Miscellaneous Wars and Commemorations.--Patriotic Empire
Stamps--Victoria--New Zealand--Barbados' Nelson Stamp--A
Dutch Naval Commemoration--Balkan Wars--Greece--Albania--
Epirus--Bulgaria--Roumania--Italy--Portugal--Spain--Mysterious
Melillas--China.
[Illustration: 324 325]
Australasia has not had much occasion for war stamps, but it is worthy
of note that at the time of the South African War Victoria issued two
postage stamps of patriotic designs, obtained in public competition.
The Victoria Cross design (_Fig._ 324) gained the prize for the penny
stamps and the prize for the twopence stamps was awarded for the other
design (_Fig._ 325) showing a picket on foot and armed scouts scanning
the horizon of the open veldt in the Transvaal, whilst in the distance
are the faint outlines of the hills which the British have had to
scale. The central figures in the latter design are in the uniform
of the Victorian contingent. These stamps sold at 1s. and 2s. each
although they only prepaid 1d. and 2d. postage respectively, the
balance going to the Patriotic Fund.
[Illustration: 326]
In connection with the same campaign New Zealand issued in 1901 a
stamp printed in a khaki colour to commemorate the sending of a New
Zealand contingent to the war. The stamp (_Fig._ 326), designed by Mr.
J. Nairn of Wellington and engraved in New York, pictures the part of
the contingent sent as New Zealand's response to "the Empire's call."
Barbados marked the centenary of the battle of Trafalgar by an issue
of stamps depicting the "first monument erected to Nelson's memory,
1813" (_Fig._ 327). The monument is in the capital of the Colony,
Bridgetown, but its claim to be the first erected to Nelson's memory
is contested.
Another naval hero, Michael A. de Ruyter, Admiral-in-Chief of the
Dutch Fleet, is commemorated on a set of stamps of Holland issued in
1907 for the ter-centenary of his birth. This design, in addition to a
portrait of the Admiral, depicts a battle at sea (_Fig._ 328).
[Illustration: 327 328 329]
The recent Balkan Wars (1912-13) would require a volume to describe in
detail the philatelic results. Two Greek stamp designs commemorate the
victories of the troops allied against Turkey. One shows the cross
of Constantine over the Acropolis and city of Athens and the Bay of
Salamis; the other depicts the eagle of Zeus flying over Mount Olympus
with a snake in its talons. _Fig._ 329 shows the design of two war
charity stamps sold for the benefit of Greek soldiers incapacitated in
the campaign, and for the widows and orphans of the killed. Greece
overprinted stamps very lavishly for territories occupied during the
war. When the fleet occupied Mytilene the Greek authorities overprinted
the Turkish stamps they found there with a Greek inscription rendered
"Greek occupation--Mytilene." Lemnos was furnished with Greek stamps
overprinted LEMNOS in Greek characters, and many other places were
provided with Greek stamps overprinted with an inscription signifying
"Greek Administration." In Samos four issues of new stamps appeared in
1912-1913, and Icaria's Independent Government stamps prepared just
prior to the Greek occupation were overprinted "Greek Administration."
[Illustration: 330 331]
Albania's separate stamp issues were an outcome of the Balkan Wars.
The first were created in 1913 by overprinting Turkish stamps with a
device of a double-headed eagle and the word SHQIPENIE (_Fig._ 330).
Since then four or five new issues have appeared, crude labels of
circular handstamp pattern (_Fig._ 331) with the value typewritten.
More recently a series has appeared depicting Skanderbeg, the warrior
hero of the Albanians, and these were overprinted in March, 1914, with
an inscription "_7 Mars. 1467._ rroft[:e] mbreti. 1914" to commemorate
the arrival of Prince William of Wied as Mpret. The year 1467 was the
date of the death of Skanderbeg.
[Illustration: 332 333 334]
The "autonomous state of Epirus," another outcome of the Balkan
troubles, has given us some quaint stamps. The first was the skull
and cross-bones issue (_Fig._ 332), the inscriptions on which read
"Liberty or death--Defence of the fatherland--Lepta 10." This was
succeeded by a more ambitiously designed stamp (_Fig._ 333) showing
an evzone or light infantryman in the act of firing. The simple name
"Epirus" was extended to "Autonomous Epirus" (_Fig._ 334). Other
crude issues have appeared in Epirote districts, as yet not very
satisfactorily authenticated. These include Koritza (_Fig._ 335) and
Moschopolis (_Fig._ 336), both places in lower Albania.
Another curious provisional is one for Gumuldjina (_Fig._ 337) in the
vilayet of Adrianople.
[Illustration: 335 336 337]
Crete's troubles may be ended with the final settlement of the Turks;
in its stamps since 1898 we see the influence of the British, Russian
and Greeks, and a remarkable range of revolutionary stamps. On one
modern stamp of 1907 (_Fig._ 338) is depicted the landing of Prince
George of Greece at Suda on his appointment as High Commissioner.
He is being received by Admirals of various Powers, Noel of Great
Britain, Skrydloff of Russia, Pottier of France, and Bettolo of Italy.
A still more recent stamp of Crete shows the fort at Suda, and was
issued to celebrate the raising of the Greek flag on May 1, 1913.
[Illustration: 338 339 340]
On two stamps of 1901 commemorative of the War of Independence
Bulgaria pictured a cherry wood cannon, a home-made affair used by
the Bulgarian patriots against the Turks, and drawn from one which is
preserved in the national museum at Sofia (_Fig._ 339). The following
year, 1902, the 25th anniversary of the battle of Shipka Pass (August
21, 1877) was the occasion for a set of stamps showing a view of the
ravine with the Bulgars tumbling rocks down upon their enemies (_Fig._
340). Later stamps of this country show some interesting portraits of
King Ferdinand (_Figs._ 341-343) in naval and military uniforms, and
one showing the King with the sceptre in his right hand and the orb in
his left, and wearing the garb of the ancient Tsars of Bulgaria. These
form part of a fine pictorial issue of 1911, and it is noteworthy
that these stamps may be found with Turkish cancellations, used by the
victorious Bulgars in the recent campaign before they could substitute
Bulgarian postmarks for those left behind by the Turks. In 1913 the
pictorial set up to the 25 stotinki, was issued with an overprint in
Sclavonic characters signifying "War of Liberty" to mark the successes
against the Turks.
[Illustration: 341 342 343]
The enlightened Prince Cuza was responsible for the introduction of
many reforms in Roumania, among them being postal reform, with the use
of adhesive stamps, those of 1865 bearing his portrait. He was obliged
to abdicate the year following the issue of the stamps as a result of
a conspiracy. The late King Charles was his successor, there being no
further developments to recall. Rather in this case we read from our
stamps the more peaceful story of the growth of the King's beard. In
commemorating the 40th year of King Charles' reign a long pictorial
series of stamps showed among other pictures Prince Charles saluting
the first shot fired at the Battle of Calafat, the meeting of Prince
Charles and Osman Pasha in 1878, the Roumanian Army crossing the
Danube in 1877, the triumphant entry of the victorious army into
Bucharest, and Prince Charles riding at the head of his Army in 1877.
[Illustration: 344 345]
Italy has given us commemoration portraits of Garibaldi (_Figs._
344, 345), and its war with Turkey in 1911 extended the use of the
overprinted Italian stamps of Tripoli (_Figs._ 346-348). From the
Italian pages of our albums much of the story of the makings of United
Italy may be learnt chiefly by the absorption into one of all the
separate stamp issuing states, Sardinia, Naples, Sicily, Parma,
Modena, Romagna, Tuscany, and, although much later, the States of the
Church. The jubilee of the Union was commemorated by a set of four
fine designs in 1911, one by Signor A. Sezanne showing (_Fig._ 349) a
sword grasped by a hand, symbolical of the Italian Union, and at the
sides are branches of palm in memory of the warriors who died in the
Wars of Independence.
[Illustration: 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353]
Portugal does not offer much war-interest, though plenty of historical
associations, in its postage stamps. The Republic followed so soon
after the assassination of King Carlos that the stamps with the
portrait of the young King Manuel had no long service without a
distinguishing mark to show that the stamps were issued by the
Republican Government (_Fig._ 350). These have since given place to a
distinctive Republican design (_Fig._ 351). It is interesting to note
that the Red Cross Society and the Civilian Rifle Corps in Portugal
have a limited privilege of free postage, for which they use their own
special stamps (_Figs._ 352, 353).
The postage stamps of Spain introduce us to the revolutionary element
in 1868 in which year Isabella II. fled to France as a result of the
revolution under Prim and Serrano. That was in September, and the
current stamps were overprinted before the end of the year with the
words HABILITADO POR LA NACION (authorised by the nation), signifying
that they were now being used under the Provisional Revolutionary
Assembly. One of the forms of overprint reads HALILITADO POR LA JUNTA
REVOLUCIONARIA. Some of the known overprints did not emanate from the
headquarters of the Provisional Government but were added at the order
of local juntas or revolutionary councils. The familiar emblematic
figure of Spain followed on the stamps issued on January 1, 1870.
The republican form of government did not last long, and in 1870 the
Duke of Aosta, second son of King Victor Emmanuel of Italy, was chosen
King of Spain, now a limited monarchy, as Amadeus I., and his portrait
was introduced on the stamps of 1872-73. The tiny 1/4c. de peseta stamps
of the former year bear a small design of a royal crown.
Changes at this period followed in rapid succession, and Amadeus
failing to make headway as a constitutional Sovereign resigned his
troublesome crown in February, 1873, in favour of peaceful retirement
in Italy. The little stamps aforementioned were changed under the new
government--this time another form of republic--to shew a mural crown
in lieu of the royal one, and the portrait of Amadeus gave way to an
emblematic figure Peace in July, 1873. Peace! What most desire, but
few can obtain and keep. Nor was the next stamp design of Justice
(July, 1874) much less wide of the mark.
There were actually in Spain between the revolution of 1868 and the
restoration of the house of Bourbon three different types of republic,
the limited monarchy under Amadeus, and a military dictatorship. In
1872, too, the pretender Carlos proclaimed himself King of Spain, and
issued the celebrated Carlist stamps from 1873 to 1875. So far as
the general issues of Spanish stamps are concerned, their changes
subsequent to the restoration of Alphonso XII., son of Isabella II.,
are free from further revolutionary changes, but there are postal war
tax stamps of 1874-1879, and 1898 (_Fig._ 354).
[Illustration: 354]
A remarkable instance of planting a bogus set of stamps on collectors
occurred in connection with the Melilla campaign in 1893-1894. In
the set there are 53 or possibly 54 varieties, each for a different
detachment of the Spanish forces. The inventor of the scheme
apparently launched his venture by going about amongst the troops,
sailors, officers, etc., distributing specimens of the stamps he had
conceived in their behoof, and consequently the appearance of some of
the labels on letters emanating from soldiers and others at the
war gave colour to the supposition that these gaudy labels had been
provided by a generous and otherwise unoccupied government at Madrid.
Of the fifty-three stamps, all _except_ Nos. 1 and 2 are perforated.
Nos. 1 to 5 are in design of _Figs._ 355, 356, and were supposed to
have been for the use of the five Army Corps.
The colours are (1) black frame, arms red and yellow; (2) blue frame,
arms red and yellow; (3) as No. 1 perforated; (4) as No. 2 perforated;
(5) black, red, and orange;
[Illustration: 355 (1-2) 356 (3-5) 357 (7-35) 358 (36-42) 359 (43)]
7-13. One for each Regiment of "Cazadores" or Chasseurs, the name of
the Regiment on each stamp.
14-35. One for each Regiment of Foot, with the name of a Regiment on
each stamp.
36-42. One for each warship, the name of a ship on each stamp.
43. Commissariat Department.
44. Civil Guard; a disciplinary Corps, half military, half police, [`a]
la Royal Irish Constabulary.
45. Staff.
[Illustration: 360 (44) 361 (45) 362 (46) 363 (47) 364 (48) 365
(49-53)]
46. Engineers.
47. Artillery.
48. Medical Staff Corps.
49-53. One for each Fort; name of the Fort on each stamp.
[Illustration: 366 367 368 369]
China's troubles during the Boxer rebellion were reflected in the
stamp album by the "C.E.F." stamps of India (see Chapter II.) and by
the use of the stamps of several of the Powers co-operating in the
defence of the Legations. The revolution of 1912 made its mark in the
overprinting of the Imperial stamps with various republican overprints
(_Figs._ 366, 367) and the revolution when completed was commemorated
by two sets of stamps issued in November 1912; one set bears the
portrait of Dr. Sun Yat Sen in a frame in which are unripe ears of
wheat, and inscribed "in commemoration of the _revolution_" (_Fig._
368); the second set bears the portrait of President Yuan Shi Kai, and
in this set the ears of wheat are ripe, and the inscription reads "in
commemoration of the _republic_" (_Fig._ 369).
Although not issued in connection with warfare, it may be noted that
the only separate postage stamps of Heligoland appeared while the
island was in British possession (_Fig._ 369A). Since its cession to
Germany in 1890 the islanders have used German stamps.
[Illustration: 369A.]