Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal Stationery Part 37

The denominations of these stamps are 1, 2 and 5 cents.

The first issue of the stamps to postmasters was on the 1st June, 1906, but the system did not come into operation until a month later. The following is the official notice with the technical portions omitted:--

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA.

OTTAWA, 1st June, 1906.

_Circular to Postmasters of Accounting Offices._

Commencing on the 1st July, 1906, the present system of collecting unpaid postage will be discontinued and thereafter the following arrangements will supersede the regulations now in force:--

(1) The Department will issue a special stamp which will be known as the "POSTAGE DUE" stamp and on delivery of any article of mail matter on which unpaid or additional postage is to be collected the Postmaster will affix and cancel as ordinary stamps are cancelled, postage due stamps to the amount of extra postage charged on such article.

(2) The short paid postage must be collected from the addressee before postage due stamps are affixed; otherwise the Postmaster is liable to lose the amount of such postage.

(3) Postmasters will obtain postage due stamps on requisition to the Department but the initial supply will be furnished without requisition, so that the new system may go into operation on the date above mentioned. When a new form is ordered "postage due"

stamps will be included in the printed list, but it is proposed to use the stock on hand at present which would otherwise have to be destroyed. The denominations of the new stamps will be 1, 2 and 5 cents.

The new stamps were of the same size as the regular postage stamps, but with the longer dimension horizontal. A large numeral in a central tablet flanked by an acanthus scroll at each side, CANADA above, CENTS below, and POSTAGE DUE in block letters along the bottom, all on an engine-turned groundwork, make a very neat and effective design for the purpose intended. [Ill.u.s.trations Nos. 58, 59 and 60 on Plate III.] The engraving is of course in the usual steel plate process, and the sheets are of 100 stamps in ten rows of ten. The marginal imprint is at the center of the top of the sheet and is the same as for the later postage issues, "OTTAWA--No--1" or "2". So far there have appeared the following plate numbers:--

1 cent No. 1 2 " " 1 and 2 5 " " 1

The numbers printed, according to the Reports, have been as follows:--

1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1 cent 500,000 700,000 300,000 600,000 2 " 1,100,000 500,000 900,000 900,000 1,300,000 5 " 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 400,000

All three values were printed in the same shade of dark violet, but in 1909 the 5 cent was reported in a red violet.

CHAPTER XIX

THE SPECIAL DELIVERY STAMP

The Postmaster General's Report for 30th June, 1898, contained the following announcements:--

The calendar year has witnessed the introduction of the special delivery stamp, whereby on the payment of a delivery fee of 10 cents in addition to the ordinary postage, a letter immediately upon its arrival at the office of destination is sent by special messenger for delivery to the addressee.

A special-delivery stamp of the face-value of 10 cents was prepared, and the first supplies thereof were sent out sufficiently early to Postmasters to permit of the inauguration of the special delivery service on the 1st July, 1898. The object of this service is to secure special and prompt delivery of a letter on which a special-delivery stamp, in addition to the ordinary postage, has been affixed.

The following circular gives the details of the new system:--

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA.

OTTAWA, 7th June, 1898.

_Circular to Postmasters._

The Postmaster General has approved of arrangements whereby, on and from the first of July proximo, the senders of letters posted at any Post Office in Canada and addressed to a City Post Office now having Free Delivery by Letter Carriers shall, on prepayment by Special Delivery stamps of the face-value of ten cents, affixed one to each letter, in addition to the ordinary postage to which the same are liable, secure their special delivery to the persons to whom they are addressed within the limits of Letter Carrier Delivery at any one of the following Post Offices in Cities, viz:--Halifax, St.

John, N. B., Fredericton, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Brantford, Hamilton, London, Winnipeg, Victoria and Vancouver. The hours of delivery to be within 7 a. m. and 11 p. m.

daily, except Sunday. These hours are subject to change as dictated by local circ.u.mstances.

Drop-letters posted for local delivery, and bearing Special-Delivery stamps, in addition to the postage, will also be ent.i.tled to special delivery in the same manner as letters received at the Post Office by mail.

Registered letters may likewise come under the operations of this scheme of Special Delivery, in the same way as ordinary letters, provided they bear Special-Delivery stamps, in addition to the full postage and the registration fee fixed by law, and the regulations respecting the record and receipting of registered matter are observed. In despatching registered letters that bear Special-Delivery stamps, the Postmaster should write prominently across the registered-package envelope the words "For Special Delivery". When Special-Delivery letters (unregistered) number five or more for any one office the Postmaster should make a separate package of them, marking it "For Special Delivery"; if such letters are fewer than five, he should place them immediately under the "facing-slip" of the letter-package which he makes up, either directly or indirectly, for the Special-Delivery office for which they are intended, so that the most prompt attention may be secured therefor.

Special-Delivery stamps will be sold at all Money Order Post Offices in Canada, (which may secure a supply of such stamps in the same way as ordinary stamps are obtained,) for which the Postmasters will have to account as they do for ordinary stamps, and on the sales of which a total commission of 10 per cent, shall be allowed to Postmasters, except to Postmasters having fixed salaries. For the present Postmasters will use the existing forms of requisition in applying for Special-Delivery stamps. (The usual discount may be allowed to a licensed stamp vendor at the time that he purchases Special-Delivery stamps from the Postmaster). Special-Delivery stamps are to be cancelled as postage stamps are cancelled. Stamps intended for Special Delivery are not available for any other purpose, and the article upon which one is affixed must have, besides, the ordinary postage prepaid by postage stamps. Under no circ.u.mstances will Special-Delivery stamps be recognized in payment of postage or of registration fee, nor can any other stamp be used to secure Special Delivery, except the Special-Delivery stamp.

Special-Delivery stamps are not redeemable.

Letters intended for Special Delivery at any one of the City Post Offices above mentioned, and prepaid as directed, may be mailed at any Post Office in Canada.

The regulations relating to First Cla.s.s Matter (Inland Post) apply also and equally to Special-Delivery letters, the only difference being the special treatment which the latter receive with a view to accelerating their delivery.

The object sought by the establishment of Special Delivery,--namely, the special delivery of letters transmitted thereunder,--will be much promoted if the senders of all such letters are careful to address them plainly and fully, giving, if possible, the street and number in every case. Such care will serve not only to prevent mistakes, but also to facilitate delivery.

All employees of the Post Office are enjoined to expedite, in every way in their power, the posting, transmission and delivery of letters intended for Special Delivery.

R. M. COULTER, _Deputy Postmaster General_.

For a description of the stamp itself we cannot do better than quote the _Montreal Witness_:--

The Special Delivery stamp differs materially in design and size from the ordinary series, the dimensions of the engraved work being 1-1/4 inches long by 7/8 of an inch wide [31 23 mm.]. The advantage of such a contrast is obvious. The letter to which a Special Delivery stamp is affixed can thus be at once picked out by those handling the mails including it, and its delivery greatly hastened. The design of the Special Delivery stamp is without any vignette, and consists substantially of a panel across the top containing the words "CANADA POST OFFICE", with a lathe-work border round the other three sides of the stamp. The center of the stamp is occupied by an oval containing lathe-work, with the word "TEN" in the center, and the phrase "SPECIAL DELIVERY WITHIN CITY LIMITS" in a white letter, on a solid panel encircling the word "TEN". On each side of the stamp, connecting the oval with the border, is a circle with the numeral "10"; the s.p.a.ce between the oval and the border is occupied by ornamental work. At the bottom of the stamp, in the lathe-work border, appears a white panel with the words "TEN CENTS".

The stamp is ill.u.s.trated as Number 57 on Plate III. It is line engraved and printed in sheets of 50, ten rows of five. The usual imprint, OTTAWA--No.--1, is found in the margin at the top of the sheet, over the third stamp. But one plate number has yet appeared. The color was at first a deep green which in 1908 took on a bluish cast. The paper used is the thick white wove ordinarily employed for the regular postage series, and the stamp has also appeared on the toned paper on which the 1 cent postage is known. The annual requisitions from the manufacturers have increased from 25,000 in 1898 to 112,500 in 1910.

To return to the Postmaster General's Reports. That of the 30th June, 1899, states:--"The 10 cent Special-Delivery stamp, to which reference was made in the last report, came into use at the beginning of the current fiscal year, simultaneously with the commencement of the Special-Delivery Service, and of this stamp 52,940 were issued to meet the demands, which would go to show that the service is being availed of to a considerable extent throughout the country." The date of the first issue of the special delivery stamp to postmasters is given as the 28th June, 1898.

No further mention is made of the service until the Report dated 31st March, 1908, which says that the special delivery service had been extended to thirteen places where free carrier service had been installed,[200] and further that "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 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."

[200] See page 197.

The Report for 1909 states that the service has been extended to the eight places where free letter delivery by carrier had been installed during the year.[201]

[201] =Ibid.=

CHAPTER XX

THE "OFFICIALLY SEALED" LABELS