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were never issued to the public, but were affixed by the postmaster and the amount paid stamped on them, they are no more deserving of collection as postage stamps than the hand stamp or pen mark on an envelope would be if no stamp or portion of a stamp had been affixed. If it is asked ”Why cut up and affix the stamps then?” the answer is the postmaster knew no better and wanted to make his cash account correspond with the total of stamps sold and on hand. He tried to simplify his book-keeping--nothing more--but went about it in an antiquated and unlawful way.

While genuine copies of these splits on original covers are interesting curiosities their philatelic value is not of the greatest importance, for they were, seemingly, never sold to the public but simply affixed by the postmaster after he had received payment in cash, to simplify his accounts. They were certainly not authorised and if they had been detected at the larger offices they would not have pa.s.sed as valid for postage.

In concluding our notes with regard to these cut stamps we reproduce a letter from the Post Office Department in reply to a collector who had made enquiry about the validity of the splits:

P. O. Dept., OTTAWA, _March 30th, 1904._

In reply to your letter of the 24th March, _re_ stamps '1' in blue, on 1/3 of 3, and '2' in violet on 2/3 of 3 cents, I beg to say that the Superintendent of the Stamp Branch a.s.sures me that no such stamps were ever issued or recognised by this Department, and if affixed to letters would be treated as ordinary mutilated stamps of no value. It appears that the Postmaster of Port Hood, N. S., at the time of the change of rate found himself short of 2 cents stamps, and, acting on the advice of some stamp fiend apparently, cut up a sheet or so of stamps to make twos and ones. He nearly lost his job over it, but the Department never got hold of any of the mutilated stamps. Anybody could make similar stamps by cutting up and marking old threes. Hoping this may be satisfactory to you,

Yours, etc., W. H. HARRINGTON.

_Reference List._

The 3c stamp of 1898 divided vertically and each portion surcharged with a new value.

73. 1(c) in blue on one-third of 3c carmine, Scott's No. 85A.

74. 2(c) in violet on two-thirds of 3c carmine. Scott's No. 85B.

CHAPTER XIX.--_The 2c Carmine._

According to the Post Office circular quoted in our last chapter the issue of the 2c stamp in carmine--or red, as the color was officially termed--was to begin when the supply of surcharged 3c stamps was exhausted. The new 2c stamp was eventually placed on sale on August 20th, 1899, and it is, of course, exactly like the same value previously issued in purple in all respects except that of color. The same plates were used and later many new ones were put to press. No accurate record of the different plates used for this denomination has been kept but, in addition to plates 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 listed by Mr. Howes, there were probably many others.

In 1900 Canada followed the lead of many other countries by issuing the 2c value in convenient booklet form. The Postmaster-General's Report for 1900 refers to these booklets as follows:--

In the month of June, 1900, the department commenced the issue to Postmasters, of a small book of 2 cent postage stamps, containing 12 stamps, disposed on two sheets of 6 stamps each, and interleaved with wax paper to prevent adhesion of the sheets. The size of the book is such as to make it convenient to be carried in the pocket or pocket-book. Printed on the cover is postal information calculated to be of interest to the public. The price at which the book is issued is 25 cents, one cent over the face value of the stamps being charged to cover the cost of binding, etc.

These stamp books were first placed on sale on June 11th and they rapidly came into public favor as is evidenced by the increasing sales every year since. Mr. Howes tells us that ”the books are about two by three inches in size, with stiff cardboard covers which are bound together by red cloth. The coat-of-arms of Canada with the words CANADA POSTAGE beneath are engraved in red on the front cover, while inside are four pages of postal information and the two sheets of six stamps each--three horizontal pairs--backed by leaves of paraffined tissue paper.”

_Reference List._

Aug. 20th, 1899. Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co., Ottawa. No Wmk. Perf. 12.

75. 2c carmine, Scott's No. 86.

CHAPTER XX.--_The 20c Value of 1900._

On the 29th of December, 1900, a 20c value was added to the numeral series, its advent being quite unannounced. The large 20c stamps of 1893 had been finally used up and the new label not only conformed to the others of the series in design but also took on a new color--olive-green in place of scarlet.

It was printed from the usual style of line-engraved plate with the usual sheet arrangement of 100 stamps arranged in ten horizontal rows of ten each, with the imprint and plate number in the centre of the top margin. Only one plate--numbered ”1”--seems to have been used and Mr.

Howes tells us that ”an examination of the stamp accounts during its term of life make it appear probable that approximately 500,000 were issued.”

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