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CANADA

ITS
POSTAGE STAMPS
AND
POSTAL STATIONERY

BY
CLIFTON A. HOWES, B. Sc., F. R. P. S. L.

PUBLISHED BY
THE NEW ENGLAND STAMP CO.
BOSTON, U. S. A.
1911

CANADA

ITS
POSTAGE STAMPS
AND
POSTAL STATIONERY

BY
CLIFTON A. HOWES, B. Sc., F. R. P. S. L.

PUBLISHED BY
THE NEW ENGLAND STAMP CO.
BOSTON, U. S. A.
1911

Copyright 1911
By the New England Stamp Co.
Boston, Mass.

Press of
NEWCOMB & GAUSS
Salem, Mass.

CONTENTS

KEY TO PLATES

Plate I.

• No. 1. 6 pence, 1851.
• 2. 12 " "
• 3. 10 " 1855.
• 4. ½ penny, 1857.
• 5. 7½ pence, 1857.
• 6. 3 " 1851.
• 7. ½ penny, 1859.
• 8. 6 pence, "
• 9. 3 " "
•   10. 1 cent,  "
•   11. 2 cents, "
•   12. 10 " "
•   13. 12½  "  "
•   14. 17 " "
•   15. 5 ""
•   16. 1 cent, 1868.
•   17. ½ " "
•   18. 2 cents, "
•   19. 5 " 1859, variety.
•   20. 3 " 1868.
•   21. 5 " 1875.
•   22. 6 " 1868.
•   23. 12½  " "
•   24. 15 " "

Plate II.

• No. 25. 1 cent, 1870.
• 26. 2 cents, 1872.
• 27. ½ cent, 1882.
• 28. 3 cents, 1870.
• 29. 5 " 1876.
• 30. 6 " 1872.
• 31. 8 " 1893.
• 32. 10 cents, 1874.
• 33. 20 " 1893.
• 34. ½ cent, 1897, "Jubilee."
• 35. 50 cents, 1893.
• 36. ½ cent, 1897, "Maple Leaf."
• 37. 2 cents on 3 cents, "Port Hood Provisional."
• 38. 2 cents, 1898, "Map."
• 39. 1 cent on 3 cents (pair), "Port Hood Provisional."
• 40. ½ cent, 1898, "Numeral."
• 41. 2 cents on 3 cents, 1899, "Maple Leaf."
• 42. 2 "   "3"""Numeral."
• 43. 1 cent, 1903, "King's Head."
• 44. 2 cents on 3 cents, 1899, inverted, "Numeral."
• 45. 2 "  "3""" "Maple Leaf."

Plate III.

• No. 46.  ½ cent, 1908, "Tercentenary."
• 47. 1 " " "
• 48. 2 cents, " "
• 49. 5 " " "
• 50. 7 " " "
• 51. 10 " " "
• 52. 15 " " "
• 53. 20 " " "
• 54. 2 " 1875, Registration.
• 55. 5 " " "
• 56. 8 " " "
• 57. 10 " 1898, Special Delivery.
• 58. 1 cent, 1906, Postage Due.
• 59. 2 cents, " " "
• 60. 5 " " " "

Plate IV.

• No. 61. 6 pence, 1851, pair.
• 62. 12 " " pair from Pack collection.
• 63. 6 pence, 1851, pair.
• 64. 6 " " "
• 65. 12 " " from Worthington collection.
• 66. 6 pence, 1851, thick soft paper, from Pack collection.
• 67. 7½ pence, 1857, wide oval.
• 68. 7½ " " narrow oval.
• 69. 7½ " " pair.
• 70. 10 " 1855, pair, wide oval.
• 71. 10 " " " narrow oval.
• 72. 6 " 1859, from Pack collection.
• 73. 6 " 1851, strip of 3 on very thick soft paper, from Worthington collection.
• 74. 10 cents, 1859, black brown, from Pack collection.

Plate V.

• No. 75. 6 pence, 1851.
• 76. 6 " "
• 77. 3 " " pair.
• 78. 6 " "
• 79. 6 " "
• 80. 6 " " strip of 3 on very thick hard paper, from Pack collection.
• 81. 7½ pence, 1857, strip of three.
• 82. 12 " 1851, pair from Pack collection.
• 83. 12 " " " " " "
• 84. 12 " " from Pack collection.
• 85. 12 " " pair from Worthington collection.
• 86. 12 " 1851, wove paper, from Pack collection.
• 87. 6 pence, 1851, split, used on piece, from Pack collection.
• 88. 3 pence, 1851, ribbed paper, from Pack collection.
• 89. 12½ cents, small, from Worthington collection.

Plate VI.

• No. 90. 12 pence, 1851, on cover, from Worthington collection.
• 91. 12 pence, 1851, on cover, from Pack collection (originally in Seybold collection.)

Plate VII.

• No. 92. 6 pence, 1851, very thick soft paper, split, used on cover, from Pack collection.
• 93. 10 pence, 1855, pair, narrow oval.
• 94. 10 " " block of 4, wide oval.
• 95. 10 " " strip of 3, narrow oval.
• 96. 5 cents, 1859, block of 7, upper right corner stamp is variety. From Pack collection.
• 97. 5 cents, 1859, pair and split, used on piece, from Worthington collection.

Plate VIII.

• No. 98. 6 cents, 1868, split, used on cover, from Worthington collection.
• 99. 10 cents, 1859, black brown, split, used on cover, from Worthington collection.

Plate IX.

• No. 100. 1 cent, 1859, block of 4 imperforate.
• 101. 5 cents, " " " 4 "
• 102. 2 " " " " 4 "
• 103. 12½  "  " " " 4 "
• 104. 10 " " " " 4 "
• 105. 17 " " " " 4 "
• 106. 20 " 1893, " " 4 "
• 107. 15 " 1868, " " 4 "
• 108. 50 " 1893, " " 4 "

Plate X.

• No. 109. 10 cents, 1874, block of 4 imperforate.
• 110. 8 " 1893, " " 4 "
• 111. 6 " 1872, " " 4 "
• 112. 5 " 1897, "Maple Leaf," block of 4, imperforate.
• 113. 2 " 1898, "Map,"   " " 4 "
• 114. 2 " 1903, block of 4 imperforate.
• 115. 5 " Registered, pair imperforate.
• 116. "Officially Sealed" Label, 1905.
• 117.  "  " " 1879.

Plate XI.

• No. 118. 10 cents, 1874, strip of 10, marginal imprints.
• 119. ½ cent, 1868, " " 3, " "
• 120. 3 cents, 1870, " " 3, " "
• 121. 1 cent, 1870, block of 8, " "
• 122. 3 cents, 1870, strip of 3, " "

Plate XII.

• No. 123. 1 cent, 1870, block of 12 imperforate.
• 124. 2 cents, 1872, " " 4 "
• 125. 3 " 1870, " " 4 "
• 126. 5 " 1876, " " 4 "
• 127. ½ cent, 1882, " " 12 "

Plate XIII.

• No. 128. 3 pence, 1875 (?) perforated 14, pair used on cover, from Pack collection.
• 129. 2 cents, 1872, pair imperforate used on cover, in possession of New England Stamp Co.

Plate XIV.

• No. 130. Stamped Envelope, 5 cents, 1860.
• 131.   " "   10 ""

Plate XV. (Frontispiece).

FOREWORD

But documents and descriptions are not enough for the thorough study of any subject which concerns tangible objects, and three famous collections were inspected for first hand information upon the stamps themselves. To Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack of Lakewood, N. J., Mr. George H. Worthington of Cleveland, Ohio, and the lamented Mr. John F. Seybold, late of Syracuse, N. Y., are due not only the author's fullest thanks for opportunities freely given to examine their magnificent collections of Canada, but the debt extends to philatelists in general for thus being enabled to share, through study, description, listing and pictorial reproduction, in the results of their specializing. Mr. Pack's wonderful array of rarities, beautiful copies and remarkable series of shades has been largely used in the compilation of the stamp lists. This collection though since much enlarged and improved, obtained the gold medal at the International Philatelic Exhibition in London, 1906. Mr. Worthington's fine collection has also been used in the same way and has furnished much information concerning plate numbers and marginal imprints. Mr. Seybold's covers were particularly interesting in showing the actual use of the stamps, the cancellations employed, and various other features to be gleaned from the study of original covers, particularly of early date. Selections for illustrative purposes were made from all three collections, as will be noted.

Mr. John N. Morse and Mr. Edwin F. Sawyer, both of Boston, have very kindly placed their collections of post cards and envelopes, respectively, at our disposal for purposes of study.

Again, the philatelic press has been diligently searched for articles, stray notes, etc., which would illumine the pathway, particularly by throwing side lights on various phases of the subject. Prominent among these were the articles on Canada by Messrs. C. B. Corwin, D. A. King and J. R. Hooper in the Metropolitan Philatelist for 1890-91, and by Mr. Donald A. King in Stanley Gibbons' Monthly Journal for 1896-97.

It can readily be seen from the foregoing that the limits of a handbook were soon passed, and the question really became one of a pretentious volume which should be all that thorough research could offer and ample means produce. A glance at the present work shows that this was no small proposition, and to any one with experience in philatelic publishing it was apparent that the desired production would mean a heavy balance on the wrong side of the ledger. The author does not pose as a philanthropist, but he feels he has discovered such in the publishers of this volume. With the broad-minded policy that whatever helps Philately benefits all, even indirectly, the New England Stamp Company of Boston, having become greatly interested in the monograph, accepted the burden and became responsible for the publication of the work. The advantages of the co-operation of such a well-known firm are manifest, and the author takes great pleasure in acknowledging his indebtedness to this Company, through whose munificence it has been possible to produce this volume in its present form.

C. A. HOWES, B. Sc., F. R. P. S. L.

Boston, U. S. A.
December, 1910.

INTRODUCTION

But first let us delve a bit into earlier times and trace the development of the territory we are going to consider, as it may prove interesting for its historical value. Passing by the claims of the Norsemen in the tenth century to a somewhat vague exploration of the eastern American coast, we come to the discovery of Newfoundland by John Cabot in 1497, and it is upon this fact, in part, that England subsequently based her claim to the whole of North America. But for the most part the territory included within the well populated portion of the present Dominion was explored and settled by the French. In 1534 Jacques Cartier entered the St. Lawrence River and took possession of the country in the name of France, and in 1608 the first permanent settlement was made at Quebec by Samuel de Champlain. The name of the colony was apparently furnished by the Indians, for in the manuscript narrative of Cartier's second voyage,[1] under "Vocabulary of the natives," is found: "They call a town—Canada." Baxter says: "There can be no doubt that the word Canada is derived from Kannata, which in Iroquois signifies a collection of dwellings, in other words a settlement."[2] French control continued until the middle of the eighteenth century when, in the war with England, the decisive victory of Wolfe over Montcalm at Quebec, in 1759, practically brought it to a close, and by the treaty of Paris in 1763 Canada was permanently ceded to Great Britain.

Tracing the development of the Colony under English rule, we find that by the so-called "Quebec Act" of 1774 it was placed under the administration of a Governor and Legislative Council appointed by the Crown. Following the American Revolution, however, there was a large immigration of former colonists into Ontario, and because of their English stock, while Quebec was French, a separation was deemed advisable. By the "Constitutional Act" of 1791 this was effected and two Colonies, Upper Canada (or Canada West) and Lower Canada (or Canada East) were constituted, each with its own separate government. Just fifty years later, in 1841, they were reunited under the single name of Canada. This brings us near the opening of our philatelic history. The united provinces had an area of about 350,000 square miles and a population, in 1850, of some 1,800,000 people. The Governor was appointed by the Crown and chose his own Executive Council; a Legislative Council of life members was also appointed by the Crown; and a Legislative Assembly was elected consisting of an equal number of representatives for each province. The Governor was made Governor-General of British North America.

The advantages of the union of Upper and Lower Canada gradually became so manifest, that a convention was held at Quebec in 1864 for the purpose of considering the advisability of uniting all the provinces. The result bore fruit in the passage of an Act of Union by the British Parliament on March 29, 1867, under which Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were formally united as the Dominion of Canada, the actual event being consummated on July 1, 1867. Subsequently, on July 20, 1871, the Colony of British Columbia, and on July 1, 1873, the Colony of Prince Edward Island, were added to the Dominion. In 1869 the vast territories of the Hudson's Bay Company were acquired by purchase, and out of them the province of Manitoba was formed and admitted to full privileges in the Dominion on July 15, 1870.

The absorption of the Company's Territories is interesting for, as we all know, this was a trading concern whose sole commodity was fur. The Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of the continent were the mecca of hunters and trappers, and their chief prey from the time the first French explorers began to search the Canadian lakes, and later when the Hudson's Bay Company succeeded to the French domain, was the beaver. In fact the early history of Canada was largely bound up with beaver catching and the sale of the skins, and for nearly a century the northern territories, both under French and English rule, were organized with a view to this traffic. In the early days of the Company the "standard of trade" of the Northwest was a beaver skin. Thus the beaver naturally became emblematic, which resulted later in its use as the "crest" of the Canadian coat-of-arms, a place that it retains to the present day over those of the Dominion. In this connection it would be unjust to omit a mention of that other symbol dear to the Canadian heart—the maple leaf. Like the rose, the thistle and the shamrock of the Mother land, the beautiful tree of the Colony, so widespread, so useful, and so gorgeous in its autumn coloring of red and gold—the blazon of the English arms—became a favorite emblem of the people. The particular variety that is so used is of course the rock or sugar maple (acer saccharinum).

Turning now to early postal history, it is necessary to go back to the reign of Queen Anne, although Canada was not then under British dominion. In the year 1710 an Act was passed by the British Parliament "For establishing a General Post-Office in all Her Majesty's Dominions," which not only repealed all previous enactments but placed the postoffice establishment on a new basis. A "General Post and Letter-Office" was established in London "from whence all letters and packets whatsoever may be with speed and expedition sent into any part of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to North America and the West Indies, or any other of Her Majesty's dominions, or any country or kingdom beyond the seas," and "at which office all returns and answers may be likewise received." For the better "managing, ordering, collecting, and improving the revenue," and also for the better "computing and settling the rates of letters according to distance, a chief office is established in Edinburgh, one in Dublin, one at New York, and other chief offices in convenient places in Her Majesty's colonies of America, and one in the islands of the West Indies, called the Leeward Islands." "The whole of these chief offices shall be under the control of an officer who shall be appointed by the Queen's Majesty, her heirs and successors, to be made and constituted by letters patent under the Great Seal, by the name and stile of Her Majesty's Postmaster-General." "The Postmaster-General shall appoint deputies for the chief offices in the places named above." The rates to New York under this Act were fixed at 1 shilling per single letter. Other rates were charged to other parts of the American continent according to the distance from New York.

In 1753 Benjamin Franklin received the royal commission as Deputy Postmaster-General for the American Colonies. No man in America had been so identified with the interests of the Colonial postoffice as he, and from 1737 he had been postmaster of Philadelphia. All his energies were devoted to his new work and when Canada passed by treaty to Great Britain in 1763, as already mentioned, his jurisdiction was extended to cover the new territory. It is thus curious to record that the (afterwards) first Postmaster-General of the United States was also the first Postmaster-General of Canada.

In the evidence given by Franklin before the House of Commons in the year 1766, in regard to the extent of the post-office accommodation in North America, he made the following statement:—