter “v” and Crown in the centre, which is catalogued by M. Moens as issued on the 20th June, 1861, the date, we have seen, the provisional Three Penny stamp came into use. Like that provisional, I think it is possible the Three Pence, blue, may also have been divided to prepay the one penny newspaper rate; but future research will, I hope, definitely determine in each instance whether or not such was the case.

The following list of Post-offices, with the names of the Postmasters, was published in The Gazette, for April 14th, 1866. The list is chiefly interesting as showing upon what a small scale the Postal Service of the country then was, as at that time there were only sixteen Post-offices opened throughout the whole colony.

LIST OF POST OFFICES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

On March 20th, 1867, an Act was passed which changed the currency of the colony to the decimal system of cents and dollars. On March 13th, in the same[8] year, a new Postal Ordinance Act also became law. The following clauses are taken from the latter:

I have been unable to find any notice in The Gazette of the issue of stamps surcharged with the value in cents, but they probably came into use at the time the above Act was passed, or shortly afterwards. In The Gazette for January 18th, 1868, there is a notice giving certain Postal rates in cents, and stating that “letters, papers, &c., for Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland, must be prepaid in the Postage Stamps of the colony.” So it is evident, from the plural word used, the Cents stamps were then in use. This set, as we know, consisted of the following values: 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 cents and 1 dollar. It is possible all the values may not have appeared at once, but they are usually catalogued as one issue. As we see from Clause X. of the Postal Ordinance 1867 Act, the Two Cents value prepaid newspapers alone, which accounts for the stamp being so rarely met with postmarked. Looking at the list of letter rates in Clause IX., we should expect to find a Twelve and a Half Cents stamp, but, as we know, no such value was issued. Here again I can only suggest that the Twenty-five Cents may have been divided, or the Five Cents cut in two, and used in conjunction with a Ten Cents or two Five Cent stamps to make up the required rate. The stamps of British Columbia were withdrawn from use on July 20th, 1871, on the admittance of the colony into the Dominion of Canada. Mr. N. Shakespeare is the present Postmaster of Victoria.

REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.

Issue I. 1861.

One value. Engraved and type-printed by Messrs. De La Rue and Co., of London, on white, unwatermarked, slightly-surfaced paper; white gum. Design: Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of horizontal lines. Above and below the head are a straight and a curved label of solid colour—one with convex, and the other with concave ends. The upper labels are inscribed “BRITISH—COLUMBIA &,” and the lower ones “VANCOUVERS—ISLAND” respectively, all in small white Roman capitals. On either side are straight white labels, with rounded ends, inscribed in coloured Roman capitals—“POSTAGE” on the left, reading upwards; and “TWO PENCE—HALFPENNY” in two lines on the right, reading downwards. The remainder of the stamp is filled in with reticulations, and[9] two outer lines of colour complete the design. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustration 1.)

(A) Imperforate.

(B) Perforated 14.

Remarks.—No postmarked copy of the imperforate variety is known to the Society. The perforated stamp, although bearing the face value of Two Pence Halfpenny, was sold at Three Pence, and did duty provisionally for this latter value from 20th June, 1864, until 1st November, 1865, when it was replaced by the Three Pence, blue, of the next issue.

Issue II. 1st November, 1865.

One value. Engraved and type-printed by Messrs. De La Rue and Co. on white slightly-surfaced paper, watermarked Crown and CC; white gum; machine perforated 14. The sheet is composed of 240 stamps, divided into four panes, each containing sixty stamps, arranged in six horizontal rows of ten. Design: Ornamental letter “v,” representing “Victoria,” with heraldic rose inside, thistle on the left, and sprig of shamrock on the right, surmounted by Gothic crown; is enclosed within a white oval band, inscribed “BRITISH COLUMBIA POSTAGE” above and “THREE PENCE” below, the two inscriptions being separated by a star-like ornament at either side. The remainder of the stamp is filled in with a diaper pattern, the corners being rounded, and the design is completed by a single outer line of colour. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustration 2.)

Issue III. 13th March (?), 1867.

Six values. All of the same design, and printed from the same die as the preceding issue, but with the values in the altered currency, surcharged in a straight line across the bottom of the stamp. The paper is white wove, watermarked Crown and CC, and the perforation is 14 or 12½. Like the preceding issue, each sheet contains 240 stamps, which are similarly disposed. The values are printed as follows: “TWO CENTS,” in black block type; “5 CENT 5,” in black Roman capitals; “10 CENTS 10,” in blue Roman capitals; “25 CENTS 25,” in violet Roman capitals; “50 CENTS 50,” in carmine Roman capitals; “1 DOLLAR 1,” in green Roman capitals. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustrations 3, 4, 5.)

(A) Perforated 14.

(B) Perforated 12½.

Remarks.—The Two Cents has not been met with perforated 12½, by the Society.

[10]

VANCOUVER ISLAND.

Issue I. July, 1865.

Two values. Engraved and type-printed by Messrs. De La Rue and Co. on white wove paper, watermarked Crown and CC; white gum. Designs: FIVE CENTS. Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of horizontal lines, within a circle. Above and below are curved labels of solid colour, inscribed with white block letters. Conventional ornaments in spandrels, and outer border filled in with chequers. Ten Cents. Same portrait of Her Majesty in circle; straight coloured label above, inscribed with white block letters; white label with rounded ends below, with coloured block letters. Floriate ornaments in spandrels. An outer line of colour completes the design of each value. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustrations 6, 7.)

T. “VANCOUVER ISLAND.” B. “FIVE CENTS.” “TEN CENTS.”

(A) Imperforate.

(B) Perforated 14.

PRELIMINARY NOTES.

By E. D. BACON.

Canada is said to have been discovered by Sebastian Cabot in 1497, but this is not certain. In 1525 the French took possession of the country in the name of the king of France, and ten years later Cartier explored the St. Lawrence, so naming that splendid river from having entered it on St. Lawrence’s Day.

In 1608 Quebec, the first settlement, was founded. The town succumbed to the British forces under General Wolfe, and in 1763 the whole territory of Canada was ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris.

In 1791 an Act of Parliament was passed dividing Canada into two Provinces, Upper Canada (now Ontario) and Lower Canada (now Quebec), and establishing a constitution for each. The provinces were afterwards re-united in 1840.

THE DOMINION OF CANADA.

The Provinces of Ontario and Quebec (formerly constituting the Colony of Canada), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, were by “The British North American Act, 1867,” formed into one Dominion. This Act was brought into force by Royal Proclamation, bearing date the 27th of May, 1867. On the 15th of July, 1870, the newly-formed province of Manitoba; on the 20th of July, 1871, the colony of British Columbia; and on the 1st of July, 1873, that of Prince Edward Island, were successively admitted to the Dominion, Newfoundland now alone, of all the North American Colonies, retaining its independence.

As far as I have been able to discover, Post-office notices relating to the issue of stamps were not published in The Canada Gazette with other official matter. The number of The Gazette for March 8th, 1851, contains a long notice, stating that on April 5th following the management of the Inland Posts would be transferred to the control of the Provincial Government, and that the new rates of postage would then come into force. We learn from the report of the Postmaster-General of Great Britain for 1857 what those rates were; for we read:

I should add, the local rate of ½d. did not come into use until 1857. In giving these extracts from the Postmaster-General’s Report, I have invariably altered the[12] rates to their proper currency value, as they are given in the list at “about” the sterling equivalent.

The rates to England in operation on May 1st, 1856, probably earlier, were:

We know from the extract from the Report of the Postmaster-General of Canada for 1851, given further on in the Society’s list, that the first stamps consisted of a Three Penny, Six Penny, and One Shilling, and that these three values were issued shortly after April 1st. Taking into consideration the notice I have mentioned, it seems probable the issue took place on April 5th, 1851. I can give no new information about any of the later issues, and I shall conclude my remarks on this province by giving some postal statistics taken from The Colonial Office List, 1889, which prove to what a huge system the Post-office establishment of the Dominion has grown. We find, however, the present expenditure greatly exceeds the revenue, owing, I am told, to the desire of the Government to extend postal facilities as widely as possible. I understand some changes have been made by an Act passed this year, one of which abolishes the privilege hitherto granted to Canadian newspapers of free transmission by post to subscribers from the publishing office.

The number of letters sent in the year ending 30th June, 1887, was 74,300,000; of post cards, 16,356,000; and of newspapers (other than those sent from the office of publication, which are all carried free), periodicals, parcels, &c., 31,160,000. The number of newspapers sent from the office of publication was about 60,000,000; the number of letters per head of population was 15.24; the number of offices was 7,534; the revenue for 1887 was $2,603,255, and the expenditure $3,458,100. There is weekly mail communication with Great Britain viâ Quebec or Halifax, and twice a week viâ New York. There is a through daily service by the Canadian-Pacific Railway to the Pacific Coast.

The present rates of postage are as follows:

There is a Parcels Post to Newfoundland, the United States, and Europe. The present Postmaster-General is the Hon. J. G. Haggart.

REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.

Issue I. 5th (?) April, 1851.

Three values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by Messrs. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson, of New York, on thin white paper; laid horizontally in the case of the Three Pence, and vertically in the other two values; brownish[13] gum. Designs: Three Pence.—Beaver on bank of river; trees in the distance, with sun shining above them; oval coloured frame, broken at the top by a Royal Crown, beneath which are heraldic flowers, with “V” on the left and “R” on the right. The oval is inscribed with white Roman capitals. In each spandrel is an arabesque and the Arabic numeral of value. Two plain outer lines complete the design. Six Pence.—Nearly full face bust portrait of Prince Albert, in military uniform, looking to right, within coloured oval, lettered in white Roman capitals. Heraldic flowers on either side separate the upper and lower portions of the inscription. Arabesques and Arabic numeral of value in each spandrel; border of two plain outer lines. Twelve Pence.—Three-quarter face bust portrait of Queen Victoria on ground of horizontal lines, looking to left, with diadem and necklace within coloured oval, inscribed in white Roman capitals; a Crown on either side separating the upper and lower parts of the inscription. Arabesques and Arabic numerals of value in each spandrel; border of two plain outer lines. Shapes: small oblong rectangular for the Three Pence; small upright rectangular for the Six Pence and Twelve Pence. (Illustrations 8, 9, 10.)

T. “CANADA POSTAGE.” B. “THREE PENCE,” “SIXPENCE,” “TWELVE PENCE.”

Remarks.—In The Halifax Philatelist for July, 1888, a copy of the official order notifying the issue of these three stamps is given. It is as follows:

Issue II. 1852.

Three values. Identical in type with the preceding, but printed upon white wove paper. The paper varies considerably in substance, especially in the Three Penny value, which ranges from stout to nearly pelure. The latter value is also found printed upon closely-ribbed thin paper. (Illustrations 8, 9, 10.)

(A) Wove paper.

(B) Closely-ribbed thin paper.

Remarks.—The Twelve Pence has not been catalogued before as found upon wove paper, but undoubted used copies have been seen by members of the Society.

Issue III. 1855-57.

Three values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by Messrs. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson on white wove or closely-ribbed paper; brownish gum. Designs: Ten Pence.—Profile bust portrait of Jacques Cartier to right, on ground of horizontal lines, within an oval, coloured border, inscribed with white Roman[14] capitals. A cluster of leaves on the left and a beaver on the right separate the upper inscription from the lower; cross-hatched spandrels. In the upper “8d. STG.,” or sterling; in the lower “10 CY.,” or currency, in white. Outer border of two plain, coloured lines. Seven Pence Halfpenny.—The same portrait of Queen Victoria as in the Twelve Pence of the first issue, within coloured oval frame, inscribed with white block letters, the upper inscription now reading “CANADA PACKET POSTAGE.” The upper and lower left spandrels are inscribed “6d. STG.,” or sterling; and the upper and lower right spandrels “7½d. CY.,” or currency, all in white, on coloured cross-hatched ground. Outer border of two plain lines. Halfpenny.—Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of horizontal lines, in oval frame, lettered with white Roman capitals; reticulated spandrels; outer border of two plain lines. Shape, small upright rectangular. (Illustrations 11, 12, 13.)

T. “CANADA POSTAGE.” B. “TEN PENCE,” “SIX PENCE STERLING,” “ONE HALF PENNY.”

(A) Wove paper.

(B) Closely-ribbed thin paper.

Remarks.—Two soi-disant provisionals have been chronicled; viz., the Halfpenny surcharged in black—one with an Arabic numeral “1,” and the other with “8d. STG.” The Society can furnish no information concerning these two stamps; but supposing the surcharges to be genuine, they are probably only notifications of insufficient postage applied after the letters were posted.

With regard to the portrait on the Ten Pence, tradition has always assigned it to Jacques Cartier; but in the Catalogue of the Collection of Stamps, &c., in the Museum at the Berlin Post Office, it is given as that of Sebastian Cabot. However, as the same catalogue pronounces the portrait on the Six Pence of issue I. to be that of Lord Elgin, it is probably equally incorrect in the former case, more especially as a writer in The Halifax Philatelist for July, 1888, says “it is identically the same as that of all the existing portraits of Jacques Cartier, and totally unlike those existing of Sebastian Cabot.”

In the same article on Canadian Stamps in The Halifax Philatelist an extract from the Postmaster-General’s Report for the year 1855 is given, showing us the reason for the issue of the Ten Pence value. It was, “To promote the general convenience in prepaying letters to Great Britain at the new rate, postage stamps of the value of 10 pence currency, equal to 8 pence sterling, were procured and issued for sale.” The same article gives the following extracts from the Postmaster-General’s Report for 1857: “To facilitate the prepayment of letters passing from Canada to England by the Canadian steamers, a new stamp bearing the value of 6 pence sterling, or 7½ pence currency, being the Canadian Packet rate, has been secured and put in circulation.” The article goes on to say, “This stamp was rendered necessary on account of the contract between the Canadian Government and the Allan Line of Steamers in regard to carrying the mails, and by which contract the postage was reduced.” The other extracts read: “A new stamp has also been introduced of the value ½ penny to serve as the medium for prepaying transient newspapers.” “Moreover, the Department has been led by the increasing use of postage stamps to take measures for obtaining the Canadian Postage Stamps[15] on sheets perforated in the dividing line in the manner adopted in England, to facilitate the separation of a single stamp from the others on a sheet when required for use.”

Issue IV. 1857.

Three values. Previously described, but machine-perforated. (Illustrations 8, 9, 13.)

(A) Laid paper. Perforated 12.

(B) Closely-ribbed thin paper. Perforated 12.

(C) Wove paper. Perforated 12.

Sub-variety. Perforated 13.

Remarks.—The Seven Pence Halfpenny, green, and Ten Pence, blue, perforated, exist in the collection of a well-known Parisian collector. The authenticity, however, of the perforations appears to be doubtful.

Issue V. 1st July, 1859, and 1st August, 1864.

Six values. Printed by the American Bank Note Co., and consisting of the previous designs, slightly modified in order to change the currency from pence, to cents. One Cent.—The same as the One Halfpenny, save for the alteration in value. Two Cents.—Almost the same design as the One Cent, but differing somewhat in the spandrels, each of which contains an oval, with Arabic numeral of value. This stamp was not issued until 1st August, 1864. Five Cents.—Same design as the Three Pence, with substitution of the new value and numerals of value and small ornaments between the two portions of the inscriptions. Spandrels cross-hatched. Ten Cents.—Same design as the Sixpence, with substitution of the new value, and the Roman numeral “X” in each spandrel. Twelve and a Half Cents.—Same design as the Seven Pence Halfpenny of 1857, with substitution of the new value in the spandrels only. Seventeen Cents.—Same design as the Ten Pence of 1835, with substitution of the new value in the oval, and in the lower spandrels. The leaves and beaver which separate the inscription in the Ten Pence are replaced by small oval ornaments. The paper of this issue varies considerably in substance, and the perforation is 12. Shapes: small oblong rectangular for the Five Cents; small upright rectangular for the other five values. (Illustrations 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.)

Varieties.—(A) The Five Cents has been met with imperforate. (B) The Five Cents is also known cut in half and used with a Ten Cents to make up the “packet” rate of 12½ Cents.

ENVELOPES.

Two values. On paper laid obliquely, watermarked “Ca” above “P.O.D.” (Canadian Post Office Department?), in double-lined letters, repeated twice in each[16] envelope. Size, 5½ × ¼ inches. Yellowish gum, extending nearly the length of the flap. The stamp is embossed in the right upper corner. Design: Diademed head of Queen Victoria to left in white relief, on ground of solid colour, enclosed within a narrow oval band inscribed in Roman capitals, in white relief, “CANADA POSTAGE” at the top, and the value in words at the bottom. Shape of stamp, small upright oval. (Illustrations 20, 21.)

(A) On yellowish-white laid paper. Flap rounded.

(B) On bluish-white laid paper. Flap more pointed than in Variety A.

THE DOMINION OF CANADA.

Issue I. March and April, 1868.

Seven values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by the British-American Bank Note Company, of Montreal and Ottawa, on white wove paper, varying greatly in substance, or on white laid paper; white gum; machine perforated 12. Designs: The central design is the same in each value, and consists of a diademed profile portrait of Queen Victoria to right, on background of horizontal lines, enclosed within a narrow circular white line. The borders, the shape of the labels, and the position of the numerals, vary in each value. Shapes, small upright rectangular for the Half Cent, large upright rectangular for the other six values. (Illustrations 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.)

T. “CANADA POSTAGE.” B. “HALF CENT,” “ONE CENT,” “TWO,” “THREE,” “SIX,” “TWELVE AND A HALF,” “FIFTEEN CENTS.”

(A) White wove paper.

(B) White horizontal laid paper.

(C) Bluish-white wove paper.

Remarks.—The One Cent, yellow, on laid paper, is not known to the Society. It is taken from The Halifax Philatelist for July, 1888, page 74. Some of the stamps on wove paper have been catalogued with a watermark, consisting of various letters. It is probable these letters are portions of the name of the papermaker, which most likely exists in the margin of the sheets. The Half Cent, on bluish paper, is taken from the sixth edition of M. Moens’ Catalogue.

Issue II. 1870-1874.

Five values.—Engraved and printed in taille-douce by the British-American Bank Note Company on white wove paper, varying in substance; white gum; machine perforated 12. The entire sheets contain 100 stamps, each in ten rows of ten. The size of the stamps and the designs are similar to that of the Half Cent of the preceding issue, except as regards the borders of the stamps, which[17] differ for each value. The Six Cents was not issued until January, 1872; while the Ten Cents did not make its appearance until the end of 1874. (Illustrations 29, 30, 31, 32, 33.)

Varieties.

Remarks.—The Halifax Philatelist, in its number for February, 1887, mentions that the Three Cents exists in very dark brown, almost black. The specimen seen was unused, and purchased among others from the Post Office. Probably the change in colour is due to oxidation, or some other accidental cause.

Issue III. 1875-1876.

One Value. Similar in design to the stamps of the two last issues. The stamp first appeared on October 1st, 1875, with large dimensions, like those of Issue I.; but in March, 1876, the size was reduced to that of the stamps of Issue II. The perforation of both varieties is 12. (Illustrations 34, 35.)

(A) Large size.

(B) Small size.

Issue IV. 1877-1880.

One value. The Fifteen Cents of Issue I. printed in modified colours. The perforation remains 12. (Illustration 28.)

Issue V. July, 1882.

One value. A Half Cent stamp of similar design to that of Issue I., but of much smaller dimensions; printed upon white wove paper, and perforated 12. The stamp was produced by the same firm as the preceding issues, and the sheet contains 100 stamps, in ten rows of ten, as before. (Illustration 36.)

Issue VI. 1888.

Three values. Consisting of the Two and Ten Cents, Issue II., and the Five Cents, issued in March, 1876, with the colours modified. The Two Cents was described in the Philatelic journals of the above year as printed from a new die, but on comparing the stamp carefully with that first issued, no alteration can be discovered in the design. (Illustrations 30, 35, 33.)

[18]

REGISTRATION STAMPS.

Issue I. November 15th, 1875.

Three values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by the British-American Bank Note Co. on white wove paper; white gum; machine-perforated 12. Design: an engine-turned cartouche, with scalloped edges at top and bottom, and labels, with value in full, at the two ends. Small straight label above inscribed “CANADA;” large curved label in centre, with “REGISTERED,” and smaller curved label below, with “LETTER STAMP,” all in white Roman capitals. Large Arabic numeral of value in the upper corners. Shape, narrow oblong rectangular. (Illustration 37.)

Variety.

Remarks.—The Eight Cents was withdrawn from circulation in January, 1878. The Five Cents imperforate is taken from The Halifax Philatelist for November, 1888. With regard to the much disputed Two Cents, brown, the members of the Society think they cannot do better than reproduce here the interesting article published in the above-mentioned paper for January, 1888, upon this stamp.

The members have not had an opportunity of examining any of the specimens referred to in Mr. King’s paper, so they are unable to give an opinion upon them. At the same time it should be stated that copies of this stamp are frequently met with showing traces of oxidation; some changed completely to brown or even black in colour. It seems therefore probable that the specimens described by Mr. King may be referred to the same category.

OFFICIAL STAMP FOR RETURNED LETTERS.

1879 (?).

The stamp in shape is a large oblong rectangular, printed in taille-douce upon white wove paper, and perforated 12. The design consists of a straight label of solid colour inscribed, in white block letters, “OFFICIALLY SEALED;” above this are the words “POST OFFICE CANADA,” in a curved line; and below the label “DEAD LETTER OFFICE,” also in a curve, both inscriptions being in small coloured Roman capitals. The rest of the design is composed of engine-turning, with ornaments of a trefoil character in the four corners. (Illustration 38.)

Remarks.—The only information the Society can give about this stamp is contained in an article in The Halifax Philatelist for December, 1887, which is reproduced here for the benefit of those collectors who may not have seen it.

ENVELOPES.

Issue I. End of 1877.

Two values. On white paper, laid obliquely, without watermark; yellowish gum, extending nearly the whole length of the flap, which is pointed. The stamp is embossed in the right upper corner. Design: Diademed head of Queen Victoria to left in white relief, on ground of solid colour, enclosed by an oval band inscribed in Roman capitals, in white relief, “CANADA POSTAGE” at the top, and the value in words at the bottom. Shape of stamp, large upright oval. (Illustrations 39, 40.)

Size A. 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ inches.

Size B. 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ inches.

Issue II. 1881.

Two values. Similar in all respects to the last issue, except that the flap is tongue-shaped, instead of being pointed. (Illustrations 39, 40.)

Size A. 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ inches.

Size B. 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ inches.

Issue III. 1888.

Two values. Same as the last issue, but the paper is rosy-white in tint. (Illustrations 39, 40.)

Size A. 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ inches.

Size B. 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ inches.

Remarks.—The envelopes and wrappers of Issues I. and II., and the cards of Issue V., are frequently met with, with the stamp surcharged in red, blue, or black with the word “OFFICIAL” or “SERVICE,” and sometimes the arms of Great Britain are found added to the left of the stamp, and “HEAD QUARTERS—63RD RIFLES” in two lines lower down, to left. These surcharges are in no way official, but merely due to private speculation.

[21]

WRAPPERS.

Issue I. May, 1875, to end 1881.

One value. On light buff and yellowish-white wove unwatermarked paper. The stamp is impressed at the right side of the wrapper, about two and a half inches from the top. Design: Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to right upon a background of horizontal lines, enclosed within an oval band of solid colour contained between two white lines, the inner one of which has ornaments running round the central oval. The band is inscribed in Roman capitals “CANADA POSTAGE” above, and “ONE CENT” below. At either side, between the two inscriptions, are small circles containing a fancy Arabic numeral of value. Above and below the circles are conventional ornaments, and beneath the bottom ones a small Maltese cross. Shape of stamp, an upright oval. The wrappers are gummed at the reverse side in a straight line along the top. The gum used is brown or white in colour, and the quantity employed varies greatly in different specimens. Two sizes of the wrappers are known. (Illustration 41.)

Size A. 9³⁄₁₀ × 5 inches.

Size B. 11 × 5 inches. (End 1881.)

Variety. With the stamp printed to left. (May, 1878.)

Remarks.—The band with stamp to left is taken from The Sixth Edition of M. Moens’ Catalogue, where the size is given as 290 × 165 mm. This variety is unknown to the members of the Society.

Issue II. 1882.

One value. On light buff, straw, or cream-coloured wove unwatermarked paper. Size, 11 × 5 inches, varying slightly in the dimensions. The stamp is impressed in a similar position to that found on Issue I., and the design is a modification of the type of that issue. The principal alterations made are found in the circles at the sides containing the numeral of value. These have now no ornaments at the top; while those at the bottom, with the Maltese crosses, are replaced by other conventional ornaments of a different pattern. The central oval of the stamp has no ornaments running round it. (Illustration 42.)

(A) On light buff paper.

(B) On straw paper.

(C) On cream paper.

Issue III. 1887.

One value. On cream or straw wove unwatermarked paper, of the same dimensions as the preceding issue. The design of the stamp is once again modified. It is more like that found on the wrapper of Issue I., but there is no wavy line round the interior of the oval, and the numeral of value in the circles has a white line at either side of the figure. (Illustration 43.)

(A) On cream paper.

(B) On straw paper.

[22]

OFFICIAL WRAPPER.

One value, consisting of the wrapper of Issue I., size A, with inscription to the left of the stamp in three lines as follows: First, “INLAND REVENUE, CANADA,” in fancy letters, with capital initials; second, “WEIGHTS & MEASURES SERVICE,” in tall thin Roman capitals; third, “Official Circular,” in italic letters. There is an ornamental wavy line between the first and second, and second and third lines. Lower down to left is the word “TO,” followed by two ruled straight lines, the bottom one being somewhat shorter than the other. Beneath these lines for the address is the following notice, “This band is to be used on Her Majesty’s Service only, and must have no writing thereon but the name and address.” At the top of the wrapper the equivalent French translation of the preceding inscriptions is given. The whole of the legend is printed in blue, of a lighter shade than the stamp. (Illustration 41.)

Remarks.—The wrappers of Issues I. and II. are found with the stamp surcharged across the centre with the word “OFFICIAL” or “SERVICE,” in black or blue ink. See the remarks appended to Issue III. of the envelopes.

POST CARDS.

Issue I. June (?), 1871.

One value.—Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note Company upon light buff card; size, 4½ × 3 inches. At the top are two lines of inscription. First, “CANADA POST CARD,” in Roman capitals; second, “THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,” in block letters. Lower down are three ruled lines, diminishing in length, and the first is headed by the word “TO” in fancy script type. Between the last line and the frame at the bottom of the card, in the centre, is “British-American Bank Note Co., Montreal and Ottawa,” in small type. The stamp is in the right upper corner. Design: Diademed head of Queen Victoria to right, upon ground of horizontal lines, within a dotted circle, which is surrounded by an ornamental frame. The corners are filled in with horizontal lines, and in the centre of each is a small trilobed figure with three balls within a circle. At the bottom of the stamp is a straight label of solid colour, with rounded ends, inscribed “ONE CENT,” in Roman capitals. The card is completed by an engine-turned frame; size, 4⅓ × 2½ inches. The inscription and the label of value at the bottom of the stamp are in darker colour than the rest of the design. The cards are separated on the sheet by thin coloured lines running the whole length of the cards. (Illustration 44.)

Issue II. 1876.

One value. Similar to Issue I., but the inscription at the bottom of the card is altered to “British-American Bank Note Co., Montreal,” and the cards are separated on the sheet by short lines of colour at the centre of the sides of the cards. (Illustration 44.)

[23]

Issue III. 1st January, 1877.

One value. Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note Company upon light buff card; size, 4⁷⁄₁₀ × 3 inches. The inscription is in four lines at the top of the card. First, “CANADA POST CARD,” in ornamental Roman capitals, arched; second, “TO;” third, “UNITED KINGDOM,” in italic Roman capitals; fourth, “THE ADDRESS ONLY,” &c., in block letters. Lower down “TO,” in fancy script type, and three dotted lines for the address. At the centre of the card at the bottom, in small type, is “British-American Bank Note Co., Montreal.” The stamp is in the right upper corner. Design: The design resembles the stamp on Issue I., but the circle containing the head is enclosed by a plain line. The corners are differently filled in, and the label of value is more ornamented. The frame of the card is composed of three-quarter discs, with larger ornaments of a different nature at the four corners; size, 1³⁄₁₀ × 2⅗ inches. (Illustration 45.)

Issue IV. July (?), 1879.

One value. Similar in all respects to the last issue, except as regards the inscription and stamp. The inscription is in three lines, as follows: 1st, “UNION POSTALE UNIVERSELLE,” each word commencing with a Roman capital; 2nd, “CANADA POST CARD,” in Roman capitals, the initial letter of each word being in larger type than the rest; 3rd, “THE ADDRESS ONLY,” &c., in block letters. The stamp is larger, and above and below the circle containing the head are small arched labels of solid colour, inscribed “CANADA” and “POSTCARD” respectively in Roman capitals. The label containing the value is larger, and the remainder of the design is different. (Illustration 46.)

Issue V. June, 1882.

One value. Impressed upon light buff card. Size, 5¹⁄₁₀ × 2⁹⁄₁₀ inches. At the top of the card is an arched scroll, inscribed “CANADA POST CARD,” in coloured Roman capitals; and below this, in a straight line measuring 2¹⁷⁄₂₀ inches, “THE ADDRESS TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,” in block letters. The stamp, type of that on the wrapper of Issue II., is placed in the right upper corner. The card is without frame. (Illustration 47.)

Issue VI. 1888.

One value. Printed upon light buff card as last, but the stamp is replaced by one of the same type as that found on the wrapper of Issue I.

Remarks.—This card has not been seen by the Society. It is taken from the third supplement in M. Moens’ Catalogue.

Issue VII. 1888.

One value. Impressed upon light buff card, like the previous issue; but the stamp is similar in type to that found upon the wrappers of Issue III. The line of directions, “THE ADDRESS TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,” measures only 2¾ inches. (Illustration 48.)

[24]

Remarks.—In 1887 several of the Philatelic Journals described another variety of the One Cent card, having the inscription at the top of the stamp altered to “CANADA POST CARD” in place of “CANADA POSTAGE.” The reply card was also said to have been issued with the same modification in the stamp. Neither of these cards is known to the Society, and their existence has since been denied.

REPLY PAID CARDS.

Issue I. December 20th, 1882.

One value. Precisely similar to the single card of Issue V., except that the second half has the word “REPLY” in block letters beneath the scroll. The cards are folded along the top, and the design is impressed upon the first and third pages.

Issue II. 1885.

One value. Similar to the last issue, but the stamps are impressed in the left upper corners of the cards.

Issue III. 1888.

One value. Corresponding in all respects to Issue VII. of the single cards; but the second half has the word “REPLY” in block letters beneath the scroll. The cards are folded along the top, and the design is impressed upon the first and third pages.

OFFICIAL CARD.

For the use of the Customs Postal Package Office for notifying to the adressè the arrival of a package liable to duty. A notice form is printed at the back of the card in black, with spaces left for the particulars to be inserted by hand. The face of the card has nothing whatever upon it.

Remarks.—The cards of Issue V. are met with, with the stamp surcharged “OFFICIAL” or “SERVICE,” &c. &c.; but, as stated in the remarks after Issue III. of the envelopes, the surcharges are in no way official.

PRELIMINARY NOTES.

By E. D. BACON.

New Brunswick is situated between 45° 5′ and 48° 5′ N. lat., and 63° 47′ and 67° 53′ W. long.; its area is about 27,105 square miles. It is connected with Nova Scotia by a low isthmus. New Brunswick, in the early part of the last century, belonged to the French, and was called by them New France. At the peace of 1763 New Brunswick, with the rest of Canada, was ceded by France to Great Britain, and was annexed to Nova Scotia until 1785, when it was erected into a separate colony. It was first colonized by British subjects in 1761, and in 1783 by disbanded troops from New England.

We learn from the following notice, which appeared in The Royal Gazette, published at Fredericton, New Brunswick, on September 10th, 1851, that the introduction of postage stamps into this colony took place on September 6th of that year:

Besides giving us the exact day the stamps came into use, the above notice is interesting as proving which shade of the One Shilling was first issued. One would hardly call any of the stamps of this value pink, as officially designated, but the majority of them are a pinkish-mauve; and these were undoubtedly the stamps referred to in the notice, while the darker shades of mauve, or dull violet, are those of later printings.

[26]

The Report of the Postmaster-General of Great Britain for 1857 furnishes us with a list of the Postal rates of the Colony in force at the time of the introduction of postage stamps. It says:

Mr. John Howe held the position of Postmaster-General until May 30th, 1856, when an Act came into force which made the office a political one. Mr. Francis M’Phelim was then appointed in his place, and Mr. Howe became Postmaster of the city of St. John on June 12th in that year. Mr. F. M’Phelim resigned office on June 8th, 1857, and was succeeded by Mr. John Mercer Johnson, jun. The latter resigned on November 2nd, 1858, when Mr. Charles Connell took office. Mr. Connell resigned on May 19th, 1860, and was succeeded by Mr. James Steadman. Mr. A. S. Phair was the Postmaster of Fredericton during these and several future years. Mr. Stephen J. King is the present Inspector of Post-offices, and Mr. E. Willis the Postmaster at St. John. As many collectors are aware, all three stamps of the first issue are found cut in two, diagonally, and used for half their original values. The Three Pence is also known cut in half, parallel to one of the sides of the stamp; and the Six Pence exists divided into four equal triangular pieces, each part being used as a Three Halfpenny stamp, in conjunction with a whole Six Penny, to make up the postal rate of 7½d. I have been unable to find any official notice in The Royal Gazette authorizing the use of any of these mutilated stamps; but an interesting article, published in The Philatelic Record for October, 1886, clearly shows the reason for the bisection of the Three Pence. As the article points out, no half specimen of this value is known used by itself, but the variety is always found obliterated in connection with other Three Pennies or a Six Penny stamp. The paper then goes on to say the half stamp was used to make up the letter rate to England, which was 6d. sterling the ½ ounce, equal to 7½d. currency, or for letters forwarded viâ the United States and British Packet, 8d. sterling, equal to 10d. currency. I have found out that the former rate was in existence on May 1st, 1856, and it had probably been in use some time previous to that date. The latter rate came into operation on January 1st, 1857. Besides the letter rates to England, we learn from the following notice, published in The Royal Gazette for September 16th, 1857, that two of the new rates on Pamphlets, mentioned therein, could only be made up by using half the Three Penny stamp with some of the other values.

[27]

There is no stipulation that the above rates must necessarily be prepaid, and I have no doubt from the following notice, which was published in the British Postal Guide for October 1st, 1859, that correspondence between the United Kingdom and all the North American Colonies was frequently forwarded either wholly or only partly prepaid from both sides.

A similar notice had previously appeared in the Postal Guide with reference to Canada, and one was published later on in connection with letters for Prince Edward Island.

This addition of a fine of 6d. upon unpaid or insufficiently prepaid letters would naturally cause senders to be anxious to see their correspondence properly stamped, and consequently a good many more cut stamps would be required after the appearance of this notice, which no doubt was published in New Brunswick the same as in this country. We should therefore expect to find a greater number of half Three Pennys postmarked after October 1st, 1859, than previously to that date. As regards the bisection of the Six Pence and One Shilling values, there was not the same raison d’être; but the varieties are probably due to one or perhaps both of these causes: (a) The public seeing the Three Pence was allowed to be used in this way, may have concluded the two other stamps might be similarly employed, and not having the value by them they required at the moment, manufactured it out of either the Six Pence or One Shilling. (b) Or it may be that certain Post-offices fell short of Three Penny and Six Penny stamps, and issued the halves of the two higher values provisionally until a fresh supply of the required value was obtained. Whatever was the true cause of these varieties, whether they emanated from the public or were issued in this state by the Post-office, they were certainly allowed by the postal officials to frank correspondence. I can add no further information about the half Three Penny stamp surcharged 1½d., beyond that found in the article in The Philatelic Record, I have already[28] mentioned, and the remarks in a supplementary paper in the number of that journal for January, 1887. I entirely agree with the conclusions the writer comes to; viz., that the authenticity of the surcharge is open to grave doubt, and that in all probability the variety is altogether “bogus.” At the same time the author is perhaps in error when he says the charge for delivering letters in the towns of Fredericton and St. John in 1857 was 1d. each, and not 1½d. It is true the Postmaster-General’s report for that year speaks of 1d. as the sum charged, but we must bear in mind that this is probably 1d. sterling (all the other rates being quoted in this way), which would therefore equal 1¼d. currency, and 1d. would most likely be given in the list as the nearest equivalent for 1½d. currency. Again, the remark “that when the cents issue took place in 1860 no stamp was issued anywhere approaching to the value of 1½d.” is equally applicable to the value 1d., as the Two Cents stamp was, according to the catalogues, not issued until quite the end of the year 1863.

The annexed notice is found in The Royal Gazette for August 3rd, 1859:

The postage on the above must, I think, have been prepaid in money until the issue of the One Cent stamp in May, 1860; for it is difficult to see how a halfpenny value could have been improvised out of the three stamps then current.

From the following notice, taken from The Royal Gazette for January 19th, 1859, it will be seen New Brunswick was one of the first, perhaps the earliest colony, to start a Parcels Post.

[29]

I have now exhausted all the new information I have collected concerning the Postage Stamps of New Brunswick, and I have no further particulars to give you about the stamps issued in 1860, beyond what we find mentioned further on in the Society’s list; neither can I add anything to the history of the Five Cents “Connell” stamp so carefully related in the paper reproduced from The Halifax Philatelist. The stamps of this Colony became obsolete on the 27th of May, 1867, upon the formation of the Dominion of Canada.

REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.

Issue I. September 6th, 1851.

Three values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co., of London, on stoutish blue wove paper, varying in colour from deep to pale blue; yellowish gum, imperforate. Design: In the centre, in an octagonal-shaped cartouche, with engine-turned border, is the Royal Crown. Above, below, and on either side, is an eight-rayed star, containing the heraldic flowers of the United Kingdom. The upper and lower have the rose, that on the left the shamrock, and that on the right the thistle, the rose in the lower star being inverted. A curved white line surrounds the stars, the angles formed by which are filled in with floral ornaments; engine-turned background. Reticulated side labels, inscribed with name of Colony in plain Roman capitals; “POSTAGE” in plain block letters, and the value in various type. That on the Three Pence is in plain Roman capitals, and in block letters on the other two values. In the Six Pence both the word “POSTAGE” and the value show a line of colour down the centre of each letter. Plain lozenge in each corner of the stamp, with coloured Arabic numeral of value. Shape, lozenge. (Illustrations 49, 50, 51.)

Upper left border, “NEW;” upper right, “BRUNSWICK;” lower left border, “THREE PENCE,” “SIX PENCE,” “ONE SHILLING;” lower right, “POSTAGE.”

Varieties.—The Three Pence exists upon white paper, but the variety is only due to the discharge of the blue colouring matter from the paper, as the stamp was never printed upon white. Each of the values is met with cut in two, and used as half the value of the stamp so mutilated. The Six Pence is also known divided into four triangular pieces, each quarter being used, in conjunction with a whole Six Pence, to make up the postal rate of 7½d. These bisected stamps were used to prepay the postage rate to the United Kingdom, which in 1857 was reduced to 7½d.; and as there was no stamp of this value in use, recourse had to be made to these varieties. The Three Pence has been seen divided obliquely, and surcharged in red “1½.” The same surcharge is also said to exist in black. Neither of these two stamps has come under the notice of the Society; but from certain remarks contained in two articles, which may be found in The Philatelic Record, vol. viii. pp. 165 and 219, there can be little doubt that the surcharge is “bogus.”

Issue II. May 15th, 1860.

Five values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by the American Bank Note Company, of New York, on white wove paper; brownish gum; machine[30] perforated 12. The entire sheet of each value contains 100 stamps, arranged in ten rows of ten. There is no engraver’s name found on the margins of the sheets of the four lowest values, but the Seventeen Cents has “American Bank Note Co., New York,” on the edges of the sheet. This value and the Five Cents were not issued until after the other three stamps. Designs: One Cent.—Railway train, within transverse coloured oval band inscribed in white Roman capitals. Small slanting ovals in the upper, and larger upright ovals in the lower corners, with white Arabic numeral of value. Curved octagonal label below, with “CENT” in white Roman capitals. The remainder of the stamp is filled in with fine hatched lines, with border of two plain coloured lines. Five Cents.—Diademed, nearly full-face portrait, of Queen Victoria looking to left, on ground of horizontal lines, within an upright coloured oval, lettered in white Roman capitals. Small slanting ovals in the upper, and larger upright ones in the lower corners, with white Arabic numerals of value. Oblong octagonal label below, with “CENTS” in white Roman capitals. The spandrels are filled in with hatched lines, and two outer lines of colour complete the design. Ten Cents.—Similar to last, but small slanting ovals in the spandrels, with Roman numeral in white. The bottom corners of the stamp contain small octagonal coloured labels, with white Arabic numerals of value. Twelve and a Half Cents.—Steamer sailing to right in transverse oval, lettered with white Roman capitals. Small octagonal labels in the upper, and larger circular ones in the lower corners, containing Arabic numerals of value in white. Beneath the oval is a curved octagonal label with “CENTS” in white Roman capitals. The spandrels are filled in with hatching, and two outer lines of colour complete the design. Seventeen Cents.—Nearly full face portrait of the Prince of Wales in Highland costume looking to right, within a coloured upright oval lettered with white Roman capitals. Small transverse ovals in each corner, with Arabic numerals of value in white. Straight oblong octagonal label below the oval, with “CENTS” in white Roman capitals. Spandrels filled in with hatching, and border of two outer coloured lines. Shapes, small oblong rectangular for the One and Twelve and a Half Cents; small upright rectangular for the other three values. (Illustrations 52, 53, 54, 55, 56.)

T. “NEW BRUNSWICK POSTAGE.” B. “ONE CENT,” “FIVE,” “TEN,” “TWELVE AND A HALF,” “SEVENTEEN CENTS.”

Remarks.—The reason the Five Cents was not issued at the same time as the One, Ten, and Twelve and a Half Cents stamps was, that Mr. Charles Connell, who was Postmaster-General of the Colony at that time, had ordered his own portrait to be engraved upon this value. It will be seen from the interesting correspondence Mr. King gives in The Halifax Philatelist for June, July, and August, 1888, which is reproduced here, that the Council disapproved of the design, and refused to allow the stamps to be distributed. Mr. Connell was ordered at the same time to obtain a fresh supply of Five Cents stamps with the head of Her Majesty. The Connell Five Cents can therefore only be looked upon as a stamp prepared for use, notwithstanding postmarked copies are known, as it is quite clear from Mr. King’s article the stamp was never issued to the public. In design, it is almost similar to the[31] Ten Cents, but the head of Her Majesty is replaced by a full face portrait of Charles Connell, and the numerals in the spandrels are Arabic, instead of Roman in type. The stamp was produced by the American Bank Note Company, of New York, printed in Vandyke-brown upon white wove paper, and perforated 12. Imperforate copies exist, but these can be looked upon only as proofs. (Illustration 57.)

Issue III. May (?), 1863.

One value.—Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co. of New York, upon white wove paper; brownish gum, machine-perforated 12. The entire sheet consists of one hundred stamps, arranged in ten rows of ten; and the name of the engravers appears in the margins of the sheet. Design: The same portrait of the Queen as in the Five Cents of the last issue, in a somewhat larger oval. Upright coloured ovals in each corner, containing Arabic numeral of value in white. The remainder of the stamp is filled in with arabesques. Shape, small upright rectangular. (Illustration 58.)

T. “NEW BRUNSWICK POSTAGE.” B. “TWO CENTS.”

PRELIMINARY NOTES.

By E. D. BACON.

Newfoundland is an island situated between 46° 37′ and 51° 39′ N. lat., and 52° 35′ and 59° 25′ W. long., on the north-east side of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The greatest length from north to south is 350 miles, and average breadth about 130; its estimated area is 40,200 square miles. The coast of Labrador, on the Continent, is now included in the Colony. It comprises about 120,000 square miles, but has only 4211 inhabitants. The island was discovered by John Cabot in 1497. It was as early as 1500 frequented by the Portuguese, Spanish, and French, for its fisheries. Sir Walter Raleigh and others, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, attempted to colonize this island, but were not successful. In 1623, Sir G. Calvert, afterwards Lord Baltimore, established himself in the south-east part of the island, and appointed his son Governor. In 1634, a party of colonists were sent over from Ireland, and twenty years after some English colonists arrived, having emigrated by means of a Parliamentary grant. At the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, subsequently ratified by the Treaty of Paris, the exclusive sovereignty of Newfoundland was ceded to Great Britain, subject to certain rights reserved to France, which are still in question between the two nations. As already mentioned, Newfoundland is now (1889) the only North American Colony not included within the Dominion of Canada.

Newfoundland has never possessed an Official Gazette, but Government notices appear in the newspaper The Royal Gazette and Newfoundland Advertiser, published at St. John’s. The earliest file of this newspaper, with the exception of one or two odd numbers, I have found in this country commences with the year 1875, so I have been unable to gain any particulars about the stamps of this Colony from that source. The Report of the Postmaster-General of Great Britain for 1857 I have before quoted from tells us:

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[40] year usually given as that in which the first issue took place. The present rates of postage are as follows:

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.)

Variety.

Remarks.—A specimen of the One Penny in the Vice-President’s collection is pin-perforated, but no information is available as to the authenticity of this stamp. Two sets may be made of the One Penny, Three Pence, and Five Pence. The first is found on fairly thick white wove paper, and the second on paper which is thinner and more transparent. A close examination will also show that the two papers are quite different in texture. The paler shades of the One Penny and[41] Five Pence, which appeared in 1863, are found on the thinner paper. All three values are appreciably smaller in size than those printed on the thicker paper, but whether this is due to shrinkage of the paper, or to the engraving of a new plate, is doubtful. The same shade of green was used for the Three Pence in both sets. M. Moens catalogues the Six Pence Halfpenny and Eight Pence as issued with this set; but these two values are not known to the Society as existing in the early shade of orange. The stamps of this series printed in orange, and those of the next set, are frequently met with with the colour changed to brown or even black. These varieties are simply due to oxidation.

Issue II. 1860(?).

Six values. Consisting of the Two Pence, Four Pence, Six Pence, and the One Shilling of the preceding issue, with two new values of Six Pence Halfpenny and Eight Pence added. The central designs of these two latter are similar to those of the other stamps, but the minor details vary. The colour of the four first stamps is changed from orange to scarlet-vermilion. (Illustrations 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66.)

Variety.

Issue III. 1862.

Six values. Similar to those of the last issue, but with the colour changed to a dull lake. (Illustrations 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66.)

Remarks.—The Eight Pence of this set, although printed, is said not to have been issued to the public. Several of the values are scarce used, but forged obliterations are not uncommon, as well as copies postmarked by favour.

Issue IV. January, 1866.

Six values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by the American Bank Note Co., of New York, on yellowish and white wove paper; machine-perforated. The sheet of the Two Cents (the only one seen by the Society) contains one hundred stamps in ten rows of ten. Designs:

Two Cents. Cod-fish swimming to left on shaded ground of horizontal lines, within a transverse oval band of solid colour, inscribed in white Roman capitals “NEWFOUNDLAND” above, “TWO CENTS” below, and “TWO” at either side. Ornamental circles break the oval at each corner, and contain the Arabic numeral of value on coloured ground.

Five Cents. Seal on ice-floe, with icebergs in the background. Two curved coloured labels above—the first inscribed “FIVE 5 FIVE,” with an oval at each end with Arabic numeral of value; and the second, “NEWFOUNDLAND” in white Roman capitals. Straight label at the bottom of the stamp, with value in full in white Roman capitals and Arabic numeral at either end.

Ten Cents. Nearly full-faced portrait of the Prince of Wales in military uniform looking to right, on ground of horizontal lines, within a fancy ornamental frame. Curved label above inscribed “NEWFOUNDLAND,” and a similar one below with value in full, all in white Roman capitals.

[42]

Twelve Cents. Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, on ground of horizontal lines, within an oval garter inscribed with the name of the Colony and value in full in white Roman capitals.

Thirteen Cents. Schooner sailing to right. Curved label above with the name of the Colony, and straight label below with value in full in white Roman capitals. Ornaments at sides broken by coloured circles, with white Arabic numerals of value.

Twenty-four Cents. Full-faced diademed portrait of Queen Victoria on ground of cross hatched lines, within a white octagonal frame. Scroll above with name of Colony and label below with “CENTS” in white Roman capitals. On either side of the word “CENTS” is a white bordered oval with Arabic numerals of value on ground of horizontal lines. Side borders and a few ornaments complete the design. Shapes: Oblong rectangular for the Two, Five, and Thirteen Cents; upright rectangular for the other values. (Illustrations 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72.)

(A) On yellowish paper. Perforated 12.

(B) On white paper. Perforated 12.

(C) Rouletted.

Remarks.—The latter variety is taken from The Halifax Philatelist for July, 1888, page 82. The Five Cents of this and also of issues V. and VII. has been seen perforated 14, but no explanation is forthcoming of a kind of mystery which appears to overhang these specimens. There is some doubt as to their authenticity.

Issue V. 1868-70.

Four values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce, by the American Bank Note Co., of New York, on white wove paper; machine perforated. Designs: One Cent. Three-quarter-face portrait of the Prince of Wales in Highland costume, looking to the right, on ground of wavy lines, within a shaded oval frame inscribed below “NEWFOUNDLAND” in white Roman capitals, and above with the letters “N. F.” Over the upper portion of the oval is a scroll with value in full in white Roman capitals, Arabic numeral of value in the two bottom corners. Three and Six Cents. Profile bust portrait of Queen Victoria to right in widow’s weeds, on shaded background of horizontal lines within an arched frame. Two curved labels above, inscribed respectively “THREE” (“SIX”) and “NEWFOUNDLAND.” Curved label below with value in full, all in white Roman capitals. Scroll ornaments in each corner, the upper ones containing Arabic numerals of value and the lower ones small five-rayed stars. Shape: Upright rectangular. The Five Cents is the same design as that of the preceding issue, with the colour changed. (Illustrations 73, 74, 68.)

(A) Perforated 12.

(B) Perforated 10½ (?).

(C) Rouletted.

Remarks.—The variety of the Five Cents, rouletted, is taken from the same paper as that of the previous issue. Neither of these stamps has come under the notice of the Society.

[43]

It is somewhat peculiar that after issuing a stamp in 1866 with portrait of the Prince of Wales arrived at manhood, another should have been issued nearly three years later representing him as a little boy.

Issue VI. 1871-1873.

Two values. In May, 1871, a new die was engraved for the One Cent of 1868. The chief alterations noticeable are in the face of the Prince of Wales, and the letters “N. F.,” which are closer to the scroll. On April 1st, 1873, the Three Cents of the last issue appeared with its colour changed to blue. The perforation of both stamps is 12. (Illustrations 75, 74.)

Issue VII. 1876-1879.

Four values. Similar to the preceding values as regards designs, but the stamps are rouletted. The Five Cents also has its colour changed to blue. The One Cent is printed from the plate of the last issue. (Illustrations 75, 67, 74, 68.)

Issue VIII. Early in 1880.

Four values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by the British-American Bank Note Company, of Montreal, on white wove paper; machine-perforated 12. The entire sheet of each value contains 100 stamps, arranged in ten rows of ten. These stamps are coarse imitations of those printed by the American Bank Note Company. Designs: One Cent.—Three-quarter face portrait of the Prince of Wales in Highland costume looking to right, on ground of horizontal lines, within inscribed oval. Ornamented circles in the upper corners, lettered respectively “N” and “F;” ornamental numerals of value below. Two Cents.—Cod fish on background of horizontal lines; curved inscribed labels above and below; ornamental scrolls in lower corners with numerals of value. Three Cents.—Portrait of Queen in widow’s weeds to right, on ground of horizontal lines; curved label above, and straight label below, inscribed with white Roman capitals. Circles in upper corners with numerals of value; side ornaments, resembling thigh bones. Five Cents.—Seal on ice-floe; curved label above, and straight label below, inscribed in white Roman capitals. Circles in lower corners with numerals of value; ornamental border. Shapes, upright rectangular for the One and Three Cents, oblong rectangular for the other two values. (Illustrations 76, 77, 78, 79.)

T. “ONE CENT.” B. “NEWFOUNDLAND.” T. “NEWFOUNDLAND.” B. “TWO,” “THREE,” “FIVE CENTS.”

Remarks.—The Two Cents was not issued until two or three years after the other values.

Issue IX. Early in 1888.

Six values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by the British-American Bank Note Co., of Montreal, on white wove paper; yellowish gum; machine-perforated 12. The entire sheet of the Ten Cents contains fifty stamps, arranged[44] in five vertical rows of ten; while those of the other five values are composed of one hundred stamps each, in ten rows of ten. Designs: Half Cent.—A plain upright shield, with ground of horizontal lines, shaded at either side; bears in the centre, the head of a Newfoundland dog enclosed within a pearled circle, surrounded by a circular band of solid colour, inscribed in white Roman capitals with the name of the Colony at the top, and the value “HALF CENT” at the bottom, the two last words being separated by a small upright tablet, with rounded top and pearl border, containing “½” in white Arabic numerals. Ten Cents.—Brig in full sail, to right; curved label of solid colour above, inscribed with the name of the Colony; similar straight label below with the value in full, both inscriptions being in white Roman capitals; small scroll-like ornaments at either end of the bottom label; circle of solid colour, with Arabic numerals of value at each side of the stamp. Scroll-like ornaments complete the design, which is evidently copied to some extent from the Thirteen Cents of Issue IV. The One Cent, Two, Three, and Five Cents are the same designs as the preceding issue, but with the colours changed. Shapes: Small square for the Half Cent, upright rectangular for the One and Three Cents, oblong rectangular for the other three values. (Illustrations 80, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81.)

POST CARDS.

Issue I. April 1st, 1873.

One value. Designed and printed by the American Bank Note Co., of New York, upon medium white card; size, 4⁹⁄₂₀ × 2⅕ inches. The left upper corner contains an irregular upright fancy label, with pendant. The label bears a large capital coloured Roman letter “N” upon ground of coloured horizontal lines. The pendant is broken in the centre by an ornamental circle, containing the word “TO” in coloured early English characters. At the top of the card, in the centre, is an ornamental scroll, the left end of which is wound round the right side of the label just described. The scroll bears “EWFOUNDLAND” in coloured fancy capitals. Below the scroll there is a straight ornamental label, inscribed “POST CARD” in white fancy capitals, upon ground of coloured horizontal lines. Beneath the label is “THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE,” in coloured slanting capitals, in a straight line; lower down three ruled lines for the address, each one of which is shorter than the one above it. The stamp is in the right upper corner of the card, and is of the same type as the One Cent adhesive, issue 1871. The groundwork of the card is filled in with innumerable interlaced circles, and crossing these are a number of straight lines which converge towards the left bottom corner. The design of the card is completed by an ornamental border, with rounded corners. The border is broken at the bottom, in the centre, by a small label with rounded ends inscribed “AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO., N.Y.,” in white Roman capitals, and the corners contain large fancy white crosses. Size of border, 4½ × 2½ inches. (Illustration 82.)

Issue II. June, 1879.

One value. Designed and printed by the American Bank Note Co., of New York, upon thick white card. Size, 5¹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₂₀ inches. At the top of the card is the inscription in three lines: 1st, Universal Postal Union in coloured fancy letters, the word Universal being curved, with ornamental lines above and below; 2nd,[45] “NEWFOUNDLAND. TERRE-NEUVE,” in coloured slanting block letters; 3rd, “POST CARD,” in white fancy capitals on a coloured ornamental label, the ground of which is filled in with horizontal lines. Lower down three ruled lines for the address, each one of which is slightly longer than the one above it. The stamp, which is similar in type to the Three Cents adhesive (issue July, 1870), but with the value changed to Two Cents, is in the right-upper corner. The design of the cards is completed by a fancy border, with large ornaments at the four corners. Size, 4⁹⁄₁₀ × 2⁹⁄₁₀ inches. Outside the border, at the bottom of the card, and in the centre, is the name of the makers in small coloured Roman capitals. (Illustration 83.)

Issue III. January (?), 1880.

One value. Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note Co., of Montreal, upon medium light buff card. Size, 4⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ inches. The inscription, which is at the top of the card, is in three lines: 1st, “Universal Postal Union,” in a curved line in coloured fancy letters; 2nd, “NEWFOUNDLAND TERRE NEUVE,” in coloured slanting block letters, also curved; 3rd, “POST CARD,” in white fancy capitals on a coloured ornamental label, with groundwork composed of horizontal lines. Below the label there are three dotted lines for the address, each one of which is shorter than the one above it. The stamp is in the right upper corner. Design: Three-quarter face portrait of Queen Victoria to left, in widow’s weeds, resting her head upon her right hand, on ground of horizontal lines, within a plain circular band, which is filled in with fine lines. The circle is surrounded by an ornamental frame, principally filled in with vertical lines. At the bottom there is a straight label of solid colour, bearing the value, “TWO CENTS,” in white Roman capitals. The design of the card is completed by a fancy border, measuring 4½ × 2⅘ inches. Inside the frame, at the bottom of the card, in the centre, is the name of the designers, in small coloured letters. (Illustration 84.)

Issue IV. July, 1880.

One value. Designed and printed by the British-American Bank Note Company, of Montreal, upon medium light buff card; size, 4¾ × 2⁹⁄₁₀ inches. The design is a somewhat poor copy of the first issued card. The scroll at the top with the name of the Colony is a little altered, and the word “TO” is in different type, upon a groundwork formed of diagonal lines. The stamp is replaced by the type of the One Cent, adhesive, issue 1880, and the groundwork of the card consists of interlaced circles and ovals only. The frame is altogether different, and the name of the makers is placed outside the bottom of it in the centre on a narrow label; size of frame, 4⅕ × 2¹¹⁄₂₀ inches. (Illustration 85.)

Issue V. May (?), 1889.

One value. Issued provisionally, pending a fresh supply of Two Cents cards. It consists of the One Cent card of the preceding issue, with the stamp surcharged across the centre in black “2 CENTS,” with Arabic numeral and Roman capitals, two straight bars at the top obliterating the original value, and an Arabic numeral “2” over the figure “1” at each bottom corner of the stamp.

PRELIMINARY NOTES.

By E. D. BACON.

Nova Scotia is a peninsula between 43° 46′ N. lat., and 61° 67′ W. long., connected with New Brunswick by an isthmus about 14 miles wide. Its length is about 300 miles, and its breadth about 100 at its widest, with much variation. The island of Cape Breton, separated by the Gut of Canso, forms part of the province. It contains an area of 20,907 square miles, about one-fifth part of which consists of lakes, rivers, and inlets of the sea.

Nova Scotia was discovered by John Cabot in 1497; it was colonized by the French in 1598, who gave it the name of Acadia. It was taken by the English, and a grant of it made to Sir W. Alexander by James I. in 1627; and it was this monarch who altered the name to Nova Scotia. In 1632 it was restored to France, with Quebec, by the Treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye, but again ceded to England at the Peace of Utrecht, in 1714. After the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748, a settlement of disbanded troops was formed there by Lord Halifax, and the city which now bears his name is the capital of the province. Cape Breton was not finally taken from the French until 1758. From 1784 to 1819 it formed a separate Colony.

Thanks to Mr. Donald A. King’s persevering assiduity in hunting up official notices, and other particulars connected with the stamps of this Colony, we have from him what may be considered almost a complete history of their introduction and use. His papers are most interesting and valuable, as they elucidate many previously obscure points in regard to these stamps, and I think the Society has acted wisely in republishing them as they originally appeared in The Halifax Philatelist. Amongst other information Mr. King gives from the Report of the Postmaster-General of Nova Scotia for the year 1852 occurs this sentence: “Postage stamps valued at One Shilling, Six Pence, and Three Pence have been procured from Trelayney Saunders, Esq., stationer, of London.” Trelawney (as the name should be spelt) Saunders is given in Kelly’s Post Office London Directory of 1851 as a “mapseller, publisher, and stationer, agent by appointment for the ordnance maps and admiralty charts,” &c. &c.; and his address was 6, Charing Cross. He it was who evidently received the order from the Colony for a supply of postage stamps, which he must have entrusted to Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co. to carry out, as it was this latter firm who engraved the stamps.

Mr. King gives an extract from one of the Reports, which authorizes the bisection of the Three Pence to allow the prepayment of the 7½d. rate to England; but the Report states distinctly the Three Penny stamp was alone to be used for[47] that purpose. As in the case of New Brunswick, both the Six Pence and One Shilling are found bisected. The Nova Scotia varieties are probably due to the same causes as those I have given for the former Colony. The following particulars found in the Report of the Postmaster-General of Great Britain, published in 1857, will give us the early postal rates of Nova Scotia:

The present Inspector of Post-offices is Mr. C. J. Macdonald, and the Postmaster at Halifax Mr. H. W. Blackader. The stamps of this Colony became obsolete on May 27th, 1867, the date of the formation of the Dominion of Canada.

Before giving a detailed list of the stamps of Nova Scotia, the Society thinks it would be advisable to reproduce here the excellent articles upon the stamps of this Colony from the pen of Mr. Donald A. King, which were published in The Halifax Philatelist for December, 1887, January and December, 1888. Most of the information Mr. King gives is entirely new to collectors, and he traces back the date of the first issue from 1857, the year it has previously been put down at in the catalogues, to September 1st, 1851.

POSTAGE RATES FROM NOVA SCOTIA IN THE YEAR 1854.

LIMIT OF WEIGHT ¼ OUNCE.

LIMIT OF WEIGHT ½ OUNCE.

The following figures show the increase in the sale of postage stamps in Nova Scotia in the first four years after their introduction, viz.:

An increase of five hundred per cent.—The Halifax Philatelist, vol. ii., page 7.

REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.

Issue I. September 1st, 1851.

Three values. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co., of London, upon stoutish blue wove paper; yellowish gum, imperforate. Design: The design is almost exactly similar to that of the first issue of New Brunswick, but the lower star contains a mayflower, the heraldic emblem of the Colony, instead of a rose inverted. The name of the Colony is in block type on[53] all three values; “POSTAGE” and the value in Roman capitals on the Three Pence, and block letters on the Six Pence and One Shilling. The word “SIXPENCE” has a coloured line down the centre of each letter. Shape, lozenge. (Illustrations 86, 87, 88.) Upper left border, “NOVA;” upper right, “SCOTIA;” lower left border, “THREE PENCE,” “SIX PENCE,” “ONE SHILLING;” lower right, “POSTAGE.”

Varieties.—All three stamps are found cut in two and used for half the nominal values, although, as we see from Mr. King’s paper, the Three Pence was alone authorized to be mutilated in this manner.

Remarks.—The colour of the paper varies considerably, from deep blue to almost white.

All the surcharges catalogued on the stamps of this issue may be put down to obliterations, or as due to fraud. (Vide Mr. King’s papers.)

Issue II. May 1st(?), 1853.

One value. Engraved and printed in taille-douce by Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co., upon stoutish blue wove paper; yellowish gum, imperforate. Design: Diademed almost full-face portrait of Queen Victoria looking to left, within a single plain-lined lozenge-shaped frame with engine-turned background. The spandrels are filled in with arabesque ornamentation, in which four eight-rayed stars, that are cut in half by the lozenge-shaped frame, figure prominently. At the top, bottom, and two sides there are narrow coloured bands, composed of diagonal crossed lines, containing inscriptions in plain Roman capitals. Plain square blocks in the four corners, with coloured Roman numeral of value. Shape, square. (Illustration 89.)

T. “NOVA.” B. “SCOTIA.” R. “POSTAGE.” L. “ONE PENNY”—both the latter reading downwards.

Remarks.—Specimens of this stamp are known upon white paper, but, like the Three Pence of New Brunswick, the variety is only due to the discharge of the blue colouring matter from the paper.

This is the only stamp of Nova Scotia Mr. King is unable to give the exact day of issue of. A note in The Philatelic Record, vol. x. page 48, states that the first supply was sent over to the Colony by Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co. in April, 1853; so the issue most likely took place on or about May 1st in that year.

Issue III. October 1st, 1860.

Five values. Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co., of New York, on yellowish or white wove paper; yellowish gum, machine-perforated, 12. Designs: One Cent and Five Cents.—Diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, upon a background of horizontal lines, crossed by diagonal lines behind the head, within a circle composed of a plain white and a fine coloured line, arched scrolls of diagonal lines, crossed above and below, following the shape of the circle; curved labels of solid colour in the centre of the scrolls on the Five Cents value only. The scrolls of the One Cent and labels of the Five Cents are inscribed, in white Roman capitals, with the name of the Colony above and the value in words below. The remainder of the design is completed by arabesques and foliate ornamentation,[54] which encompasses the two scrolls and the circle. Eight and a Half, Ten, and Twelve and a Half Cents.—Diademed full-face portrait of Queen Victoria on background of horizontal and diagonal crossed lines, within an upright oval. Vertically-lined arched scrolls above and below, for the two lower values, inscribed with the name of the Colony above and the value in words below in white Roman capitals. The Twelve and a Half Cents has the upper inscription upon a curved label of solid colour, placed in the centre of the scroll. The lower inscription is in block letters, upon a straight octagonal label of solid colour. The remainder of the designs are filled in with arabesques and foliate ornamentation, which differ for each of the three values. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustrations 90, 91, 92, 93, 94.)

T. “NOVA SCOTIA.” B. “ONE CENT,” “FIVE,” “EIGHT & ½,” “TEN,” AND “TWELVE & ½ CENTS.”

(A) On yellowish paper.

(B) On white paper.

Varieties.—(A) The Five Cents is known cut in two diagonally, and used for the County Postage of Two Cents.

(B) The Ten Cents exists cut diagonally, and is also found cut perpendicularly, each half serving as Five Cents.

Remarks.—The bisected varieties are unknown to the Society, but they may be found described in Mr. King’s last paper.

Issue IV. May 11th, 1863.

One value. Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co., on white wove paper; yellowish gum, machine-perforated 12. The design is exactly the same as that of the One Cent of the last issue, excepting the value. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustration 95.)

T. “NOVA SCOTIA.” B. “TWO CENTS.”

Remarks.—Some very dangerous and well-executed forgeries of this and the previous set of stamps exist. They are quite as well engraved as the real stamps, and were it not that the designs are of somewhat smaller dimensions, they would be most difficult to detect.

PRELIMINARY NOTES.

By E. D. BACON.

This island is situated between 46° and 47° N. lat., and between 62° and 64° W. long. Its area is about 1,380,000 acres; it is about 140 miles long, and 34 its greatest breadth. It was discovered by Sebastian Cabot, 1497; it was first settled by the French, but was taken from them in 1758. It was annexed to Nova Scotia in 1763, but, on the petition of its inhabitants, was constituted a separate colony in 1770. By an Act passed in 1798, which came into operation 1st February, 1799, the island received its present name from Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

The introduction of postage stamps into the Colony took place on January 1st, 1861, as the following notice from The Royal Gazette of that date, published at Charlottetown, proves:

We see from this notice the first issue consisted of three stamps, forming five values with the two provisionals. Those first issued were evidently the Two Pence, Three Pence, and Six Pence, perforated 9, as they are the only values found with this large perforation. With regard to the two provisionals, Mr. T. K. Tapling’s collection contains a specimen of the Three Halfpenny, but I have never seen the bisected Two Pence. The latter probably could only be employed for the prepayment of books, &c., and consequently the stamps would get destroyed. It may be also this provisional was soon replaced by the One Penny, orange-yellow, when there would be no further call for its use. The disappearance of the variety, although in this case we know the stamp was so used, naturally strengthens the suggestions I have thrown out as regards the bisection of the Two Pence Halfpenny and Three Penny stamps of British Columbia for the prepayment of newspapers.

[56]

I am unable to give the date of issue of the One Penny and Nine Pence, as I have found no mention of these two stamps in The Royal Gazette; but the file I have had access to is a very incomplete one, several years being missing altogether from the series. The Nine Pence currency stamp, equal to 6d. sterling, was evidently issued for the prepayment of letters to England, as the ½ oz. rate for letters between the two countries at that time was 6d. sterling. Here let me remark that the currency of the island was apparently more depreciated than that of the other North American Colonies, where we have seen 7½d. currency was equal to 6d. sterling.

The next notice, taken from The Royal Gazette for October 22nd, 1868, shows us the reason for the issue of the Four Penny stamp, which came into use at this date or shortly afterwards.

Mr. Thomas Owen became Postmaster-General on April 30th, 1867, in place of Mr. Peter Des Brisay, who succeeded Mr. L. C. Owen. Mr. John Andrew McDonald was appointed to the office on January 15th, 1869, in place of Mr. Thomas Owen, deceased.

The Royal Gazette for May 27th, 1870, contains the following:

And in the issue of The Royal Gazette of June 10th, 1870, this notice is found:

[57]

The first of these two notices gives us the approximate date and cause of issue of the Three Pence sterling (4½d. currency), brown stamp. It is possible the stamp was not ready for issue on June 1st, as Mr. Tapling’s collection contains a copy of the Nine Pence cut in half and used as 4½d. This variety is said to have been taken off a letter sent to England in 1870, so it is possible the Nine Pence was bisected and used provisionally previous to the issue of the brown stamp. If this was so, and the new stamp was not ready at the alteration of the rate, the issue no doubt took place shortly afterwards. This Four Pence Halfpenny stamp was engraved by the British American Bank Note Co., of Montreal and Ottawa; the earlier stamps of the Colony being produced by Charles Whiting, printer, of Beaufort House, Strand, London. It was this Mr. Whiting who sent in so many essays and suggestions to the Government previous to the introduction of postage stamps in Great Britain. As collectors know, many of these designs are beautiful works of art compared with the mean engraving of the stamps of Prince Edward Island, but perhaps the price offered for the stamps at the time they were ordered had a good deal to do with their poor workmanship.

In 1871 an Act was passed to establish a decimal system of currency in the Island, which came into operation on January 4th, 1872. I have found no notice in The Gazette of the issue of the set of stamps with the values in cents, but if they were not issued on the same day as the above Act became law, they came into use shortly afterwards. The stamps of this Colony were withdrawn from use on July 1st, 1873—the date the Island was admitted into the Dominion of Canada.

REFERENCE LIST OF THE PHILATELIC SOCIETY, LONDON.

Issue I. January 1st, 1861.

Five values. Lithographed (?) and printed by Mr. Chas. Whiting, of London, upon medium white wove unwatermarked paper (that used for the stamps first issued being yellowish in tone); white gum. The entire sheet of each value contains thirty stamps arranged in six horizontal rows of five, excepting the Two Pence, which has sixty in six horizontal rows of ten. Designs: The same diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left does duty for all five stamps, and the inscriptions are all in white block letters. The One Penny has the head upon a reticulated background, enclosed within a band of solid colour, which touches the four sides of the stamp, and is curved at the four corners. The band is inscribed at the left top and right side with the name of the Colony and the word “POSTAGE,” and at the bottom with the value in words. The four corners of the stamp contain small conventional ornaments, and an outer line of colour completes the design. Two Pence.—The head of Her Majesty rests upon a reticulated background of a different pattern to that of the One Penny, and is enclosed within a circular band of solid colour, inscribed with the name of the Colony above and “POSTAGE” below. Straight label of solid colour at the bottom of the stamp, with the value in full. The spandrels are filled in with reticulations of the same pattern as the One Penny, and the design is completed by a single outer coloured line. The Three Pence is precisely similar to the Two Pence, but the Queen’s head is contained within an upright oval band. The Six Pence is also similar to the Two Pence, excepting that the head is enclosed within an octagonal band. The Nine Pence has Her Majesty’s head upon a similar background to the One Penny, but enclosed within a ribbon-like band of solid colour, inscribed with the name of the Colony and the[58] word “POSTAGE.” The hand is impinged upon at the bottom by a broad straight label of solid colour, inscribed in three lines “NINE PENCE CURRENCY—EQUAL TO—SIXPENCE STG.,” the first line being curved. Conventional ornaments in the upper corners, and a plain outer line of colour completes the design. Shape, upright rectangular. The One Penny and Nine Pence were not issued with the other three values, and probably did not come into use until the year 1865. (Illustrations 96, 97, 98, 99, 100.)

(A) Perforated 9. (January 1st, 1861).

Varieties.—Divided in two, diagonally, and used for half the values.

(B) Rouletted.

(C) Perforated 11, 11½, 12, and compound. (1865 ?)

Varieties.—(A) Divided in two, diagonally, and used for half the value.

(B) Imperforate, horizontally.

(C) Imperforate, vertically.

(D) Imperforate.

Remarks.—The Two Pence, rouletted, is unknown to the Society. The variety is described in The Halifax Philatelist for November, 1888, page 129. The writer says the specimen seen was used, and on part of the original envelope “it has a fine wide margin, and shows the roulette cuts plainly.”

The imperforate stamps are believed to be proofs, and not to have been issued in this state. A paper on the minor varieties found in these stamps was published in The Halifax Philatelist for September, 1888. The author is Mr. David Lang, and the article a very interesting one. The following is a reproduction of it:

Issue II. 1st November, 1868(?).

One value. Engraved and printed by Mr. Charles Whiting upon medium white wove unwatermarked paper; white gum. The entire sheet consists of thirty stamps arranged in six horizontal rows of five. Design: The same diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left, as in the preceding issue, upon background of horizontal lines. Curved scrolls of solid colour at top and bottom of the stamp, the upper inscribed with the name of the Colony, and the lower with the value in words. Beneath the top scroll a small curved label of solid colour inscribed “POSTAGE.” All the inscriptions are in white block letters. Fancy ornaments at the sides of the stamp and a single outer line of colour complete the design.[60] Shape: Upright rectangular, machine-perforated 11, 11½, 12, and compound. (Illustration 101.)

Variety. Imperforate. Probably proof.

Issue III. 1st June 1870(?).

One value. Engraved and printed by the British-American Bank Note Co., of Montreal and Ottawa, upon medium white wove unwatermarked paper; yellowish gum, machine perforated 12. Design: Diademed, nearly full face, portrait of Queen Victoria looking to left, upon background of horizontal lines, enclosed within an upright oval. Curved label of solid colour following the shape of the oval at the left, top, and right side, inscribed with the name of the Colony and the word “POSTAGE” in white Roman capitals. Arabesques in the lower corners, surrounding a background of cross-hatched lines. The left contains “3d. STG.,” and the right “CY. 4½d.” in white numerals and letters. The upper corners also contain arabesques. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustration 102.)

Issue IV. January 4th (?), 1872.

Six values. Lithographed(?) and printed by Mr. Charles Whiting, of London, upon medium white wove unwatermarked paper; yellowish or brown gum, machine-perforated 12, 12½. The entire sheet of each value consists of one hundred stamps, arranged in ten rows of ten. Designs: The same diademed profile of Queen Victoria to left is found upon all the stamps. One Cent.—The head rests upon a background of horizontal lines, surrounded by a circular band of solid colour, inscribed with the name of the Colony above and the word “POSTAGE,” below. Straight label of solid colour at the bottom of the stamp, with value in full. Small upright rectangular blocks of solid colour in the four corners, containing numeral of value. Spandrels filled in with reticulations, and a plain outer line of colour completes the design. Two Cents.—The head is upon a background of solid colour, enclosed within a narrow upright oval band of reticulations. Plain label of solid colour surrounding the upper part of the oval, inscribed with the name of the Colony and “POSTAGE.” Straight label of solid colour at the bottom of the stamp, with value in full. Square blocks of solid colour in the four corners, containing Arabic numeral of value. The remainder of the design is filled in with reticulations, with a border formed of a plain coloured line. Three Cents.—The head of Her Majesty is upon a background of horizontal lines, enclosed within a fancy trilobed band of reticulations, having over it a curved label of solid colour inscribed with the name of the Colony. Straight labels of solid colour at the top and bottom of the stamp, the lower one extending quite across. The upper bears “POSTAGE” and the bottom one the value in full. Small upright rectangular blocks in the upper corners, containing Arabic numeral of value. The rest of the design consists of reticulations and a border of a plain coloured line. Four Cents.—The head rests upon a background of solid colour, enclosed within a fancy-shaped octagonal band of reticulations. Straight labels of solid colour at top and bottom of the stamp, the upper inscribed in two lines “POSTAGE—PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,” and the lower with the value in words. Square blocks of solid colour in the four corners, containing Arabic numeral of value. The sides of the stamp are filled in[61] with reticulations, and a plain outer coloured line completes the design. Six Cents.—The Queen’s head is on a background of horizontal lines, enclosed within a fancy-shaped hexagonal band of reticulations. Two straight labels of solid colour at the top, and a similar one at the bottom of the stamp. The upper are inscribed “POSTAGE—PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,” and the bottom bears the value in words. Square blocks of solid colour in the upper corners, and similar upright rectangular ones in the lower, contain the Arabic numeral of value. Straight bands of reticulations at the sides of the stamp and a border of a plain coloured line complete the design. Twelve Cents.—Head of Queen on background of solid colour, enclosed within a band of reticulations forming a twelve-sided figure. Curved plain label of solid colour above, and a similar straight label extending the whole width of the stamp below. The upper is inscribed with the name of the Colony and “POSTAGE,” and the lower with the value in words. Square blocks of solid colour in the upper corners, with Arabic numerals of value. The rest of the design is composed of reticulations and a border of a plain coloured line. The inscriptions on all the stamps are in white block letters, excepting the values in the bottom labels of the Two, Four, Six, and Twelve Cents, which are in Roman capitals. Shape, upright rectangular. (Illustrations 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108.)

Varieties.—(A) All the values may be found with dark brown gum, which has stained the paper and given it a brownish hue. (B) All the values exist imperforate but they are probably only proofs. (C) The Six Cents is known divided in two, each half serving as Three Cents.

Remarks.—A large stock of the stamps of each issue remained in the hands of the postal authorities at the time the Island became incorporated in the Dominion of Canada. The stock was disposed of in 1874 to a speculator, who has since supplied the principal stamp dealers throughout the world.

Note by Mr. T. K. Tapling, M.P.—In The Stamp Collector’s Magazine, vol. x. p. 105, will be found an amended notice relating to the values constituting the above issue. Among them is catalogued a Ten Cents on the authority of The American Journal of Philately. Some discussion arose subsequently as to the authenticity of this value, but the mystery attaching to it seems never to have been wholly cleared up. Very few specimens were seen, and these appear to have been obtained by M. Moens from what he considered a thoroughly satisfactory source. Much doubt has been thrown upon the stamp by English writers; but a few weeks since I was shown a specimen in Mr. Pearson Hill’s collection, which he told me had been there over seventeen years. Mr. Hill’s connection with our General Post Office enabled him to get nearly all his stamps direct from Foreign and Colonial Governments, and his impression is that this stamp reached him in the same way. It is similar in design to the Three Pence of the first issue, of which it is apparently a copy, though the details are rather larger and the general appearance rougher. It is a companion in style and execution to the issue of which it is supposed to form a part, and the perforation (machine 12) is identical. The colour is dull mauve.[62] It is possible that the stamp was prepared and never issued, though even in this case Mr. Hill might quite well have had a specimen sent him with the others by the Prince Edward Island Government; but if it was merely a fraudulent speculation it seems strange that copies are, and always have been, exceedingly uncommon. I venture no definite opinion either one way or the other, and hope this short note may draw an answer from some one qualified to speak with certainty.

Since the Catalogue was printed, the members of the Committee entrusted with its publication have had the opportunity of consulting The Halifax Philatelist for the current year (1889), the numbers of which had not previously been seen by them.

The May number contains a copy of a recently-published Canadian postal notice, referring to certain alterations in the rates, &c.; and in the numbers for January and February Mr. Donald A. King has two further papers upon the stamps of Nova Scotia; while the April number contains a letter from a correspondent upon the bisected stamp of New Brunswick. The Committee consider it advisable to reproduce here all the four articles mentioned, feeling sure their contents will be of interest to philatelists, and help to add further to the completeness of the postal history of each of the provinces.

CANADA.

NEW BRUNSWICK.

“[The split stamps of New Brunswick are no doubt scarce, but they are not more so than any of the other B. N. A. Provinces. Canada seems to be the only one which did not do this, as split stamps from there are very scarce. The rate on a half-ounce Letter from Nova Scotia to Victoria was one shilling and threepence, and we presume it was the same from New Brunswick.—Editor of The Halifax Philatelist.]”

From the above letter, we can therefore add the following at the bottom of the issue of May 13th, 1860, on page 30 of the Catalogue:

Variety.—The Ten Cents is known cut in two diagonally, and also vertically.

NOVA SCOTIA.

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36

37 38 39

40 41 42 43

44

45

46

47

48

49 50 51 52

53 54 55 56 57 58

59 60 61 62 63

64 65 66 67 68

69 70 71 72 73

74 75 76 77 78

79 80 81 86

82

83

84

85

87 88 89 90 91

92 93 94 95 96

97 98 99 100 101 102

103 104 105 106 107 108