Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal Stationery Part 6

So much for the 12d. stamp. The tables of the Post Office reports tell us also that the issues of the 6d. stamp to postmasters for these same four years totalled 102,600, or only 2200 more than the original number delivered, the second delivery of the 6d. not having taken place until March 21, 1855,[16] at the end of the last fiscal year of the four. If, then, the entire first printings of the 6d. and 12d. stamps were on laid paper, as is usually claimed, there would be no such thing as a 12d. on wove paper, and the 6d. stamp in the same state would not be found _used_ (provided proper postmark evidence were forthcoming) before the end of March, 1855. During the same period there were at least five deliveries of the 3d. stamp, so that several things may have happened to that value. But, curiously enough, it is the other two stamps that furnish us with our best evidence.

[16] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83.

We now come literally to the "n.i.g.g.e.r in the wood-pile." The 12d. stamp _does_ exist on the _wove_ paper! Mr. Worthington and Mr. Pack each possess an unused copy, and careful examination by the writer has failed to disclose any appreciable difference in the color, quality or appearance of the paper, save for the impossibility of discovering the laid lines, between these copies and those possessing proper credentials as the regular laid paper 12d. of 1851. The color of the stamp and its general appearance give no hint of the supposed irregularity, and a letter to Mr. Worthington from the well known expert, Mr. John N. Luff, gives his approval to the specimen in Mr. Worthington's collection. It was formerly considered that the supposed 12d. on wove paper was merely a proof, and in the "_Catalogue for Advanced Collectors_" we find the following note concerning it under Canada.[17]

[17] American Journal of Philately, 2d. Series, III: 121.

Although the 12p is catalogued by some as existing on thin wove paper, we do not believe in it as in every copy on wove paper sent to us for examination some traces of the word _specimen_ were to be discovered thus showing them all to be merely proofs.

As far as the writer has seen them, specimen copies have been on India paper, which is quite distinct from the regular paper of the issue, and they have been overprinted with the word "SPECIMEN" in carmine ink, either diagonally or vertically upward. The copies referred to in the paragraph just quoted probably had been treated with chemicals to remove the red ink overprint.

Of course the desideratum for the settlement of the whole question is to find a copy of the stamp used on cover; but inasmuch as up to the present time but three copies of the 12d. on laid paper are known in this condition, it seems a hopeless quest. Nevertheless there appear to be several _used_ copies of the wove paper 12d. known, the first mention we find of one being in the report of the proceedings of the Philatelic Society of London for 4th May, 1888,[18] which reads: "The business of the evening consisted in the revision of the Society's reference list of the Stamps of Canada, which was concluded, Mr. F. Ransom showing an undoubted postmarked specimen of the 12d. first issue, printed upon stout wove paper." Mr. W. H. Brouse, the eminent Canadian philatelist, also possessed a cancelled copy of this stamp, which later adorned the Ayer collection, it is understood. An editorial in the _Dominion Philatelist_ thus speaks of it:[19]--"We have received from W. H.

Brouse, of Toronto, a photograph of ... 12 pence Canada on _wove paper_ [which] appears to be a beautiful specimen with fine margin and light cancellation." Two fine copies, one unused and one used, were sold in the auction of the Mirabaud collection at Paris, in April, 1909.

[18] Philatelic Record, X: 124.

[19] Dominion Philatelist, No. 34, p. 8.

From the above it is plainly evident that the 12d. on wove paper properly exists, in spite of the "first [and only] printing on laid paper" theory, which is usually laid down as an _a priori_ consideration. Also it appears that it is found in a used condition, though this cannot be taken as an absolute test, because of the uncertainty that may lurk in a cancellation on a detached specimen of a stamp. Only the discovery of a copy properly used on the original cover, as already intimated, can effectually settle the question of its actual issue and use. But there is a fact which doubtless furnishes the clue to the seeming mystery of its being. We have already noted that the laid paper first used varied considerably in thickness, and also that the wove paper next used was in all respects similar to the former, but of course without the laid lines. Now it happens sometimes that it is quite difficult to distinguish the laid paper, a very careful scrutiny or even the extreme resort to the benzine cup being necessary to bring out the watermarked lines, and perhaps then only in a half suspicious way. If such be the case, it is only a step further to the entire disappearance of these "laid lines," and lo, the wove paper!

Writing to Mr. F. C. Young concerning the 12d. stamp, Mr. John N. Luff says:[20]--"It is my opinion that both the wove and laid papers are quite genuine and I think it is possible that both varieties might occur though there was only one lot sent out by the printers. It does not, of course, follow that the entire batch was printed on the same day or that two varieties of paper might not have been used. The early printers were not always very particular about their paper, provided it was somewhat alike in a general way. Some collectors claim that laid paper is often of such nature that the lines do not show in some parts of the sheet, and I believe there is evidence to support this theory."

Finally Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack, in some notes sent the _London Philatelist_, sums matters up in these words:[21]--"After a very careful investigation I believe that the 12d., on wove paper, was issued, and that the stamp was on sale at the Post Office, in Hamilton, Canada West." Mr. Pack writes us further:--"When I was a boy I went to school at St. Catherines, Ontario. There were keen stamp collectors in St.

Catherines at that time, not only among boys, but among grown people.

That was about 1869 or 1870. I was told that part of the 12d. Canada which had been on sale at the Hamilton post office were on wove paper and I was convinced that that was the case."

[20] Canada Stamp Sheet, IV: 142.

[21] London Philatelist, XVI: 144.

Concerning the laid and wove papers of this issue Mr. King writes as follows:[22]--"The texture of these papers is virtually the same, and it is indeed often difficult, particularly in the case of the 6d., to distinguish between the _laid_ and _wove_ papers. The lines in the _laid_ paper are of a most peculiar character, and cannot, as a rule, be brought fairly out by holding the stamp between one's eyes and the light. The best way to test these two papers is to lay the stamps, face down, on a black surface, and let the light strike them at about an angle of fifteen degrees, when the _laid_ lines are brought most plainly into view. It is necessary, however, to place the specimens so that the light will strike them parallel to their length, as the _laid_ lines run horizontally in the 3d., and vertically in the 6d. and 12d."

[22] Monthly Journal, VII: 9.

We now come to the most interesting and confirmatory part of our evidence. We have already referred to the fact that Messrs. Corwin & King give June, 1852, as the date when the wove paper appeared, and 1852 is given in all catalogues and lists as the year of issue for all three stamps on this paper. In their article on British North America, the above gentlemen, in discussing early dates established by entire covers for the varieties of paper that they describe, remark under the caption "_Series IV_." (the _thin wove_ paper): "We took a six-pence from a letter dated June 25th, 1852."[23] This statement can hardly be questioned, after the careful and minute study that they gave to the papers of this issue, and it therefore means just one thing: _the 6d. on wove paper came in the first lot delivered_, for we have seen that the second supply did not arrive until 1855. The fact is therefore established that the first deliveries of stamps in April and May, 1851, included the wove paper, and we therefore have here what amounts to the proper credentials for the appearance and even use of the 12d. on wove paper.

[23] Metropolitan Philatelist, I: 149.

As the 3d., having been delivered first, was undoubtedly printed first, this value may have been entirely upon the laid paper, particularly as it seems to be not especially rare on this paper and has not been recorded on wove paper used earlier than the receipt of the 1852 supplies. But this of course is negative evidence, and this value may yet be found to have been printed upon the wove paper along with the other two values in 1851.

We have remarked that there were but three covers known bearing copies of the 12d. stamp. It is with great satisfaction, therefore, that we are able to present reproductions of two of them for the benefit of our readers. The earliest date is on the cover numbered 90 on Plate VI, which is in the Worthington collection. This bears the postmark of "Montreal, L. C. JY 21, 1852" in red. The stamp is a little heavily cancelled by the concentric rings type of obliteration in black. The word CANADA within the curved frame and the word PAID are stamped in red on the cover. This was a requirement of the first postal convention between Canada and the United States, signed on March 25, 1851. Section 9 reads:--

"The Offices designated for the despatch and receipt of Canadian Mails on the side of the United States will stamp 'U. States' upon all letters sent into Canada for delivery; and the Offices designated for the despatch and receipt of United States mails on the side of Canada will stamp 'Canada' upon all letters sent into the United States for delivery."

The other two covers were both the property of the late John F. Seybold, but the one upon which the stamp appears in finest condition now ornaments the collection of Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack. This is ill.u.s.trated as No. 91 on Plate VI and bears the postmark of "Hamilton, C. W. NO 23, 1853." The stamp is cancelled with the concentric rings in blue, and an additional handstamp appears in red reading "CANADA--PAID 20 Cts" in two lines. The "20" is made over from "10" by the use of a pen in changing the first figure. In this connection it will be remembered that 6d. currency, equal to 10 cents, was the single rate for 1/2oz. letters between Canada and the United States.[24]

[24] See 63 on page 30.

The third cover is in all respects a companion piece of the second, bearing the same marks and (probably) the same address originally, but dated from Hamilton on "DE 8, 1853."

All three of these covers show the particular use of the 12d.

stamp--simply as a multiple of the 3d. and 6d. in currency rates. That it was _not_ issued with any intention of being especially used for the British packet rate must be evident, as we have seen that this was 1s.

4d. currency if prepaid and sent via the United States, or 1s. 1-1/2d.

currency if prepaid and sent via Halifax[25]--rates that could not be made up by means of the three stamps first issued.

[25] See Secs. 60 and 62 on page 30.

On the other hand the stamp was quadruple the domestic rate, double the rate to the United States, and the single rate for the fortnightly mails from Montreal via Boston to Newfoundland, Bermuda and the British West Indies.[26] Probably letters in the first category were not common, and, as it happens, all our specimens fall in the second. The third category doubtless did not entail a large correspondence, particularly as the more direct route to the places mentioned, via Quebec and Halifax, was at the lesser rate of 7-1/2d.[27] For the above reasons, then, the covers as we find them evidently exemplify the usual use to which the 12d. stamp was put, and explain why more were not used, as surely would have been the case had the stamp been convenient for prepaying the packet rate to England, with which there was a large correspondence.

[26] See Sec. 70 on page 31.

[27] See Secs. 67 and 68 on page 30.

Having now described the two main varieties of paper common to the three values of this issue, let us look at some further varieties of the stock used for the 3d. and 6d. values, which, because of their long term of use, were subject to quite a number of printings and therefore gave opportunity for the variation in paper which is a characteristic of this issue. We have already given the statistics of the receipt and issue of 3d. and 6d. stamps for the five years from 1851 to 1856,[28] and find they total 1,600,500 for the 3d. and 150,400 for the 6d. From succeeding reports of the Postmaster General we cull the following:--

[28] See pages 35-36.

REPORT OF 30TH SEPT., 1857, [including 1 year 6 months, by statute.][29]

3d. stamps 6d. stamps

Balance on hand 31st March, 1856 255,800 9,381 Received from Mfrs. in half-year to 30th. Sept. 50,000 --------- --------- Total 255,800 59,381 Issued for sale during half-year 186,200 24,781 --------- --------- Balance 1st October, 1856 69,600 34,600 Received from Mfrs. year ending 30th Sept., 1857 600,000 50,078 --------- --------- Total 669,600 84,678 Issued for sale during yr. ending 30th Sept., 1857 587,900 60,600 --------- --------- Balance on hand 81,700 24,078

REPORT OF 30TH. SEPT., 1858.

Received from Mfrs. year ending 30th Sept., 1858 900,000 100,000 --------- --------- Total 981,700 124,078 Issued for sale during year 717,200 82,500 --------- --------- Balance on hand 30th Sept., 1858 264,500 41,578

REPORT OF 30TH. SEPT., 1859.

Rec'd from Mfrs. during 9 mos. to 30th June, 1859 449,900 70,000 --------- --------- Total 714,400 111,578 Issued for sale during above 9 months 692,700 94,000 --------- --------- Balance on hand 30th June, 1859 21,700 17,578

[29] 20^o Vict. cap. XXV. Sec. VII; see page 61.

On July 1, 1859 the stamps in decimal currency were issued, so the above remainders represent the last of the 3d. and 6d. stamps. Adding the receipts from the manufacturers in the above tables, therefore, to the totals already given for the years 1851-6, and then deducting the remainders (which were later destroyed), we have for the total issue of the 3d. stamp 3,528,700, and of the 6d. stamp 402,900. In these figures are of course included the perforated stamps, which we will consider later.

It will be seen from the tables that there were at least eight deliveries of the 3d. stamps and at least six deliveries of the 6d.

stamps, but inasmuch as these are totalled by years, and as some of the amounts are quite large (_e. g._ 900,000 of the 3d. in 1858), it seems certain that there were even more deliveries and consequently more printings of the stamps than is indicated. In no other way can we account for the variety in the paper used, and also the variety in the color of the 6d. stamp. The 3d. does not vary so much, probably because its shade of red did not require much mixing of inks and the ingredients were such that slight variations in the proportions did not greatly affect the tone. The normal color being a bright red, we find it running to a deeper, almost brick red in one direction, and to a vermilion in the other. As to the normal color of the 6d. it would be almost impossible to hazard a guess, if we had simply a series of one stamp of each distinct variation in color or shade in which it is found. The common run of shades is from a slate violet to a slate or "near black"

with a "cast" of violet, of brown, or even green. What can one do in trying to describe the "color" of such a chameleon stamp with such an uncertain basis to work upon? The check list gives the nearest approximation to the various shades that we have been able to translate into color names, but it is almost impossible to so describe some of them as to convey the proper idea of the exact shade to the reader.

For papers used, Mr. King describes no less than fourteen.[30] Four of these are the two grades of the laid and wove "bank-note" paper already mentioned. A third variety of laid paper is described by him as entirely different, being a stout white paper in which "the _laid_ lines are most distinct, while the paper is of a different texture and color from the regular grey shade." Mr. Pack states: "This paper is very rare, and I have never seen but very few copies."[31] Mr. King's sixth variety is described as "hard, stout, grayish wove," but we have included it with the ordinary wove paper in the check list, of which it is but a little heavier manifestation. The same may be said of his varieties XII and XIII, described as "medium" and "thick, hard, white wove paper, very slightly ribbed," respectively, which we have cla.s.sed under "stout, hard, white wove paper." There is an extreme case in the 6d. stamp, which comes on a _very_ thick hard paper, concerning which Mr. Pack says:--"The unused 6d. on very thick, hard paper is one of the greatest rarities of Canada. It is as rare as the 12d. unused. Curiously enough, this stamp in used condition is very rare in a pair or strip. So far as I know there are only two or three strips or pairs in existence. It is my understanding that the very thick _hard_ paper stamps were printed previous to those on the _soft_ paper." The last remark refers to the very thick, soft paper, almost a card board (Mr. King's variety XIV) which is now well known as an exceedingly rare variety. It is distinct, both in paper and color, from any other variety of the 6d. stamp, the shade being a dull purple. The same may be said of the thick _hard_ paper stamp, which appears to be in a very even shade of slate violet.

[30] Monthly Journal, VII: 9.

[31] London Philatelist, XVI: 144.