The Postage Stamp in War

The United States stamps offer a very wide field for association with war interest, many of them bear portraits of warrior heroes, and their cancellations in connection with expeditionary forces cover a wide range of territory from the neighbouring and troublesome republic of Mexico (where the United States recently used its own stamps at the post office of Vera Cruz) to China.

Canada. Our great North American dominion gave us a patriotic Empire stamp a few years ago to mark the introduction at Christmas 1898, of Imperial Penny Postage (Fig. 308). It shows a map of the world on Mercator's projection with the British possessions coloured in red, and with a line quoted from Sir Lewis Morris's jubilee ode, "We hold a vaster Empire than has been." The "bumptiousness" of the quotation led Punch to suggest a few alternatives:

• We are richer than anybody.
• We are Tremendous Swells.
• The Policeman outside Mansion House is the finest in the world.
• Our fleet can smash all the rest.
• Mind your eye!
• By Jingo, if we do—!!!
• Go to Jericho!

The difficulties of printing a map of the world in colours within the space of a postage stamp led to "minor" geographical inexactitudes, such as the annexation by the red colour, of the United States, the invasion of France by England, and the removal of the Cape of Good Hope out into the sea. But unlike the Dominican Republic's map stamp of 1900 it did not lead to complications with other countries.

Canada's Quebec Tercentenary issue includes some stamps of martial interest (Figs. 309-311), the 5 cents shows the French Governor Champlain's house in Quebec, round which a wide ditch was dug and breastworks were thrown up and cannon mounted to protect the colonists from the savages. Generals Wolfe and Montcalm are portrayed on the 7 cents, the 10 cents shows the old city and fort of Quebec in 1700, and the other denominations show incidents in the exploration of Canada and portraits of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, and of King George and Queen Mary.

Mexico. Mexican stamps from 1856 to the rise of Porforio Diaz demonstrate some of the political changes through which the country has passed, from Republic to Empire, and back to Republic. Revolution has brought about provisional stamps of a rare order, such as the Guadalajara, Chiapas, and Campeche stamps of 1867-1868, and the more recent issues of the "Constitutionalist" party for Sonora (Figs. 312-314) and Tamaulipas (Fig. 315).

Figs. 316, 317 represent ordinary Mexican stamps commandeered and overprinted by the rebels.

Martial portraits figure on the stamps of many of the South and Central States; to mention them all would require a goodly sized dictionary of American biography. In addition, specialists find much interest in tracing, by extra-territorial postmarks, the movements of troops in the various wars between Brazil and Paraguay, Chili and Peru, etc.; and many of the countries give us scenes recording outstanding incidents in their histories, especially on their issues commemorative of the centenary of their freedom from the Spanish yoke. Chili, for example, depicts the battles of Chacabuco, Roble, Maipo, the sea fight of April 27, 1818, between the Lautaro and the Esmeralda, and another ending in the capture of the Maria Isabella on October 28. In this series also is a portrait of the renowned Admiral Cochrane, the 10th Earl of Dundonald, who organised the Chilian Navy and played a great part in Chili's struggles for freedom from Spain.

Ecuador's issue of 1896 marks the end of a period of civil strife and the triumph of the Liberal Party, a portion of the proceeds of the sale of the stamps being devoted to the destitute families of soldiers killed while serving in defence of the Liberal cause.

Colombia gives us a number of stamp designs of war-like interest, including warrior heroes, and a crude picture (Fig. 318) of the cruiser Cartagena. A particularly bitter commemoration of the centenary of the independence of Colombia in 1910 was the picturing on a registration fee stamp of the wholesale executions ordered by the Spanish victors at Carthagena on February 24, 1816. (Fig. 319). To this stamp objections were raised by the Spanish Minister at Bogota, and in deference to his protests it was withdrawn from circulation.

Guatemala displays its Artillery Barracks (Fig. 320). The much disturbed Dominican Republic warns off possible invaders by displaying the fortress of Santo Domingo. Its map issue of 1900 (Fig. 320A), owing to a dispute over the boundary indicated nearly led to war with the Haytian Republic. Hayti shows the fortress of Sans Souci (Fig. 321). Peru having had its stamps much overprinted by the Chilians in 1881-1883, vaunts more peaceful subjects on its recent picture stamps, e.g., its General Post Office, Municipal Institute of Hygiene, and the Lima Medical School. Uruguay, after its civil war of 1904, added a "peace" overprint to its contemporary stamps, reading PAZ-1904. It also illustrates the fortress and port of Montevideo, and its cruiser of the same name on its issues of 1908 and 1909 (Fig. 322), and Venezuela has given us crude sketches of the revolutionary steamer Bankigh (Fig. 323), and a map stamp illustrative of the great boundary dispute with Great Britain.

Chapter VIII.

Australasia has not had much occasion for war stamps, but it is worthy of note that at the time of the South African War Victoria issued two postage stamps of patriotic designs, obtained in public competition. The Victoria Cross design (Fig. 324) gained the prize for the penny stamps and the prize for the twopence stamps was awarded for the other design (Fig. 325) showing a picket on foot and armed scouts scanning the horizon of the open veldt in the Transvaal, whilst in the distance are the faint outlines of the hills which the British have had to scale. The central figures in the latter design are in the uniform of the Victorian contingent. These stamps sold at 1s. and 2s. each although they only prepaid 1d. and 2d. postage respectively, the balance going to the Patriotic Fund.

In connection with the same campaign New Zealand issued in 1901 a stamp printed in a khaki colour to commemorate the sending of a New Zealand contingent to the war. The stamp (Fig. 326), designed by Mr. J. Nairn of Wellington and engraved in New York, pictures the part of the contingent sent as New Zealand's response to "the Empire's call."

Barbados marked the centenary of the battle of Trafalgar by an issue of stamps depicting the "first monument erected to Nelson's memory, 1813" (Fig. 327). The monument is in the capital of the Colony, Bridgetown, but its claim to be the first erected to Nelson's memory is contested.

Another naval hero, Michael A. de Ruyter, Admiral-in-Chief of the Dutch Fleet, is commemorated on a set of stamps of Holland issued in 1907 for the ter-centenary of his birth. This design, in addition to a portrait of the Admiral, depicts a battle at sea (Fig. 328).

The recent Balkan Wars (1912-13) would require a volume to describe in detail the philatelic results. Two Greek stamp designs commemorate the victories of the troops allied against Turkey. One shows the cross of Constantine over the Acropolis and city of Athens and the Bay of Salamis; the other depicts the eagle of Zeus flying over Mount Olympus with a snake in its talons. Fig. 329 shows the design of two war charity stamps sold for the benefit of Greek soldiers incapacitated in the campaign, and for the widows and orphans of the killed. Greece overprinted stamps very lavishly for territories occupied during the war. When the fleet occupied Mytilene the Greek authorities overprinted the Turkish stamps they found there with a Greek inscription rendered "Greek occupation—Mytilene." Lemnos was furnished with Greek stamps overprinted LEMNOS in Greek characters, and many other places were provided with Greek stamps overprinted with an inscription signifying "Greek Administration." In Samos four issues of new stamps appeared in 1912-1913, and Icaria's Independent Government stamps prepared just prior to the Greek occupation were overprinted "Greek Administration."

Albania's separate stamp issues were an outcome of the Balkan Wars. The first were created in 1913 by overprinting Turkish stamps with a device of a double-headed eagle and the word SHQIPENIE (Fig. 330). Since then four or five new issues have appeared, crude labels of circular handstamp pattern (Fig. 331) with the value typewritten. More recently a series has appeared depicting Skanderbeg, the warrior hero of the Albanians, and these were overprinted in March, 1914, with an inscription "7 Mars. 1467. rroftë mbreti. 1914" to commemorate the arrival of Prince William of Wied as Mpret. The year 1467 was the date of the death of Skanderbeg.

The "autonomous state of Epirus," another outcome of the Balkan troubles, has given us some quaint stamps. The first was the skull and cross-bones issue (Fig. 332), the inscriptions on which read "Liberty or death—Defence of the fatherland—Lepta 10." This was succeeded by a more ambitiously designed stamp (Fig. 333) showing an evzone or light infantryman in the act of firing. The simple name "Epirus" was extended to "Autonomous Epirus" (Fig. 334). Other crude issues have appeared in Epirote districts, as yet not very satisfactorily authenticated. These include Koritza (Fig. 335) and Moschopolis (Fig. 336), both places in lower Albania.

Another curious provisional is one for Gumuldjina (Fig. 337) in the vilayet of Adrianople.

Crete's troubles may be ended with the final settlement of the Turks; in its stamps since 1898 we see the influence of the British, Russian and Greeks, and a remarkable range of revolutionary stamps. On one modern stamp of 1907 (Fig. 338) is depicted the landing of Prince George of Greece at Suda on his appointment as High Commissioner. He is being received by Admirals of various Powers, Noel of Great Britain, Skrydloff of Russia, Pottier of France, and Bettolo of Italy. A still more recent stamp of Crete shows the fort at Suda, and was issued to celebrate the raising of the Greek flag on May 1, 1913.

On two stamps of 1901 commemorative of the War of Independence Bulgaria pictured a cherry wood cannon, a home-made affair used by the Bulgarian patriots against the Turks, and drawn from one which is preserved in the national museum at Sofia (Fig. 339). The following year, 1902, the 25th anniversary of the battle of Shipka Pass (August 21, 1877) was the occasion for a set of stamps showing a view of the ravine with the Bulgars tumbling rocks down upon their enemies (Fig. 340). Later stamps of this country show some interesting portraits of King Ferdinand (Figs. 341-343) in naval and military uniforms, and one showing the King with the sceptre in his right hand and the orb in his left, and wearing the garb of the ancient Tsars of Bulgaria. These form part of a fine pictorial issue of 1911, and it is noteworthy that these stamps may be found with Turkish cancellations, used by the victorious Bulgars in the recent campaign before they could substitute Bulgarian postmarks for those left behind by the Turks. In 1913 the pictorial set up to the 25 stotinki, was issued with an overprint in Sclavonic characters signifying "War of Liberty" to mark the successes against the Turks.

The enlightened Prince Cuza was responsible for the introduction of many reforms in Roumania, among them being postal reform, with the use of adhesive stamps, those of 1865 bearing his portrait. He was obliged to abdicate the year following the issue of the stamps as a result of a conspiracy. The late King Charles was his successor, there being no further developments to recall. Rather in this case we read from our stamps the more peaceful story of the growth of the King's beard. In commemorating the 40th year of King Charles' reign a long pictorial series of stamps showed among other pictures Prince Charles saluting the first shot fired at the Battle of Calafat, the meeting of Prince Charles and Osman Pasha in 1878, the Roumanian Army crossing the Danube in 1877, the triumphant entry of the victorious army into Bucharest, and Prince Charles riding at the head of his Army in 1877.

Italy has given us commemoration portraits of Garibaldi (Figs. 344, 345), and its war with Turkey in 1911 extended the use of the overprinted Italian stamps of Tripoli (Figs. 346-348). From the Italian pages of our albums much of the story of the makings of United Italy may be learnt chiefly by the absorption into one of all the separate stamp issuing states, Sardinia, Naples, Sicily, Parma, Modena, Romagna, Tuscany, and, although much later, the States of the Church. The jubilee of the Union was commemorated by a set of four fine designs in 1911, one by Signor A. Sezanne showing (Fig. 349) a sword grasped by a hand, symbolical of the Italian Union, and at the sides are branches of palm in memory of the warriors who died in the Wars of Independence.

Portugal does not offer much war-interest, though plenty of historical associations, in its postage stamps. The Republic followed so soon after the assassination of King Carlos that the stamps with the portrait of the young King Manuel had no long service without a distinguishing mark to show that the stamps were issued by the Republican Government (Fig. 350). These have since given place to a distinctive Republican design (Fig. 351). It is interesting to note that the Red Cross Society and the Civilian Rifle Corps in Portugal have a limited privilege of free postage, for which they use their own special stamps (Figs. 352, 353).

The postage stamps of Spain introduce us to the revolutionary element in 1868 in which year Isabella II. fled to France as a result of the revolution under Prim and Serrano. That was in September, and the current stamps were overprinted before the end of the year with the words HABILITADO POR LA NACION (authorised by the nation), signifying that they were now being used under the Provisional Revolutionary Assembly. One of the forms of overprint reads HALILITADO POR LA JUNTA REVOLUCIONARIA. Some of the known overprints did not emanate from the headquarters of the Provisional Government but were added at the order of local juntas or revolutionary councils. The familiar emblematic figure of Spain followed on the stamps issued on January 1, 1870.

The republican form of government did not last long, and in 1870 the Duke of Aosta, second son of King Victor Emmanuel of Italy, was chosen King of Spain, now a limited monarchy, as Amadeus I., and his portrait was introduced on the stamps of 1872-73. The tiny ¼c. de peseta stamps of the former year bear a small design of a royal crown.

Changes at this period followed in rapid succession, and Amadeus failing to make headway as a constitutional Sovereign resigned his troublesome crown in February, 1873, in favour of peaceful retirement in Italy. The little stamps aforementioned were changed under the new government—this time another form of republic—to shew a mural crown in lieu of the royal one, and the portrait of Amadeus gave way to an emblematic figure Peace in July, 1873. Peace! What most desire, but few can obtain and keep. Nor was the next stamp design of Justice (July, 1874) much less wide of the mark.

There were actually in Spain between the revolution of 1868 and the restoration of the house of Bourbon three different types of republic, the limited monarchy under Amadeus, and a military dictatorship. In 1872, too, the pretender Carlos proclaimed himself King of Spain, and issued the celebrated Carlist stamps from 1873 to 1875. So far as the general issues of Spanish stamps are concerned, their changes subsequent to the restoration of Alphonso XII., son of Isabella II., are free from further revolutionary changes, but there are postal war tax stamps of 1874-1879, and 1898 (Fig. 354).

A remarkable instance of planting a bogus set of stamps on collectors occurred in connection with the Melilla campaign in 1893-1894. In the set there are 53 or possibly 54 varieties, each for a different detachment of the Spanish forces. The inventor of the scheme apparently launched his venture by going about amongst the troops, sailors, officers, etc., distributing specimens of the stamps he had conceived in their behoof, and consequently the appearance of some of the labels on letters emanating from soldiers and others at the war gave colour to the supposition that these gaudy labels had been provided by a generous and otherwise unoccupied government at Madrid.

Of the fifty-three stamps, all except Nos. 1 and 2 are perforated. Nos. 1 to 5 are in design of Figs. 355, 356, and were supposed to have been for the use of the five Army Corps. The colours are (1) black frame, arms red and yellow; (2) blue frame, arms red and yellow; (3) as No. 1 perforated; (4) as No. 2 perforated; (5) black, red, and orange;

7-13. One for each Regiment of "Cazadores" or Chasseurs, the name of the Regiment on each stamp.

14-35. One for each Regiment of Foot, with the name of a Regiment on each stamp.

36-42. One for each warship, the name of a ship on each stamp.

43. Commissariat Department.

44. Civil Guard; a disciplinary Corps, half military, half police, à la Royal Irish Constabulary.

45. Staff.

46. Engineers.

47. Artillery.

48. Medical Staff Corps.

49-53. One for each Fort; name of the Fort on each stamp.

China's troubles during the Boxer rebellion were reflected in the stamp album by the "C.E.F." stamps of India (see Chapter II.) and by the use of the stamps of several of the Powers co-operating in the defence of the Legations. The revolution of 1912 made its mark in the overprinting of the Imperial stamps with various republican overprints (Figs. 366, 367) and the revolution when completed was commemorated by two sets of stamps issued in November 1912; one set bears the portrait of Dr. Sun Yat Sen in a frame in which are unripe ears of wheat, and inscribed "in commemoration of the revolution" (Fig. 368); the second set bears the portrait of President Yuan Shi Kai, and in this set the ears of wheat are ripe, and the inscription reads "in commemoration of the republic" (Fig. 369).

Although not issued in connection with warfare, it may be noted that the only separate postage stamps of Heligoland appeared while the island was in British possession (Fig. 369A). Since its cession to Germany in 1890 the islanders have used German stamps.

Chapter IX

At New Year, 1915 it is too early to show more than a few of the first philatelic signs of the great world war which is being waged between

• Great Britain,
• France,
• Russia,
• Japan,
• Belgium,
• Serbia,
• Montenegro,
• Germany,
• Austria-Hungary,
• Turkey.

But the developments are already full of significance, and the stamps of each of the countries at war acquire a new interest in the occasions for their extra-territorial use as the armies invade the territories of their opponents. At the beginning of August the Germans invaded France and Belgium, accompanied, or followed shortly, by field postal organisations, of which few particulars are yet available. By the middle of August the French had entered Alsace and German Lorraine, and the Russians having invaded East Prussia set up posts there in which they used the current Russian stamps. The British Expeditionary Force, with its well-equipped Army Postal Service, was in France by the 16th. About this period the Germans invaded Cape Colony. The Tsar's promise of autonomy to Poland may ultimately demonstrate its fulfilment in the issue of new stamps for Poland. France issued its first Red Cross stamp, and similar war charity stamps have since appeared in Monaco, French Morocco, Russia, Austria, Hungary, and Bosnia. Japan's declaration of war, and successful attack on Kiaochow, probably led to the use of Japanese soldiers' stamps (Figs. 201, 202) by the forces engaged, possibly along with Indian stamps overprinted C.E.F. (China Expeditionary Force, Fig. 61), for the use of the co-operating British land forces. On the 26th the British along with the French took Togoland, and have already issued stamps of the Anglo-French occupation of that former German colony (Figs. 384-386). Prior to their issue the British Gold Coast stamps were used in Togo for a time (Fig. 370). Towards the end of the month the bombardment of Malines destroyed the Belgian State Stamp-printing works, rendering it necessary to create an entirely new series of Belgian stamps when the Government finds itself in a position to do so. On the 29th Samoa was taken by the New Zealand forces, and English stamps have been used there (Fig. 371), and already a provisional and a definitive set of British Samoa stamps have appeared (Figs. 382, 383).

German attacks in September on various British and French colonial possessions may in some cases leave philatelic records, chiefly in the way of war postmarks which may be looked for from the affairs in Nyasaland, British East Africa, Zanzibar, German South-West Africa, etc. Postmarks, too, record the withdrawal of the French Government to Bordeaux (Figs. 155, 156), and the sending of great loyal contingents from Canada (Fig. 372) Australia, and New Zealand (Fig. 373). The effect on stamp issues caused by Turkey's abolition of the capitulations has already been referred to as rendering a considerable number of stamp issues obsolete, and this event has been commemorated on the Turkish issue, which, by the way, was printed in London. Australia's capture of German New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, is already reported to have been followed by the re-issue of the German colonial stamps of New Guinea (Figs. 370A, 370B) with a British "G.R.I." overprint.

Some postal aspects of the retirement of the Belgian Government to Havre in October (Fig. 216) and the issue of German stamps for Belgium (Fig. 209) have already been referred to. Turkey's entry into the war in November may have the effect of removing Turkey from the list of European stamp-issuing States, and has already led to the long anticipated proclamation of a British protectorate over Egypt, and the annexation of Cyprus. The fall of Tsingtau renders obsolete the German colonial type of stamp for Kiaochow, although there may have been some interesting provisional issue here, and also possibly in the Marshall and Marianne Islands.

All these and many more happenings of the past few months will leave their traces in new stamps, or in new uses for stamps, and when at last the enemy shall be vanquished and Peace reigns once more, one of the most fascinating histories of the great War will be that recorded in the pages of the stamp album.

The following is a synopsis, or check list, of distinctive postage stamps already issued in connection with the war. Issues reported but not yet seen by or satisfactorily vouched for to the present writer are not included.

AUSTRIA.

October 4, 1914. War Relief stamps. Current design adapted (Fig. 258) sold at 2 heller over face-value.

•  5 heller green.
• 10 heller carmine.

BELGIUM.

October 2, 1914. Red Cross Stamps. Lithographed on white wove unwatermarked paper. Perf. 13½. White gum.

(a) Head of King Albert (Figs. 210, 211).

•  5c. green.
• 10c. red.
• 20c. purple (cross in red).

(b) Monument design (Figs. 212, 213).

•  5c. green (cross in red).
• 10c. red.
• 20c. purple (cross in red).

BELGIUM (GERMAN ADMINISTRATION).

October, 1914. Current German Empire stamps, overprinted in black "Belgien," and new value in Gothic type (Fig. 209). Perforated 14. Issued in Brussels.

•  3 centimes on  3 pfennig, brown.
•  5 centimes on  5 pfennig, green.
• 10 centimes on 10 pfennig, carmine.
• 25 centimes on 20 pfennig, ultramarine.

BOSNIA.

October (?), 1914. War Relief stamps. 5 and 10 heller stamps of the 1906 issue overprinted 7 and 12 heller, respectively.

•  7 heller on  5 heller, green.
• 12 heller on 10 heller, carmine.

FRANCE.

August 18, 1914. Contemporary 10 centimes stamp, surcharged "+5c." in red (Fig. 150).

• 10c. + 5c. vermilion.

September 10, 1914. Definitive stamp. Sower design adapted, inscription reading "CROIX-ROUGE POSTES" (Fig. 151).

• 10c. + 5c. vermilion.

FRENCH MOROCCO.

September 1, 1914. Red Cross stamp. The 10 centimes "Rights of Man" type, already overprinted "10," and native inscription, further surcharged "+5c." (Fig. 153).

• 10c. + 5c. red.

HUNGARY.

October, 1914. War Relief stamps. The 5 and 10 filler "inundation" stamps of 1913 overprinted in black in the centre of the stamp "Hadi Ségély" (War Relief) and on label at the foot, obliterating the original inscription, "Ozvegyeknek es arvaknak ket filler" (for the widows and orphans two filler) (Fig. 261).

Seventeen values 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25, 30, 35, 50 and 60 filler, and 1, 2, and 5 korona.

INDIA EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

October, 1914. Stamps of India overprinted I.E.F. in seriffed type, for use with British troops on the Continent (Figs. 76-85). Perf. 14.

•  3p. grey.
•  ½a. green.
•  1a. carmine.
•  2a. mauve.
• 2½a. (Die 2) blue.
•  3a. brown orange.
•  4a. olive.
•  8a. purple.
•  12a. claret.
•  1r. green and brown.

MONACO.

October, 1914. Red Cross stamp. Current 10 centimes stamp of this Principality, surcharged "+ 5c." in red (Fig. 152).

• 10c. + 5c. red.

NEW GUINEA.

October, 1914. Provisional Issue. German Colonial (Ship) type for DEUTSCH-NEU-GUINEA, overprinted "G.R.I." and new value in English. (Similar to Figs. 374-381.) Perforated 14.

• 1d. on 3pf., brown.
• 1d. on 5pf., green.
• 2d. on 10pf., carmine.
• 2d. on 20pf., ultramarine.
• 3d. on 25pf., black and red on yellow.
• 3d. on 30pf., black and orange on buff.
• 4d. on 40pf., black and carmine.
• 5d. on 50pf., black and purple on buff.
• 8d. on 80pf., black and carmine on rose.

RUSSIA.

November 26, 1914. War Charity stamps. Surface-printed at the Russian Imperial State Printing Works on enamelled surface coloured papers (Figs. 189-192, see frontispiece). Sold for 1 kopec extra per stamp.

•  1 (2) kopec.
•  3 (4) kopecs.
•  7 (8) kopecs.
• 10 (11) kopecs.

SAMOA (BRITISH).

September 3, 1914. Provisional Issue. German Colonial (Ship) type for Samoa overprinted "G.R.I." and new value in English (Figs. 374-381). Wove paper, unwatermarked. Perforated 14.