Postage stamp

“ If any person uses or attempts to use in prepayment of postage on any letter or other mailable matter posted in this Province, any postage stamp which has been before used for a like purpose, such person shall be subject to a penalty of not less than Ten and not exceeding Forty dollars for every such offense, and the letter or other mailable matter on which such stamp has been so improperly used may be detained, or in the discretion of the Postmaster General forwarded to its destination charged with double postage. ”

“ Complaints of defective mucilage would be far less frequent if the public would kindly bear in mind that it is the envelope of a letter, or the cover of a packet, and not the postage stamp, which should be moistened when stamps are affixed in prepayment of postage. ”

“ The color of the Domestic-rate postage stamp, as prescribed by the Universal Postal Union, is red, and it is intended to discontinue the issue of the ordinary two cents purple colored stamps as soon as the present supply on hand is exhausted. ”

“ Had it been possible under the old postal system to prepay letter-postage as well as newspaper-postage, what more likely than that a man so far-seeing as was Mr Knight would also have suggested the application of his stamp to all mail matter? Letter postage stamps and prepayment had, of necessity, to await the advent of 1840 and uniformity of rate. [154]
(4) “Finally, and in its results most important of all, the adhesive stamp was made experimentally by Mr James Chalmers in his printing office at Dundee, in 1834.” ”

“ The colour, pattern, watermark, approximate market value and date of issue of every postage stamp may then be learnt with certainty.
We must guard against cramping the specimens too closely together. In order that our collection may grow naturally, space must be left for additions which may reasonably be expected to fall into our possession. Every distinct issue should be started on a fresh line, and room must be allowed at the end of a country for future issues. [Pg 11]
As to the stamps which ought and which ought not to be admitted into the album, a great deal could be written. ”

“ Any one familiar with the law of 1836 will see that the Postmaster General widely exceeded the authority conferred on him as it would be construed to day in making the "arrangement" under the power to provide a carrier system. The labels and stamps mentioned in the letter quoted were probably however, not intended to include the postage stamp actually issued, as these terms are used in various documents, reports, etc., of the period to designate quite different articles, the "stamps" being invariably the hand stamps such as we have already described. ”

“ The regulations respecting special delivery have been so modified that it is no longer necessary for a person despatching a letter which he desires to have delivered immediately, to provide himself with the “special delivery” stamp issued by the department. He may now place upon his letter ordinary postage stamps to the value of ten cents in addition to the stamps required for the prepayment of postage and write across the corner of the envelope the words “special delivery”. This will ensure the special delivery of the letter as provided for in the regulations. ”

“ The officers of Inland Revenue, Somerset House, will place an embossed stamp on any paper or envelope taken to them, equal to the value of any of those above mentioned, or to a combination of any of them, under the following regulations:—
1st. When the stamps required do not amount to 10l. worth one shilling is charged, in addition to the postage stamps, for each distinct size of paper. 2d. When the stamps amount to 10l. worth no fee is charged if one size of paper only be sent. 3d. When the stamps amount to 20l. worth, no fee is charged, and two sizes of paper are allowed ”

“ It seems expedient to adopt some distinctive postage stamp to be used only in prepayment of the Registration charge, both to make it clear that this charge has been duly paid and accounted for in every case, and to diminish the risk which is occasionally felt at points of distribution of omitting to carry on the Registration in cases where the ordinary Registration postmark is not as distinct and calculated to arrest attention as it should be. ”

“ Transient and re-mailed Papers and Periodicals will pass by Post if pre-paid by Postage stamp—one halfpenny on each Newspaper, and on each Periodical, one halfpenny, if not exceeding 3 oz., in weight, and 2d. if over 3 oz.
Postage Stamps of the value of one halfpenny each will be sold to the public at all the principal Post Offices (including all Money Order Offices) , with a discount of 5 per cent upon purchases of not less than twenty stamps, and will be available in prepayment of Newspapers and Periodicals, and of Drop and Town Letters. ”

“ Another attempt is to be made to give us decent postage stamps. We suppose it will fail, as so many have hitherto. Our postal authorities try too much. If they will only take the Italian or French stamp, and put Washington's head in place of Victor Emanuel's, or Napoleon's, they cannot fail; but they will try some improvements and spoil all. ”

“ The impressed stamp must be carefully cancelled by Postmasters when the envelopes are posted.
7. An impressed stamp cut from an envelope cannot be used for pre-payment of postage in any shape, and when detached from the envelope on which it was impressed, it loses all value as a postage stamp. ”

“ When we come to consider the supply of old postage-stamps, we cannot but recognise a further important factor in their security as an investment. The majority of the rare, medium and common postage-stamps have been issued with the Government imprimatur; re-issues and reprintings are known, but they are the exception. Generally speaking, a stamp is no sooner obsolete than it commences to soar in the stamp-dealers' price-lists. ”

“ We find in that for 31st March, 1856, a note to the effect that the postage on letters to France had been once more reduced, this time to 10d. currency per 1⁄4 oz., which gave further employment to the new 10d. stamp. There is also some information concerning the registry system, but this will be treated later under that head. One item is found in the accounts to interest us:—
Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson, for printing 300,000 postage stamps for Post Office Department £15.2.3. ”

“ Such stamps were issued at New York, St. Louis, Brattleboro, New Haven, Providence, Alexandria, Baltimore, Millbury and probably other places. Although not governmental or official stamps, they are none the less interesting or valuable mementoes. They show how determined the public were to have the postage stamp, and their history shows how the Public Will compelled the government to adopt the postage stamp in spite of the supposed difficulties in the way. ”

“ We may mention that the mania has been increased in such a degree as to lead to the formation of a postage-stamp exchange, the locality being Change Alley, leading out of Birchin Lane.{264} There every evening about fifty boys, and some men, too, may be seen industriously exchanging old disfigured stamps, most of which are carefully fastened in books. ”

“ POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. CANADA,
POSTAGE STAMP BRANCH,
OTTAWA, [August] 1897.
SIR.—I am directed to transmit to you the accompanying partial sets of Jubilee stamps. These sets consist of two kinds: one from a 1⁄2c. to $1.00 (value $2.201⁄2) , the other from 1⁄2c. to 50c. (value $1.201⁄2) . You are instructed to sell these stamps as sets, and as sets only, representations having been made to the department that in various parts of the Dominion there is a desire to obtain such sets for souvenir purposes. You must not, under any circumstances, break a set ”

“ Although the reduction in the domestic rate of postage from 3c to 2c in 1899 made the 8c stamp—which was primarily intended for the combined payment of postage and the registration fee—of little use it was not until December, 1902, that this value was replaced by a seven cents denomination. The new stamp was first announced as being in preparation in a newspaper despatch dated Ottawa, Dec. 18th, 1902, viz.:—
The Post Office Department announces that on the 24th instant it will be in a position to supply a seven cent postage stamp to accounting post-offices throughout Canada. ”

“ In fact it was a mere contract between the postmaster and the purchaser of his stamps, that when a letter bearing one of his stamps was mailed at his office, it should be treated as if the money were handed in with it. No postmaster recognized the stamp of any post office but his own. A letter adorned with a New York stamp mailed at the St. Louis office would have been treated as unpaid. A New York stamp was recognized only at the New York office, and a St. Louis stamp only at the St. Louis office. ”

“ POSTAGE STAMP DEALER,
Solicits business relations with all philatelists. Rarities are always on hand for the advanced collector. Rare stamps bought for cash or taken in exchange.
New issues and novelties always on hand. A fine stock of desirable stamps at very reasonable prices. Selections of stamps on approval sent to responsible parties. Agents wanted for the sale of stamps on liberal commission. ”

“ Though we at home have no special labels for this particular service, many Continental countries use them, notably Belgium and the United States. Then there are the "Express Delivery" stamps of the United States, Canada, Italy, etc. The purpose of these labels is sufficiently explained by the wording on the United States stamp: "Secures Immediate Delivery at any Post Office." A fourth stamp of special usage is the newspaper stamp. Though many of our home railways employ these labels, there are no Governmental varieties. ”

“ Then it would not be possible for a man to hand you a sealed package weighing over seven ounces, and bearing only three two-cent stamps and a ten-cent stamp for registration—you wouldn’t give him his registry receipt under such circumstances?"
"Certainly not, sir," replied the postal clerk. "The package, being sealed, would have to go as first-class mail; and if it weighed a fraction more than seven ounces it would require sixteen cents postage in addition to the registry fee." ”

“ The plan by which Mr. Rowland Hill, in his pamphlet of 1837, proposed to carry out in practice his uniform penny postage scheme was, shortly stated, first, simply to pay the penny or money with the letters; but secondly, and more especially, by stamped sheets of letter paper, and stamped wrappers or covers. "Let stamped covers and sheets of paper be supplied to the public, from the Stamp Office or Post Office, or both, and at such a price as to include the postage." ... ”

“ There is very material economy of labor to the Department in dealing with letters pre-paid by stamp as compared with letters on which the postage is collected in money, as well as a manifest gain to the public, in the increased facilities which pre-payment by stamp enables the Post Office to afford for posting and delivering letters so pre-paid. ”

“ The proceeds of the impressed stamp on newspapers is an item regarding which the claim of the Post Office to include it in the receipts is sufficiently established by reference to the fact that, though this part of the revenue is collected by another department, the sole purpose for which the stamp is now resorted to is to obtain for the newspaper the advantage of postal transmission. ”

“ The greater part of the stamps sold at the Post Office in this city are worthless, and have not sufficient gum to make them stick to letters. One can be amused, or become indignant, in watching people who buy stamps, demanding a little mucilage from the clerk, in order to fasten the stamp on their envelopes. ”

“ If it were required that all packets exceeding the half ounce should be inclosed in stamped covers, (and the number being comparatively small, and their admission for the most part a novelty, no one could object to such an obligation,) the Receiver would have to account for penny letters only; and the index of the tell-tale stamp would at all times exhibit the exact amount of postage received: no operation could be more simple or more free from the possibility of error.
I am aware that many consider the required payment in advance objectionable. ”

“ The number sold in a year is counted by millions. The envelopes, stamped by the department, and sold like simple stamps, are used not only to enclose letters, but by all sorts of persons and associations, for circulars, advertisements, &c., these being printed on the inside of the envelopes after they are stamped. The great majority of letters are prepaid, because of the diminution in the rate of postage. Gentlemen everywhere always pay their own postage, when writing on their own business. In England, they also enclose a stamp to prepay the answer. ”

“ Good paper is used; size of pages 81⁄2 by 11 inches; a neat border surrounds each page and an ornamental band at top for the reception of the name of the country. Neatly printed names are provided on adhesive paper.
Guards or stubs are bound between the pages, so that when filled it will not bulge, it is equally well adapted for postal cards, stamps or envelopes.
One thousand lithographed stamp mounts are furnished with each album. The stamp mounts are on a new plan, a neat black border surrounds the stamp, and the mounts are provided in different sizes for the various stamps. ”

“ As a matter of record and without any attempt at lists of varieties, which would prove futile, we deem it interesting and important to give such information as is at hand concerning the precancellation of stamps for use on large quantities of identical mail matter, and of the more recent substitute for the precancelled stamp which is known as the "permit". ”