The paper upon which the perforated pence series is found seems to give further confirmation to the theory that they came from but one or possibly two printings. Outside of the two lower values on ribbed paper, which are rare, the series seems to be entirely on a hard, white wove paper, varying in thickness from a medium to a thicker quality, which is in every way similar to the paper employed for the succeeding cents issue. On the thin ribbed paper the London Society (1889) and Messrs. Corwin and King (1891) list the ½d. stamp, but this is not found in the catalog of the Tapling collection already referred to, nor in the Pack or Worthington collections; we have therefore listed it with a query. The 3d. stamp we have seen, however, and Mr. Pack says it "is a scarce stamp even in used condition, but in unused condition I find it one of the great rarities of Canada."[75]

As noted under Chapter II,[76] the use of split stamps was not usual, as in Nova Scotia, but Mr. King chronicles the 6d. perforated, in dark violet, split diagonally and used as a 3d. in like manner to its unperforated predecessor.

CHAPTER V

THE CANCELLATIONS OF THE EARLY ISSUES

It will be remembered, perhaps, that in the circular announcing the issue of stamps in 1851[77] it was ordered that "Stamps so affixed are to be immediately cancelled ... with an instrument to be furnished for that purpose." The first one so supplied was the "concentric rings" cancellation, consisting of seven concentric circles and having an outer diameter of 18 mm. This is the most common of all, being found from the very earliest dates down to 1870, at least, as it occurs on the early shades of the "small" cents issue. It was generally struck in black ink, but may occasionally be found in a dull blue. A good illustration of this cancellation is seen on the cover numbered 90 on Plate VI.

By 1855, at least, a modified form of the concentric ring cancellation was introduced. This had a number in the center in large figures, some 8 mm. high, with four concentric circles enclosing it, the outside diameter being about 23 mm. This type was generally struck in black, but is sometimes found in a dull blue also. It can be seen on the strip of stamps numbered 81 on Plate V. The numbers, of course, were placed in the cancellations with a definite purpose, and a little study of entire covers shows that certain numbers were assigned to certain post offices, as might be suspected. Number 21, for instance, is the most common one and will be found to be connected with Montreal. Further study will reveal the fact that the names of the post offices were taken in alphabetical order, and the numbers assigned to them consecutively in that way. Still further inspection develops the fact that most of the post offices were those in Upper Canada (or Canada West), while but a few of the most important ones were included from Lower Canada (or Canada East.)

Mr. Edgar Nelton seems first to have made a study of these numbers in an attempt to identify their corresponding post offices, and he published a list of some twenty-two as the result of his examination of many original covers.[78] The numbers run up to 52 at least, and using the facts that we have deduced concerning the arrangement of the names, we have endeavored to fill out his skeleton list with such offices as it seems possible may yet be identified with the corresponding numbers. We have done this with some assurance for the following reasons:—

We were fortunately able to examine a Canada Directory for 1857-8, and on looking up the postal information given therein, found a list of the money order offices then existing. This was in two sections, the first containing the names, alphabetically arranged, of 31 offices in "Class No. 1," which included most of the principal cities and towns; and the second a lengthy alphabetical list of offices in "Class No. 2." The first section had a somewhat familiar appearance, and inspection showed that a majority of the names on Mr. Nelton's list of numbered cancellations were there in proper order! But 21 more names were needed, according to the cancellation numbers, to fill out the latter series. The second section was therefore examined for such towns as had the largest populations and were presumably most important. The result enabled more than one name, already on Mr. Nelton's list, to be fitted in its proper place! Here, then, was apparently the solution of the first series of numbered cancellations, and we hazard a guess that the 52 names are the original list of money order offices, arranged when the money order system was instituted in February, 1855.

The subjoined table gives the list of post offices and their corresponding numbers, which has been worked out along the lines above mentioned. It is offered in the hope that more will be done to determine positively the correspondence between the two. The names in ordinary type are those that have been identified without any reasonable doubt; those that have been fitted in tentatively are in italics. The Roman numeral following indicates the Class to which the Money Order Office belongs.

LIST OF NUMBERED CANCELLATIONS.

It will be noticed, if Mr. Helton's list is compared with the above, that there are a few discrepancies. He assigns Toronto to No. 24, which is manifestly out of place. Owen Sound is given to No. 26, while 28 should be its location; the latter must be reserved for Paris, however, which is a first class office where Owen Sound is but second class. Richmond is given as No. 42, but as St. Catherines, a first class office, has been identified as No. 38, there seems no place for the second class office of Richmond, which should precede it alphabetically. Niagara has been assigned to No. 23, but in such case it would necessitate two blanks preceding Ottawa, so it seems that the proper number should be 25. With these few exceptions no further trouble was experienced in working out the list, and since it was drawn up Numbers 2, 4, 8, 38 and 49 have been identified and tallied exactly with it! Such proof has gone far toward confirming our propositions in regard to it, and we hope for more.

A third cancellation, which was apparently used mainly for newspapers and packages, consisted of nine somewhat thick diagonal bars, the whole impression having a square outline. This was generally struck in black, but occasionally in dull blue.

Postmarks were supposed to be used only on the cover, where they would plainly exhibit the story they were to tell, while the cancellation marks were intended to deface the stamp. But sometimes the postmarks are found used for the latter purpose. They seem to be mostly of two varieties, both circular in outline, a larger one having the town name in a curve above, with U. C., L. C., C. W., or C. E., at the bottom, and arcs of two concentric circles filling in the outline between; a second being smaller with a single arc of a circle filling in the outline. The first variety is plainly shown on the cover numbered 90 on Plate VI, and the second on the cover numbered 130 on Plate XIV. The date in the center seems always to be given in full—month, day and year. The postmarks are generally in black, as usual, but sometimes in dull blue.

Penmarked specimens are sometimes met with, but not often.

With the issue of 1859 the duplex mark seems to have been adopted, with the postmark (the ordinary complete circle with the usual arrangement of name, abbreviation of province and date) and the cancellation mark (a series of parallel lines with a circular outline) on the same instrument so as to be struck on the letter together.

With the 1868 issue for the Dominion we of course find the cancellations of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, then British Columbia and finally Prince Edward Island, all of which introduce complications. A new cancellation, which seems to have been for the Dominion as a whole, consisted of two heavy concentric circles containing a number. It is one of this kind that Mr. Nelton refers to in his article as having the number 627. A notable cancellation is one in the shape of a large maple leaf.

An interesting and rare postmark which was found on the 3 cent of the 1868 issue, is thus written up by Mr. F. G. Bing[79]:—

Ottawa, 13th March, 1908.

Very truly yours,
E. P. STANTON, Superintendent.

Various new varieties came with the "small" cents issue and later, concerning which there is not so much of interest as in the earlier years of the postal service; we therefore pass them by, remarking only on the special "jubilee" machine cancellation which was used at Montreal in 1897. This was of the "flag" form and somewhat ornate, bearing the name "VICTORIA" and the dates "1837" and "1897."

CHAPTER VI

THE ISSUE OF 1859

With two valuations placed upon the cumbrous English monetary system inherited by Canada from the Mother Country—"sterling" and "currency"—and with the practical illustration of the advantages of the decimal system manifest in all the transactions with its great southern neighbor, whose currency was already legalized in the Province,[80] it was only a question of time when Canada would adopt a decimal system of its own. This was done, but all that interests us is the Decimal Postage law resulting, which is as follows:—

From the above Act we see that the transmission of newspapers has again been subjected to revision looking toward an increase of revenue, all free transmission by post being now limited to exchange copies between editors or publishers. The making of prepayment by stamps obligatory was another step which had been quite strongly recommended in the last Postmaster General's report in these terms:—

By referring to the Act subsequently passed we see that these recommendations were carried out to the letter.

In regard to the fifth section of the Act, concerning the Parcel Post, we come across another example of the curious shuffling of dates and apparent ex post facto law making which we have previously noted. In quoting the Postmaster General's report for 30th Sept., 1858,[81] we found it stated that the Parcel Post had been in operation "from 1st January, 1859," and now we have the Legislative Act providing for it passed under date of 4th May, 1859! This is going it one better on "reading history backward" by actually making it backward! The reports at least, as we previously deduced, were evidently written some time after the dates given them and did not confine their record to happenings previous to those fictitious dates. Confirmation of this is furnished by the Postmaster General's report that we have to consider, that of the Hon. Sydney Smith for the year ending 30th September, 1859, the report being actually dated 20th February, 1860.

Further details concerning the Parcel Post are not given until the Report for 30th June, 1864, where we read:—

The rate is given in decimal currency, then in use, but at the time of the establishment of the Parcel Post the equivalent rate would have been 1s. 3d. currency. In the Report for 1865 it is stated that:—

In the report for 1859, mentioned above, we find the following:—

The cents issue of Canadian stamps therefore dates from July 1, 1859. The stamps themselves were merely an adaptation of the designs of the pence series to the corresponding values of the decimal currency. The ONE CENT stamp was unchanged from the half-penny except for the substitution of the new for the former value. The FIVE CENTS stamp had these words in place of the old denomination, with a quarterfoil ornament separating them at each side from CANADA and POSTAGE. Oblique figures 5 were placed in the spandrels on a cross-hatched ground instead of the upright figures 3 on foliations. A similar change was made in the TEN CENTS, Roman numerals X being placed obliquely in the spandrels on a cross-hatched ground where upright figures 6 were previously on foliations; while the new denomination was substituted for the old. The sole change in the 12½ cent stamp was to substitute "12½c." in the spandrels for the former values in sterling and currency. The 17 cent stamp had the value in words replacing TEN PENCE, but the new value was so much longer that the emblems between the old value and CANADA POSTAGE were removed and replaced by two small elliptic ornaments. "8d. stg." still occupies the upper spandrels, but figures 17 are placed in each of the lower ones. The central designs in each of the above stamps are absolutely identical with those of the pence stamps that preceded them—indeed the portrait and surrounding oval with inscriptions on the 12½ c. are all unchanged. From this it is evident that the new dies were "built up" from the old ones, the central portions being transferred and the required changes in surrounding inscriptions, etc., being newly engraved. This was easy enough of accomplishment since the American Bank Note Co., who furnished the new stamps, were the successors of Messrs. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson, the firm name having been changed on May 1, 1858, and the dies of the pence issue were of course in their possession. Illustrations of the five values will be found as Nos. 10, 15, 12, 13 and 14, respectively, on Plate I.

There was one addition to the list of values in this set during its period of use—a 2 cent stamp. In the Postmaster General's Report for 30th June, 1864, it is noted:—"A new Postage Stamp, of the value of two cents, was added to the other denominations supplied, from the 1st. August last [1864]." The Report for the succeeding year has this further to say:—"A provision has been made for the transmission and delivery of Canadian periodicals, addressed to the United Kingdom, at the reduced rate of two cents each," and it was evidently largely on account of this that the new stamp was ordered. Its design was unmistakably "built up" as with the rest of the set, the 1 cent stamp serving as the model, figures 2 being placed in ovals in the spandrels and the wording of the value being changed to correspond. (Illustration No. 11 on Plate I). The stamp was issued as stated on the 1st August, 1864.

All the stamps of this issue were, as before, line engraved and printed in sheets of 100, ten rows of ten. The same style of marginal inscriptions as in the first issue is found—"American Bank Note Co. New-York" in minute letters of the type known as "diamond," repeated twice in each margin, reading up on the left, down on the right, and inverted at the bottom of the sheet. In the 1, 2, 5 and 12½c. stamps the imprint is placed against the third and eighth stamps of each marginal row of ten, but from a block of 10c. at hand the inscriptions in the case of this value are apparently "centered" over the space between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth stamps of each marginal row, thus bringing them over two stamps instead of one. Curiously enough, the 17c. value has no marginal inscriptions at all.

The same plate variety that occurs in the 3d. stamp—the "shifted transfer" or "double strike"—is repeated in its successor, the 5c. stamp. That it is a true plate variety is abundantly proved by the fine block of seven stamps illustrated as No. 96 on Plate VII. The variety will be found in the upper right corner stamp, and the doubling of the frame lines at the left and of the oval frame line above CANADA will be readily apparent. A single copy is illustrated as No. 19 on Plate I. It seems to have been first noted by Mr. R. Wuesthoff in the American Journal of Philately for June, 1892.

A minor variety of the 5c. stamp printed from a worn plate is also to be noted, in which the fine lines of the groundwork have almost disappeared.

The entire series comes regularly perforated 12, the identical normal perforation of the pence stamps that immediately preceded it, and which we have endeavored to trace to the same source. The abnormal varieties in this series are of course the imperforate ones, and of these we present cuts of a full set in blocks of four, numbered 100 to 105 on Plate IX. That the stamps were actually issued and used in this condition is proved by copies of several with the proper postmarks of the period in the Pack collection. Mr. Pack writes of them[82]:—

Further varieties are formed by "split" stamps, as before, though these were never authorized and seldom used. We are fortunate in being able to illustrate two five cent stamps used with half of a third to make up the 12½c. packet rate. This is No. 97 on Plate VII. The postmark is unfortunately mostly torn away, but is evidently "Montreal," and the last numeral in the year figures seems to be an "8," which would mean "1868." A 10c. stamp also split and used for a 5c. is shown on the entire as No. 99 on Plate VIII. The postmark is "Bowmanville, U.C., Feb. 15, 1860."

The normal colors for the stamps of this series may be given as 1 cent deep rose, 2 cents dull rose, 5 cents deep red, 12½ cents deep green, and 17 cents Prussian blue. It will be noticed that we have omitted the 10 cents—and with reason. If the 6 pence stamp of the preceding issue was difficult to select a normal color for, how shall we find one for its successor? Messrs. Corwin and King say[83]:—"The most surprising fact about this issue is the vast number of colors and shades to be found in the 10 cents. We have several hundreds of them in our collection, and are continually adding new color varieties." They run all the way from a bright red lilac through shades of violet and brown to a black brown, which is so dark and distinct that it has for years been catalogued separately.

The paper on which these stamps were printed does not show as much variation as in the previous issue. Mr. King[84] gives a list of five varieties, all of which vary considerably in thickness. It seems sufficient for our purposes, however, to list them under three heads as ordinary wove paper, a thick, hard wove paper, and ribbed paper.

These stamps were in issue from the 1st July 1859, until the series issued for the new Dominion of Canada appeared on 1st April, 1868. The stamp accounts in the various Postmaster General's Reports give the quantities received and issued, and we present here a summary of these tables as their reproduction entire would serve no useful purpose unless to show the increase in the consumption of stamps from year to year as the postal business increased.

The yearly supplies of the 2 cent stamps, first appearing in the 1865 accounts, were as follows:—

Unfortunately the stamp accounts for 1868 do not separate the supplies received in the old and new designs, so that in the case of the 1, 2 and 12½ cent stamps, which appear in both issues, the quantity delivered by the manufacturers is a total which we cannot divide with certainty. An approximation may perhaps be made, particularly with the 2 cent stamp. The balance of this value on hand 30th June, 1867, was 171,000, and the deliveries in the year ending 30th June, 1868, were 2,050,000. Inasmuch as the yearly issue of this value had been some 250,000, the probability is that the odd 50,000 delivered belonged to the 1859 series, as this would make 221,000 for the nine month's supply to 1st April; the even two millions were doubtless the order for the new series. The yearly issue of the 1 cent had been some 3½ to 4 millions; if from the 2,900,000 received, according to the 1868 Report, we take the odd 900,000, we find it makes 3,308,900 when combined with the balance on hand in 1867. This gives a sufficient supply for the nine months of the old issue and leaves an even two millions again for the new series. The 12½ cent presents a slightly different aspect. The yearly issue had been some 400,000, and the amount on hand in 1867 was 385,750—without doubt a plentiful supply for the nine months preceding the issue of the new stamps. It must be remembered, also, in all these cases, that the "amount on hand" was that of the Department's stock, and that the postmasters were of course in possession of local stocks. It therefore seems probable that the 500,000 12½ cent stamps received in 1868 were of the new series alone. The 5 and 10 cent stamps, however, which are lacking in the new set, can at once be added to their preceding deliveries, and it will be noted that no further supplies of the 17c. stamp were required during the year.

We find in the Department accounts that the American Bank Note Co. was paid $1331.70 for "engraving postage stamps" during the fiscal year, which was the final settlement with that Company.

What became of the remainder of the old issue does not appear, but it seems probable that they were largely used up in the course of regular business, as no object would be gained by turning in the relatively small quantities remaining, for accounting and destruction, unless it be the 17 cent value, which had become rather useless. Curiously enough, the stamp accounts do separate the old and new issues in the "balance on hand, 30th June, 1868," which was three months after the appearance of the new set. These figures are as follows:—

Glancing now over the Postmaster General's reports for the years 1859-1868, during which the above issue was in use, and which were the last years of the strictly provincial control, we find many items of interest.

In the report for 1859 it is noted that "the issue and use by the public of Postage Stamps has increased with great rapidity since last return," and the issue of stamped envelopes "for the promotion of public convenience" is announced. These will be treated of by themselves in a later chapter. We find the experiment was made of placing street letter boxes in Toronto, and "with very encouraging results as to the extent to which the number of letters posted in these boxes would appear to demonstrate their usefulness. These Pillar Boxes are visited, at least twice each day, at suitable hours, by Post Office Messengers, in order to convey the letters deposited in them to the Post Office." Preparations were also being made to install letter boxes in Montreal and Quebec.

The Department accounts have the following entries:—