Peeps at Postage Stamps Part 8

50 h.e.l.ler: Mail motor-waggon.

1 kreutzer: The Carsija at Sarajevo.

2 kreutzer: The Lucas Tower at Jaice.

Sarajevo, it will be remembered, was the scene of the a.s.sa.s.sination of the Austrian Archduke, in 1914, whilst other places shown in the above pictures have come to our notice through the despatches bearing on the great European War.

How can we make the most of all these interesting and beautiful picture stamps? Quite a good plan is to build up a collection devoted to these attractive labels alone, arranging them not according to their countries, but according to the subject represented by them. For instance, there are sufficient stamps portraying animals to permit of a zoological section, arranged in scientific groups--mammals, birds, reptiles, etc. Of course, a good deal of written explanations should be provided with each adhesive. The Greek stamp representing Atlas might be followed by a brief account of the arduous duties imposed upon this unfortunate hero; the Toga stamp with the trilith might be accompanied by the short note given a few paragraphs above; whilst the stamps bearing geographical features might have little sketch-maps placed underneath them so that their exact positions may be learnt. If this plan be followed, the picture stamps will become extremely fascinating, and our store of general knowledge enhanced considerably.

CHAPTER XII

STAMPS AND HISTORY

What a wealth of history is recalled by a glance through the pages of our stamp alb.u.ms! The romantic changes which France has undergone, the efforts made by Germany for securing a wider empire, the ups and downs of Spain, the gradual growth of Italy, and a hundred other indications of progress and decay are all reflected therein.

Let us take, first of all, the case of Germany. In the earliest years we find stamps issued by a mult.i.tude of little States--_i.e._, Baden, Bavaria, Bergedorf, Brunswick, Hanover, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Odenburg, Prussia, Saxony, etc.--whilst the towns of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck also had individual postal rights of their own. The first step of consolidation came on January 1, 1868, when most of the above authorities joined what was called the North German Confederation, and nearly all of the separate units ceased to issue stamps. The Confederation adhesives were current from 1868 to 1871--that is, until the German Empire sprang into being. When the Franco-German War of 1870-1871 placed the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine under Prussian rule, special German stamps were sold in the captured territory. As they bore values in centimes, they were withdrawn as soon as "groschens" and "kreuzers" became generally current. A less important instance of Prussian absorption occurred on August 9, 1890, when the labels of Heligoland bearing a portrait of Queen Victoria were replaced by the regular German stamps. Further Teutonic progress is made evident by the numerous colonial issues which this kingdom has placed on sale since 1897. Lastly, may be mentioned the adhesives bearing the familiar effigy of "Germania," overprinted for use in Belgium.

The stamps of Spain are also interesting. The first issue (January 1, 1850) bore very crude portraits of the unscrupulous Queen Isabella II.

Various sets, all of them highly inartistic, were issued between 1850 and 1868. In the latter year a revolution occurred, and the Queen was deposed, a republic being inst.i.tuted instead of the monarchy. Isabella's stamps were temporarily overprinted with the words "HABILITADO POR LA NACION," and when the stock was exhausted, a new design, bearing an allegorical head typifying Liberty and Spain, became current. The republic did not last long, for the claims to the throne of the Duke of Aosta were considered well founded, and he was crowned King in 1872.

Amadeus, as he was called, figured on the stamps for a brief twelve months. These were stormy times. Unable to cope with them, he abdicated, and the republic was reinstated, the new stamps bearing first an allegorical figure of Peace and then of Justice. But even the representative Government was short-lived. The people once more turned to the House of Bourbon, and Alfonso XII. became King. He reigned ten years, and was then succeeded by his son, Alfonso XIII., the present ruling Sovereign.

The Italian adhesives are no less interesting. We have already indicated the manner in which Modena, Naples, Parma, Romagna, the Roman States, Sicily, Tuscany, and Sardinia joined together to form the Kingdom of Italy, and elected the King of Sardinia to be the new Sovereign. This latter was Victor Emmanuel II. He was succeeded by his son, Humbert I., who fell by the a.s.sa.s.sin's hand whilst riding on the outskirts of Milan in 1900. The present King, a fine example of soldier and statesman, is Victor Emmanuel III.

Probably no stamps reveal greater matters of historical importance than those of our neighbour, France. When adhesives were first issued by this country a republic was in power, and so an allegorical head, that of Ceres, embellished the new labels. In 1852 Louis Napoleon became President of the Republic, and, being a man who loved notoriety, he placed his bust upon the ten and twenty-five centimes values. Later on, as is known to all, he became Napoleon III.,[4] Emperor of the French, and the wording on the adhesives was changed from REPUB. FRANC. to EMPIRE FRANC. Later on, in 1863, to mark the successes which the French won over the Austrians, the head of Napoleon was encircled in a laurel crown. The final stage was reached in October, 1870, when the Germans gained an almost crus.h.i.+ng victory over the French. As a result, the Empire fell, and a republic once more ruled over the country. The head of the Emperor was removed from the stamps, and Ceres again appeared upon them. Thus the adhesives of France plainly indicate the changing course taken by the Government of our neighbour across the Channel.

[4] As there was no Napoleon II., readers may wonder why the above monarch received the t.i.tle of Napoleon III. The reason is a highly amusing one. The draft of the proclamation issued by the Government announcing his ascendancy to the throne commenced with the following words: "VIVE NAPOLeON!!!" The printer took the three exclamation marks to be the figures III, and his press accordingly reproduced the mistake some thousands of times over. Before the error was discovered, Paris and the other great towns had been placarded with the incorrect imprints.

There was no time to lose, so the Emperor, much to the amus.e.m.e.nt of his courtiers, agreed to take the t.i.tle of Napoleon III.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ZOOLOGICAL STAMPS

1 Dromedary 5 Quetzal 9 Springbok and Gnu 2 Kangaroo 6 Tiger 10 Emu 3 Giraffe 7 Panther 11 Malay Stag 4 Anteater 8 Swan]

If we turn to the stamps of Portugal, a most interesting array of monarchs will be revealed. Queen Maria figures upon the earliest stamps, but after two years of currency her portrait gave place to that of King Pedro V., which in turn was followed by a representation of King Luiz.

In 1889 King Carlos ascended the throne, and his effigy was given on the issues of 1892 and 1895. The a.s.sa.s.sination of Carlos and his elder son, which shocked the whole world, resulted in the appearance of King Manoel's features upon the stamps printed between 1908 and 1910. The events which marred his short and stormy reign are known to all, and in 1910 he took up his abode in England. Afterwards a republic sprang up, and the present adhesives bear the imprint of Liberty.

If we leave Europe and examine the stamps of the remaining four continents, many other events of great historical bearing will be revealed. The labels of the Transvaal, for instance, tell of two British occupations and two republics; the Egyptian labels show Turkish influence followed by a British protectorate; the early United States labels hint at the war which was waged to put down slavery; whilst the Cuban labels indicate Spanish occupation, followed first by the protection of the United States, and then by the creation of an independent republic. The adhesives of the Central and South American republics are worthy of special note, as they point to insurrections, wars, provisional governments, and troublous times in general. But no matter where we turn in our alb.u.ms, interesting landmarks of the world's history will be revealed by our treasured labels.

CHAPTER XIII

WAR STAMPS

Among the most interesting stamps which figure in our collections are those which owe their origin to the stern necessities of war. Stamps which fall into this division are of two main cla.s.ses: those needed for the use of troops fighting outside their own territory, and those called into being by the subjugation of the enemy's country.

The Great War of Europe, as the conflict of 1914-15 has been called, has naturally provided many additions to the list of war stamps.

1. Germany has overprinted its own labels with the word "Belgien," and these are of some rarity when in a used condition.

2. Many of the German colonial issues have been overprinted with words suggesting British or French occupation. We have, for instance, the Togo yacht stamps bearing the inscription "Anglo-French Occupation," and the Samoa yacht labels stamped with the letters "G.R.I."

[Ill.u.s.tration: SOME HAPSBURG PORTRAITS

1 Karl VI 4 Franz Josef I in 1908 7 Ferdinand 2 Maria Theresa 5 Leopold II 8 Franz Josef in 1884 3 Joseph II 6 Franz I 9 Franz Josef in 1878]

3. In cases where the German colonial issues have run short in the conquered settlements we find that labels of British or French origin have been pressed into service--for instance, New Zealand stamps have been overprinted for use in Samoa.

All these cla.s.ses of war labels permit of many interesting varieties, but, whenever possible, used specimens should be preferred to those which have not pa.s.sed through the post. We make this statement because certain belligerent countries endeavoured to replenish their exchequers by the sale, to philatelists, of uncancelled copies.

The stamps used by troops who are fighting outside their own territory are probably the most valuable of war labels. The British Expeditionary Force in France and Belgium was at the outset provided with ordinary English postal adhesives. These adhesives, when bearing such postmarks as "Army Base Post Office, France," or the ordinary cancel marks of Ostend, Boulogne, Paris, etc., are extremely valuable. When the British stamps ran short, letters were franked by postmarks alone, and these are well worth collecting. The circular and rectangular marks bearing the word "Pa.s.sed by Censor" are also interesting.

Communications coming from the Fleet bear cancel marks formed by a number of concentric rings. The varieties of this postal mark should be prized.

In all cases the complete envelope or card must be placed in the collection intact, and not just the cut-out postmark.

Probably the most carefully planned army postal service is that possessed by our Indian troops. Adhesive stamps are generally used on correspondence, the ordinary Indian issues, overprinted with the letters I.E.F. being employed.

From a Field Service Manual[5] on "Posts and Telegraphs," we have been able to glean a few details respecting the organization and establishment of the Indian military post offices. In times of peace a stock of tents and equipment, sufficient for the supply of three base post offices, fifty first-cla.s.s field post offices, ten second-cla.s.s field post offices, and for the supervising staff, is kept in store at Lah.o.r.e in the charge of the Postal Department of the Punjab.

[5] Quoted from _Stamp Collecting_, December 5, 1914.

On the outbreak of war the military postal service is organized by the Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs in India according to the requirements of the Army authorities.

The supervising staff is selected by him from a roll of European volunteers for such service maintained in his office, the full war establishment consisting of six Directors or Deputy Directors, eighteen a.s.sistant Directors, twenty-four Inspectors, and fifty Postmasters. The rest of the establishment is selected by the Postmaster-General of the Punjab.

One Director or Deputy Director, two a.s.sistant Directors, and four Inspectors const.i.tute the normal postal personnel of an expeditionary force. They wear the ordinary field service uniform of the Indian Army according to their respective ranks, distinguished by the word "Post" on the shoulder straps.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STAMPS FROM THE "GREAT WAR" ZONE

1 Russia 6 Union of South Africa 11 Prussia 2 Belgium 7 France 12 Bavaria 3 Montenegro 8 Luxembourg 13 Austria 4 Great Britain 9 Portugal 14 Turkey 5 Egypt 10 Servia]

The following extracts from the Indian Army Order, No. 619, dated November 10, 1913, are of interest:

"7. The Director or Deputy Director, or, in his absence, the Postmaster-General under whose orders he is to work, should, on receipt of the first intimation that a force is to be mobilized, take the earliest opportunity to consult the General Officer appointed to command the force as to the postal requirements of the force in respect of the number of field post offices, the cla.s.ses of postal business to be undertaken, the establishment to be provided, etc. As far as possible, the wishes of the General Officer commanding should be carried out.

"23. The Director-General will arrange that the treasury nearest to the base office is supplied with about ten times its normal supply of ordinary postage stamps (including postcards and envelopes), and that a sufficient stock is maintained throughout the campaign. The base post office should thus be in a position to supply at once the postage stamps required in field post offices. If there is no treasury at hand, a sufficient supply of postage stamps of all descriptions must be kept at the base post office. The base post office will be supplied with an iron safe, or two, if necessary.

"24. The requisite stamps, scales, bags, and other articles of stock sufficient for six months' requirements, will be furnished to the base post office for its own use, and for distribution, under the orders of the Director or Deputy Director, to field post offices. Section 5 B shows the books, forms, stamps, etc., required for field post offices. All books, forms, and articles of stock should be packed in the prescribed mule trunks, each of which, when packed, should not exceed one maund in weight. The books, forms, and stamps required by the base post office will be the same as those used by a head office in India performing the same cla.s.ses of business; but in addition to the ordinary stamps it will be supplied with a special 'postage cancelled' stamp."

Another form of war stamp is the charity stamps; these have been issued by various countries in order to collect money for Red Cross and other funds. The labels serve for ordinary postal work, but as a rule cost a halfpenny or penny above face value. A charge of three-halfpence, for instance, is made for a penny stamp, a penny of the sum being appropriated by the postal authorities, and a halfpenny being remitted to the Red Cross Fund. So far, France, Monaco, Belgium, Russia, Austria, and Hungary have printed charity labels, and other countries have such issues in contemplation. It may be mentioned that various bogus charity stamps appearing to emanate from Belgium have reached this country from Holland and elsewhere; all such labels, therefore, should be accepted with caution.

War stamps date back, at least, to the time of the Crimea. In this campaign the British forces inst.i.tuted a military post office at Constantinople with branch offices at Balaclava and Scutari. No special stamps were given to the soldiers, the current British penny reds being used. The postmarks, however, were distinctive, and it is therefore possible to distinguish between the red labels used in the ordinary way at home and those used by the Expeditionary Force. The distinctive postmarks were: