Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal Stationery Part 25

There is nothing of special importance concerning postage stamps in the Postmaster General's Reports from 1893 to 1897, but we glean an item of interest from _Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News_ of December 3, 1896:--

A new regulation has been put in force by the Canadian post-office department. Until a few days ago it was unlawful for any person to sell unused current Canadian stamps without a government license [as a stamp vendor]. Merchants and others who received a great many unused stamps as remittances, have heretofore been compelled to send them to the department at a discount of five per cent, or dispose of them by illegitimate means, running the risk of being prosecuted for selling without license. A great deal of complaint was made to the department concerning this matter, and last week Hon. Mr. Mulock announced that thenceforth, all unused Canadian stamps would be cashed at one per cent. discount in amounts of over $1.00. The stamps may be pasted on paper, as they will not be put in circulation again.

CHAPTER XI

THE JUBILEE ISSUE OF 1897

The so-called "Diamond Jubilee" of the accession of Queen Victoria, who had then been on the throne of the United Kingdom for sixty years, occurred on the 20th June, 1897, and several of the British Colonies, as on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary, considered it fitting to celebrate the event with a commemorative issue of postage stamps.

Probably no proprieties would be violated were it observed, sub rosa, that the pecuniary gains connected with such issues were probably more of a factor in determining their birth than the superabundance of jubilation over the auspicious occurrence. Such a suspicion is quite readily aroused when considering all the facts in connection with the special set of stamps that Canada felt it necessary to put forth at this time.

But the story runs a little farther back and hinges on other changes.

What proved a prophetic utterance appeared under "Canadian Notes" in the _Weekly Philatelic Era_ of August 1, 1896, as follows:--

For the first time in 18 years a Liberal, or Reform government has full control of the Dominion.... Mr. William Mulock, J. C., of Toronto, is the new Postmaster General and I am informed that considerable pressure is being brought to bear upon him to have an entirely new set of stamps issued to replace those which have been in use in Canada for something over a quarter of a century.

Under the same "Notes" in the issue of the above paper for January 23, 1897, we find the result of the "pressure":--

The British American Bank Note Company, which for so many years have had the contract for printing Canada's paper currency and postage stamps, have been notified that their services will no longer be required. The shareholders in that company were not of the right political stripe for the new Government. The contract has now been given to the American Bank Note Company of New York. This company will have to establish a branch office at Ottawa and all the work will have to be done in Canada.

_Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News_ gives further details in a clipping from the _Montreal Herald_, dated "Ottawa, Jan. 11," [1897]:[121]--

The contract for the Government engraving, for which tenders were called two months ago, has been awarded to the American Bank Note Company, of New York, for a period of five and a quarter years. The contract is worth $600,000, and may be renewed for a similar period.

The work consists of engraving Dominion bank notes, revenue and postage stamps, postal cards, etc. At present the British American Bank Note Company, better known as Burland and Company, formerly of Montreal, have the contract. They tendered this time, but the New York company was the lowest. The New York company is one of the largest and best known in the world. The firm engraves notes for some of the banks in Canada, including the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Under the terms of the new contract, the Company will require to establish a place in Ottawa to do the work, where the Government can have supervision of it. As compared with the prices paid under the Burland contract, the Government will effect a saving of $120,000 by the new contract.

[121] =Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News=, IX: 25.

The next step appears in the _Weekly Philatelic Era_ of January 30, 1897, where we read under "Canadian Notes":--

Many suggestions are being made and many plans laid for the fitting celebration of the sixtieth year of Her Majesty's reign. In Canada this celebration is being coupled with that of the four hundredth anniversary of Cabot's discovery of America. Tn this connection a proposal has been made and an agitation started for the issue of a commemorative set of postage stamps by the Dominion government....

It has been suggested that the new stamps be made a trifle larger than the present ones, that a somewhat recent picture of Her Majesty replace the present one, and that the figures and colors be made more p.r.o.nounced. If possible some reference to the combined celebrations will likely be made. The agitation for a new issue is quite p.r.o.nounced and is by no means confined to philatelists. There appears to be general desire on the part of the people to have a change.

A step further is recorded in the _Era_ for March 27th, as follows:--

The _Toronto World_ in its edition of March 15th. contained the following as one of its leaders: "Here is good news for postage stamp collectors. The Postmaster-General proposes, as far as his department is concerned, to commemorate Her Majesty's diamond jubilee by the issue of a new 3-cent postage stamp appropriate to the occasion. It will have a limited circulation only, probably for a period of months covering the jubilee celebrations during the coming summer. When the sale is stopped the present 3-cent stamp will be put in circulation again.... So far the design of the new stamp has not been made public although the Hon. Mr. Mulock, the Postmaster-General, has sent a sketch of it to the British-American [_sic_] Bank Note Company to be engraved. It it said to be oblong and nearly as large as the Columbian issue".

If only this original intention had been adhered to!

More precise information finally appeared in the _Era_ for May 29th:--

During the last week the Canadian papers have been full of Canada's Jubilee issue, which has now been definitely decided upon.

_The Toronto Evening Telegram_ of a few days ago has perhaps the most to say concerning the stamps, and it is to that paper that your correspondent is indebted for the following. The new Jubilee stamp will be issued in another month. The design represents Her Majesty at two important eras in her life, namely at her accession on the 20th of June, 1837, and within a few weeks of her Jubilee in 1897.

The first vignette, showing her on her coronation day, is from a well known portrait of that period. It is a full faced portrait and her Majesty wears the crown. Looking at the stamp this vignette is at the left side. To the right is a picture of Her Majesty as she appears today; the face is profile looking toward the vignette of 1837. The latter picture represents Her Majesty wearing the Empress crown. Between and above the two vignettes is a beautifully executed copy of the Imperial crown of England and under it the letter "V"

with the letters "R. I." in the fork of the "V". The three letters meaning Victoria Regina (Queen), Imperatrix (Empress). In the semi-circle or upper part of the vignette are the words "Canada Postage" and underneath these are respectively the dates 1837-1897 and between the vignettes are ornamentation of maple leaves, while in the lower corners of the stamps are also maple leaves, and between these and at the base of the stamp is its denomination in black letters on a white ground. There will be sixteen varieties of the new stamp and a post card.

The first set of stamps printed will be sent to H. R. H. the Prince of York [_sic_], who is an enthusiastic stamp collector. The second set will be presented to Her Excellency Lady Aberdeen (wife of the Canadian Governor General).

The same paper credits the suggestion of the general idea of the Jubilee design to Mr. Pareira, an official of the Interior Department.

A few days later the matter of the proposed issue came up in Parliament, and the Postmaster General was interpellated in the House of Commons.

His reply was published in the _Canadian Hansard_, the official record, of 20th May, 1897, as follows:--

The Postmaster-General (Mr. Mulock): It is the intention of the Government to issue a set of Jubilee postage stamps. Such stamps will be put into public use by being delivered to postmasters throughout Canada for sale to the public in the same manner as ordinary postage stamps are sold. There will be a limit to the quant.i.ty to be issued. The denominations of Jubilee stamps, and the total number of such Jubilee stamps to be issued, are set forth in the following schedule:--

Schedule showing the Denominations and Total Number of Jubilee Stamps to be issued:

Number to be issued. Denomination.

150,000 1/2 c. stamps 8,000,000 1 c. "

2,500,000 2 c. "

20,000,000 3 c. "

750,000 5 c. "

75,000 6 c. "

200,000 8 c. "

150,000 10 c. "

100,000 15 c. "

100,000 20 c. "

100,000 50 c. "

25,000 $ 1 00 "

25,000 $ 2 00 "

25,000 $ 3 00 "

25,000 $ 4 00 "

25,000 $ 5 00 "

7,000,000 1 c. post cards.

Total value of one stamp of each kind, $ 16.21-1/2.

As soon as the total number of stamps mentioned in said schedule is issued the plates from which they will have been engraved will be destroyed in the presence of the head and two officers of the department. On the 10th June the Post Office Department will proceed to supply Jubilee postage stamps to the princ.i.p.al post offices in Canada, and through them the minor post offices will obtain their supply until the issue is exhausted. If this Jubilee issue were to wholly displace the ordinary postage stamps it would supply the ordinary wants of the country for between two and three months, but as the use of the ordinary postage stamps will proceed concurrently with that of the Jubilee stamps, it is expected that the Jubilee stamp will last beyond the three months. Inasmuch as the department is already receiving applications for the purchase of Jubilee stamps, it may be stated that the department will adhere to the established practice of supplying them only to postmasters, and through them to the public, who may purchase them on and after the 19th June, 1897.

Promptly, "as advertised", the stamps were placed on sale throughout the Dominion on the morning of Sat.u.r.day, the 19th of June. The natural result followed: an expectant populace, for various reasons but with one main object, literally besieged the post offices for the coveted treasures. The advance publication of the quant.i.ties of the various denominations to be issued gave speculators the hint as to the most desirable values to "corner", and as a result the 1/2 cent and 6 cent stamps were a special mark in all quarters. This action seems to have been more or less antic.i.p.ated, for these values were doled out in very small quant.i.ties, if at all, in spite of the large orders that were everywhere given for them. This was doubtless largely due to the following circular, sent out with the initial supply of the stamps to all postmasters:[122]--

N. B.--Requisitions for _full sets_ of the Jubilee stamps will be filled until the issue is exhausted.--E. P. S.

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA, POSTAGE STAMP BRANCH, OTTAWA, _June_,1897.

SIR,--I am directed by the Postmaster-General to send you herewith a supply of the Jubilee stamps and 1 c. post card, equal to one month's ordinary requirements of your office. Should this quant.i.ty prove insufficient it will, on your requisition addressed to this branch, be supplemented; but as the Jubilee issue is limited, it would be necessary for you to apply early in order to secure further supplies of the same.

I am also to instruct you not to sell any of the accompanying stamps or post cards before the opening of your office at the regular office hours on the 19th June instant--the eve of the anniversary they are intended to commemorate.

These stamps and cards are, of course, like the ordinary issues, to be sold at face value.