The Stamps of Canada Part 15

The surcharge was, at first, applied only to the 3c stamps of the numeral type but it was soon decided to also use up the unissued remainders of the 3c "maple-leaf" design by surcharging them in the same manner. These stamps were first issued on August 8th. Both varieties are known with inverted surcharge. How many of each of these three cent stamps were surcharged is not known for certain as the official figures dealing with the issue of stamps makes no distinction between the two varieties. It is stated that altogether 4,120,000 were surcharged and as the varieties are equally plentiful it is only reasonable to suppose that approximately equal numbers of both types were used up.

_Reference List._

Stamps of 1897 and 1898 surcharged "2 CENTS" in black.

71. 2c on 3c carmine "maple leaf", Scott's No. 84 72. 2c on 3c carmine "numeral", Scott's No. 85.

CHAPTER XVIII.--_The Bi-sected Provisionals._

The somewhat sudden reduction of the domestic postal rate from 3c to 2c on single letters led to the production of a few provisional stamps of peculiar character at Port Hood, N. S., the postmaster of that town dividing some of his 3c stamps into two unequal portions and using the smaller parts as 1c and the larger ones as 2c. In the _Monthly Journal_ for January, 1899, they are referred to as follows:--

In some offices 1c and 2c stamps ran short, and their places were supplied by one-third and two-thirds portions of 3c stamps divided vertically. In some places our correspondent says, these divided stamps were employed without further alteration, but in others we regret to hear that they were surcharged with a figure "2" in purple, upon the figure "3" of the larger portion or the word "one"

in green, upon the smaller part; or, to further complicate matters, when thirds of two adjoining stamps were used for 2c each part was impressed with a figure "2." Our informant's letter is franked in part by 2/3 of a 3c stamp surcharged "2" so we fear that this horrible tale is founded on fact.

In the same journal for March further reference is made to these provisionals, viz.:--

The surcharged fractions appear to have been used only at Port Hood, N. S., where the Postmaster apparently did not consider it safe to use divided stamps without some distinguis.h.i.+ng mark. We have seen other copies since, and find that a figure "1" was struck upon the smaller portion; not the word "one" as previously stated.

Again in the April number of the same paper these split stamps are referred to:--

In reference to the cut and surcharged 3c stamps, a correspondent sends us the following extract from a letter from the postmaster of Port Hood:--"When the change in Canadian postage was made--of which we got notice by wire--I had only a very few two cent stamps in stock, so that before I got my supply from Ottawa I ran completely out of them, and, to keep my account straight, I was compelled to cut threes. This was for one day only, and not over 300 stamps were cut. I would say about 200 '2' and 100 '1' were used. About 100 '2'

and probably nearly as many '1' were marked with the figures '2'

and '1' as you describe, and were placed on letters for delivery in towns throughout the Dominion. Those were the only provisional stamps used by this office."

Once more, in June, the _Monthly Journal_ refers to the philatelically notorious Port Hood office:--

A correspondent tells us that the surcharged provisionals were not the first instances of the use of the scissors at Port Hood, an envelope emanating from that office and bearing the half of the 2c stamp, divided diagonally, having been found with the date July 27th, 1898. We do not know what the regulations are in Canada on the subject of receiving postage in cash, but we should suppose that if a postmaster runs out of 1c stamps, receives postage on certain letters, in cash, and then, to save an entry in his accounts, cuts 2c stamps in half and affixes the halves to the letters, it would not be considered a very heinous offence, and it would account for curiosities of this kind occasionally turning up.

But Port Hood does not seem to have been the only office in which the scissors were used, for the following letter from the _Montreal Philatelist_ shows that stamps were bi-sected at at least one other office. In this instance the postmaster divided 5c stamps as well as the 3c though, apparently, he did not apply any surcharge to the fractions:--

CROSS ROAD, COUNTRY HARBOR, April 17th, 1900.

Dear Sir,--Your enquiry re stamps to hand. At the time you mention the 2c postage was given us so suddenly that I was about out and all my neighbour P. M. was also out and as I could only charge the public 2c I could not afford to put on a 3c stamp so cut 3c and 5c to about even the thing up and sent them along. Three or four days'

letters were mailed in this way, but I do not know where they went to.

Yours very truly, E. S. SWEET, Postmaster.

The same journal in referring to the Port Hood provisionals makes some interesting comments which are worth reproduction, viz.:--

This postmaster must be a relic of the anti-confederation regime, when such mutilations were allowed, as even an entire absence of the required values would not warrant, under present regulations, this antiquated process. In such cases the postmaster should forward the money to the office on which his mail is forwarded with a request to affix the necessary stamps; he can handstamp or write the amount paid on each letter if desired, but that is not necessary. As these fractional provisionals of the Port Hood P. O.

were never issued to the public, but were affixed by the postmaster and the amount paid stamped on them, they are no more deserving of collection as postage stamps than the hand stamp or pen mark on an envelope would be if no stamp or portion of a stamp had been affixed. If it is asked "Why cut up and affix the stamps then?" the answer is the postmaster knew no better and wanted to make his cash account correspond with the total of stamps sold and on hand. He tried to simplify his book-keeping--nothing more--but went about it in an antiquated and unlawful way.

While genuine copies of these splits on original covers are interesting curiosities their philatelic value is not of the greatest importance, for they were, seemingly, never sold to the public but simply affixed by the postmaster after he had received payment in cash, to simplify his accounts. They were certainly not authorised and if they had been detected at the larger offices they would not have pa.s.sed as valid for postage.

In concluding our notes with regard to these cut stamps we reproduce a letter from the Post Office Department in reply to a collector who had made enquiry about the validity of the splits:

P. O. Dept., OTTAWA, _March 30th, 1904._

In reply to your letter of the 24th March, _re_ stamps '1' in blue, on 1/3 of 3, and '2' in violet on 2/3 of 3 cents, I beg to say that the Superintendent of the Stamp Branch a.s.sures me that no such stamps were ever issued or recognised by this Department, and if affixed to letters would be treated as ordinary mutilated stamps of no value. It appears that the Postmaster of Port Hood, N. S., at the time of the change of rate found himself short of 2 cents stamps, and, acting on the advice of some stamp fiend apparently, cut up a sheet or so of stamps to make twos and ones. He nearly lost his job over it, but the Department never got hold of any of the mutilated stamps. Anybody could make similar stamps by cutting up and marking old threes. Hoping this may be satisfactory to you,

Yours, etc., W. H. HARRINGTON.

_Reference List._

The 3c stamp of 1898 divided vertically and each portion surcharged with a new value.

73. 1(c) in blue on one-third of 3c carmine, Scott's No. 85A.

74. 2(c) in violet on two-thirds of 3c carmine. Scott's No. 85B.

CHAPTER XIX.--_The 2c Carmine._

According to the Post Office circular quoted in our last chapter the issue of the 2c stamp in carmine--or red, as the color was officially termed--was to begin when the supply of surcharged 3c stamps was exhausted. The new 2c stamp was eventually placed on sale on August 20th, 1899, and it is, of course, exactly like the same value previously issued in purple in all respects except that of color. The same plates were used and later many new ones were put to press. No accurate record of the different plates used for this denomination has been kept but, in addition to plates 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 listed by Mr. Howes, there were probably many others.

In 1900 Canada followed the lead of many other countries by issuing the 2c value in convenient booklet form. The Postmaster-General's Report for 1900 refers to these booklets as follows:--

In the month of June, 1900, the department commenced the issue to Postmasters, of a small book of 2 cent postage stamps, containing 12 stamps, disposed on two sheets of 6 stamps each, and interleaved with wax paper to prevent adhesion of the sheets. The size of the book is such as to make it convenient to be carried in the pocket or pocket-book. Printed on the cover is postal information calculated to be of interest to the public. The price at which the book is issued is 25 cents, one cent over the face value of the stamps being charged to cover the cost of binding, etc.

These stamp books were first placed on sale on June 11th and they rapidly came into public favor as is evidenced by the increasing sales every year since. Mr. Howes tells us that "the books are about two by three inches in size, with stiff cardboard covers which are bound together by red cloth. The coat-of-arms of Canada with the words CANADA POSTAGE beneath are engraved in red on the front cover, while inside are four pages of postal information and the two sheets of six stamps each--three horizontal pairs--backed by leaves of paraffined tissue paper."

_Reference List._

Aug. 20th, 1899. Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co., Ottawa. No Wmk. Perf. 12.

75. 2c carmine, Scott's No. 86.

CHAPTER XX.--_The 20c Value of 1900._

On the 29th of December, 1900, a 20c value was added to the numeral series, its advent being quite unannounced. The large 20c stamps of 1893 had been finally used up and the new label not only conformed to the others of the series in design but also took on a new color--olive-green in place of scarlet.

It was printed from the usual style of line-engraved plate with the usual sheet arrangement of 100 stamps arranged in ten horizontal rows of ten each, with the imprint and plate number in the centre of the top margin. Only one plate--numbered "1"--seems to have been used and Mr.

Howes tells us that "an examination of the stamp accounts during its term of life make it appear probable that approximately 500,000 were issued."