THE "CHRISTMAS" STAMP OF 1898
Ocean Penny Postage, which became the dream of Postal Reformers almost
from the date of the adoption of the plan of Rowland Hill, is at length
within measurable distance of becoming an accomplished fact. It is
true that it is not yet to be the Universal Penny Postage, or
even the Imperial Penny Postage so perseveringly advocated by Mr.
Henniker-Heaton; but these will come in time, and an immense step in the
desired direction has been taken by the adoption of the partial scheme,
which is to come into force within a few months." So wrote Major Evans
in July, 1898,[159] upon the conclusion of the Imperial Conference on
Postal Rates which took place in London during that month.
[159] =Monthly Journal, IX=: 1.
Many of our readers may have seen the illustrated envelopes, in various
designs, which were issued some fifty or sixty years ago in advocacy of
an "Ocean Penny Postage." Great Britain, having committed herself to
domestic penny postage in 1840, after the herculean labors of Sir
Rowland Hill in that behalf, seems to have been looked to by succeeding
postal reformers to furnish over-sea transportation along the same
lines. Chief among these advocates was Elihu Burritt, the "learned
blacksmith" of New Britain, Conn., who not only published documents on
the subject but went to England and delivered addresses in support of
the idea. Major Evans says:[160]--"What appears to have been the first
pamphlet on 'Ocean Penny Postage', issued by Elihu Burritt, was probably
published quite at the end of 1848, or early in 1849. It contains a poem
dated Christmas, 1848, which may give us approximately the date of
publication." This proves extremely interesting, inasmuch as Imperial
Penny Postage was put into effect on Christmas, 1898, just a half
century later to a day.
[160] =Stamp Lover, I=: 263.
But Burritt's proposal was not that which was accomplished so long
afterward. In his own words:[161]--
By the term "_Ocean Penny Postage_" we mean simply this:--That the
single service of transporting a letter, weighing under
half-an-ounce, from any port of the United Kingdom to any port
beyond the sea, at which the British mail-packets may touch, shall
be performed by the British Government for _one penny_; or one penny
for its mere conveyance from Folkestone to Boulogne, Liverpool to
Boston, &c., and _vice versa_. Thus the entire charge upon a letter
transmitted from any town in the United Kingdom to any port beyond
the sea, would be two pence;--one penny for the inland rate, and the
other for the ocean rate.
[161] =A Penny All the Way=, Melville, p. 23.
Of course this does not reckon in what might be added for an inland rate
at the "port beyond the sea", but the main point was the transportation
on the ocean part of the journey at a uniform rate of one penny.
This was practically accomplished--and even bettered--by the
establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1875; for where Burritt
wrote:[162]--"It would meet the terms of our proposition if every letter
under half an ounce, from any town in Great Britain to any town in the
Colonies, should pay _three pence_; one penny for the home inland rate,
another penny for the ocean, and the third for the colonial inland rate,
and _vice versa_" the Postal Union fixed a charge of but twopence
halfpenny as the standard rate between _all_ countries that subscribed
to its provisions.
[162] =ibid.=, page 22.
To quote further:[163]--
The later discussion in England on the extension of Penny Postage
across the seas has alternated between the proposals for Universal
Penny Postage and Imperial Penny Postage. Mr. Henry Fawcett, who was
Postmaster-General in 1880, was keenly interested in endeavouring to
get the Colonies to accept a lower postal rate to and from the
Mother Country, but the Colonies were afraid to lower their
rates.... Mr. Henniker-Heaton brought up the subject in the House of
Commons in 1885 by moving for the opening of negotiations with other
Governments, with a view to establishing Universal Penny Postage....
In 1890 the Jubilee of the introduction of Uniform Penny Postage was
celebrated in London and throughout the United Kingdom, and public
interest in postal matters received a new stimulus.... The long
sustained agitation for Imperial Penny Postage was at last brought
to a definite issue at the Imperial Conference on Postal Rates in
1898. The London _Standard_ of 13th July, 1898, stated:--
"We are authorized by the Postmaster-General to state that, as the
result of the Imperial Conference on Postal Rates, it has been
agreed, on the proposal of the Representative of the Dominion of
Canada, that letter postage of one penny per half-ounce should be
established between the United Kingdom, Canada, Newfoundland, the
Cape Colony, Natal, and such of the Crown Colonies as may, after
communication with, and approval of, Her Majesty's Government, be
willing to adopt it. The date on which the reduction will come into
effect will be announced later on. The question of a uniform reduced
rate for the whole Empire was carefully considered; but it was not
found possible to fix upon a rate acceptable to all the Governments
concerned. A resolution was therefore adopted, leaving it to those
parts of the Empire which were prepared for penny postage to make
the necessary arrangements among themselves".
The Postmaster-General who had the distinction of issuing this
important communication was the Duke of Norfolk, and the
representative of Canada was the Hon. (now Sir) William Mulock, LL.
D., Q. C., Postmaster-General of Canada, who gave the chief credit
for the reform to the British Empire League.
[163] =ibid.=, page 36.
Nevertheless, Mr. Mulock had been interested not only in the scheme of
Imperial Penny Postage but also in endeavoring to obtain a reduction of
the Canadian domestic postage to the penny (2 cents) basis. The inland
letter rate, it may be remembered, was made 3 cents per half ounce
throughout the new Dominion on the 1st April, 1868. Not until the 2nd
May, 1889, did legislative enactment raise the limit of weight to one
ounce. Meanwhile the United States, on the 1st October, 1883, had
lowered its inland rate, which also applied to letters for Canada, to 2
cents per ounce. Agitation for the same reduction had naturally taken
place in Canada, but instead of this it was proposed late in 1897[164]
to reduce the Postal Union rate of 5 cents per half ounce to the
domestic rate of 3 cents per ounce on letters to Great Britain and the
Colonies. An Order in Council was actually passed announcing a rate of 3
cents per half ounce to any place in the British Empire, to take effect
on 1st January, 1898, but the Imperial authorities objected to it as
exceeding Canada's powers as a member of the Postal Union, and it was
necessarily abandoned.
[164] =Weekly Philatelic Era=, XII: 129.
Finally legislative enactment was passed on the 13th June, 1898, making
the long desired reduction in the domestic rate to 2 cents, but not to
come into operation until the date named by the Governor-General[165].
Within a month, as we have already detailed, the Imperial Conference in
London decided on a penny (2 cent) rate for the British Empire and in
November it was decided to put this in operation on Christmas day of
1898. Thus the anomaly was created of a 2 cent rate from Canada to
England or Africa, but a 3 cent rate from one town to another in Canada.
This was remedied a week later, as we have seen, by the proclamation
putting the domestic 2 cent rate into force from 1st January, 1899.
[165] See page 169.
As a leader in the final adoption of Imperial Penny Postage, Canada
could look with pride upon its accomplishment and may be pardoned for
its mild celebration of the event in the guise of a _single_
commemorative stamp. It was unnecessary, of course, and no other Colony
attempted it, but Mr. Mulock recognized the opportunity and rose to the
occasion. The following clipping from the _Ottawa Evening Journal_[166]
gives some interesting details:--
The new Imperial Penny Postage Stamp, to be used between Great
Britain and a number of her colonies after Christmas Day next, has
been designed by the Postmaster-General and is ready to be issued.
It is not to be a special issue, but will take its place among the
regular issues. When Mr. Mulock was in Britain he was surprised to
notice that the great mass of the people did not appreciate the
value of the greatness of the British possessions abroad. This was
especially true of Canada. The idea therefore suggested itself to
him, when he was considering a new stamp, to prepare something that
would show the dimensions of Great Britain compared with all other
countries. Mr. Mulock asked for some designs from a few artists when
he came back to Canada, but they did not meet with his views, and he
roughly sketched out something himself and passed it over to an
artist to have it touched up.
The feature of the new stamp is a neatly executed map in miniature
of the world, showing the British possessions as compared with all
other countries. The empire is distinguished from the possessions of
the other powers by being in red. Surmounting this map is a
representation of the crown, underneath which is a bunch of oak and
maple leaves, symbolizing the unity of the Mother Country and
Canada. At the upper edge of the stamp are the words "Canada
Postage" in a neat letter. Underneath the map is placed "Xmas,
1898", so that the date of the inauguration of Imperial Penny
Postage shall be a matter of record. On the lower corners are the
figures "2", indicating the denomination of the stamp, and at the
lower edge is this suggestive passage taken from the works of one
of our patriotic poets: "We hold a vaster empire than has been". Mr.
Mulock will be able to claim the credit of giving the public the
cheapest map of the world ever issued. The size of the stamp is
about the same as the Jubilee issue.
[166] =Monthly Journal, IX=: 87.
A reproduction of this _multum in parvo_ composition is shown as No. 38
on Plate II.
This remarkable stamp caused no end of criticism, at home and abroad,
not only because of its novel and startling design, but also because of
the bombastic legend which appeared upon it. The following clipping from
the _Chicago Tribune_[167] explains the origin of the motto:--
The motto chosen by Mr. Mulock, "We hold a vaster empire than has
been," is from the jubilee ode of Sir Lewis Morris, entitled a "Song
of Empire", with the date, June 20, 1897, as a subtitle, indicating
its tone and purpose. An excerpt from the last stanza, from which
the motto was taken, is as follows:
"We love not war, but only peace,
Yet never shall our England's power decrease!
Whoever guides our helm of state,
Let all men know it, England shall be great!
We hold a vaster empire than has been!
Nigh half the race of man is subject to our Queen!
Nigh half the wide, wide earth is ours in fee!
And where her rule comes all are free.
And therefore 'tis, O Queen, that we,
Knit fast in bonds of temperate liberty,
Rejoice to-day, and make our solemn jubilee!"
[167] =Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News=, XIII: 76.
In consequence of the peculiar legend, the stamp has been dubbed, not
ineptly, the "has been" stamp.
We learn from a despatch to the _Toronto Telegram_ that the printing of
the stamp began on the 1st December:--
Ottawa, Dec. 2, 1898.--(Special)--The Governor-General and Hon.
William Mulock, Postmaster-General, presided yesterday at the
printing of the first copies of the new imperial penny postage
stamp. The design is Mr. Mulock's own[168].
[168] =Ibid.=, XII: 206.
It was thus brought into the world under distinguished patronage--that
of its official father and god-father, so to speak. Its baptism came on
the 7th December, rather earlier than expected, but explained by the
following newspaper clipping[169]:
Ottawa, Ont., Dec. 5--It having been stated in some newspapers that
the new two-cent Imperial stamp would not become available until
Christmas day, inquiry made at the Post Office Department today to
ascertain the truth of this statement elicits the fact that,
although it was the original intention of the department that the
new stamp should not come into use until the 25th inst., the demand
from the public for it has become so pressing that the department
has decided to issue it at once, and permit its immediate use to the
extent of its face value for all postage purposes. In other words,
as soon as it reaches the public it may, if preferred by the
purchaser, be used instead of the ordinary two-cent stamp. The
two-cent inter-Imperial rate does not, of course, come into effect
until Christmas Day.
[169] =Ibid.=, XII. 213.
In the _Weekly Philatelic Era_, the Canadian correspondent discourses
upon its advent as follows, under date of 7th December[170]:--
The new Imperial stamps referred to in past numbers of the _Era_
were issued this morning, and although the new Imperial rate does
not come into effect until Xmas-day, and they bear that inscription,
they are receivable for ordinary postage now.
The general design has already been described, but it may be well to
say that the stamps are printed in three colours. The frame is in
black with white letters, the seas are in a pale blue, or rather a
lavender, and the British possessions are in a bright red. The map
of the world is on Mercator's projection, which magnifies high
latitudes; consequently the Dominion of Canada, which occupies the
middle of the upper part of the stamp, looks bigger than all the
other British possessions put together. The border of the stamp is
of cable pattern and measures 32 mm. in width by 22-1/2 in height.
The stamp is printed on medium, machine-wove, white paper, similar
to that used for the Jubilee and subsequent Canadian issues, and is
perforated 12.
[170] =Weekly Philatelic Era=, XIII: 105.
The above quotation settles the fact that the first color in which the
"seas" were printed was lavender. There has been some discussion on this
point. Again, a correspondent of the _Weekly Philatelic Era_ wrote under
date of "Dec. 20th" that "A government official of Canada states that
the 2c Imperial postage stamp is to be changed in color from a lavender
to a blue. One of your contemporaries states that the color is to be
green[171]." Under date of "Ottawa, Dec. 29," another correspondent of
the same paper writes[172]:--"The first issue of these geographical
stamps, on the 7th instant, had the sea coloured a light lavender. About
the 20th, I cannot fix the exact day, a second supply had the sea
coloured a light blue, as nearly as I can judge Prussian blue. And now I
am told the third lot are to have the seas much darker in colour, but
that is only a rumour." A clipping from the _Winnipeg Free Press_,
however, states that "the second shipment, which arrived on Dec. 13th,
were of an entirely different print, although the fact passed unnoticed
for some days. The sea on these stamps--and on all the thousands
received since--is printed in pale green!" The first shipment is noted
as "lavender or pale blue" as usual. Evidently the change in color took
place within the first week or ten days after printing began. A dark
shade of green is apparently as common as the pale green, and a
cancelled copy dated January 13, 1899, is noted in _Ewen's Weekly Stamp
News_. Doubtless it was issued much earlier. The lavender shade seems to
have been reverted to in the later issues of the stamp, for it is noted
in chronicles as having been received from Canada in February and March,
1899, and the stamp was considered obsolete in April. We venture to
think, however, that it was not a reversion to lavender in the printing
of the stamp, but rather the remainder of the first printings--for it is
well known that when bundles of stamp sheets are placed in stock some of
the first packages received may remain at the bottom of the pile for
years, while the later ones, placed on top, are used to fill orders.
[171] =ibid.=, XIII: 121.
[172] =ibid.=, XIII: 129.
The stamps were printed in the usual sheet arrangement of 100, ten rows
of ten. The black portion was from line engraved plates, but the red and
lavender (or green) portions were doubtless printed on the sheets by
lithography previous to the impression of the main design of the stamp
in black. There are four marginal imprints reading AMERICAN BANK NOTE
CO. OTTAWA in Roman capitals 1/2 mm. high, the inscription being about
29 mm. long, (see illustration number 113 on Plate X). They are placed
above the third and eighth stamps of the top row and beneath the
corresponding stamps of the bottom row. A plate number, in hair line
figures about 4 mm. high, is placed over the division between the fifth
and sixth stamps of the top row, and higher up than the imprints. Plates
1, 2, 3 and 5 are known, but we have been unable to find plate 4
recorded, though it would be presumed to exist. All four known plates
come with the lavender sea, and probably all four were used with the
light green and dark green seas, although we have only been able to find
record of plate 1 with the former and plate 2 with the latter.[173]
[173] =Ewen's Weekly Stamp News=, II: 122.
Mr. Ewen, in his exhaustive article on these stamps,[174] notes an
apparent retouching of one of the plates. He says:--"Readers will have
noted that the stamps are each surrounded by what appears to be a rope.
On the sheet of plate 3 before us, the outer edge of this rope on the
stamps at the end of each row (right hand side of each sheet) has worn
away and has been replaced by a straight line engraved on the plate,
except on stamp No. 80, which still shows the very defective nature of
the rope." Much space is also given to a description of minor varieties
in the red portions of the stamp--omission of islands, extra islands,
peninsulas instead of islands, etc., etc. The chief variety, however,
occurs in the two dots representing two islands in mid-Pacific: in the
normal stamps these two lie one above and one below the "equator", if
properly placed; in the variety, which is the sixth stamp in the fifth
row (No. 46 in the sheet) both islands lie horizontally just below the
equator.
[174] =Ewen's Weekly Stamp News=, II: 122.
A further variety is the stamp in imperforate condition, of which we are
able to illustrate a block of four from the Worthington collection as
number 113 on Plate X. This occurs with the bluish, the pale green and
the deep green oceans.
It would be interesting to know the number of stamps printed in each of
the distinct shades, but we do not know even the total issue of the map
stamps. The only reference is in the _London Philatelist_,[175] where it
is remarked that "we understand [it] has been issued to the number of
sixteen millions." They were not separated in the stamp accounts, but
were reckoned in with the ordinary 2 cent stamps, and the above figure
may very likely be the correct one as the number must have been large.
We find from a newspaper clipping that the cost of manufacture of these
stamps was 45 cents per thousand.[176]
[175] =London Philatelist=, VIII: 79.
[176] =Post Office=, IX: 37.
In closing this account of the Christmas stamp it may be interesting to
record the story of the first letter sent from Canada at the new rate
and bearing the commemorative stamp in prepayment. It is taken from a
Toronto newspaper.
Penny ocean postage came into force at midnight on Saturday. The
first letter to be posted was one by Mr. J. Ross Robertson, written
to Mr. Edward Letchworth, the Grand Secretary, at Freemason's Hall,
Great Queen-street, London.... The letter was received at the
General Post-Office, Adelaide-street, Toronto, at one second past 12
o'clock on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 25th, by Mr. John Carruthers,
the Assistant Postmaster, who certified to the posting with his
signature on the envelope. At five seconds past 12 it was handed to
Mr. H. S. Allen, chief of the night staff, who, at twelve seconds
past the hour, dropped it into one of the electric stamping
machines, and at fifteen seconds past midnight it came out in due
and proper form, bearing the Toronto postmark of Dec. 25, and the
new two-cent stamp in the right-hand corner, duly cancelled, so that
it was all ready for the London mail bag, waiting for it and
succeeding letters going by the next British mail.
On the envelope was the name of the sender in the upper left-hand
corner and the following endorsation in the lower left-hand corner.
"This is to certify that this letter was mailed at the Toronto
Post-Office at one-quarter of a minute past 12 o'clock on the
morning of Dec. 25, 1898, and is the first letter to be posted and
cancelled at the Toronto postoffice, bearing the new imperial penny
postage stamp, addressed to Great Britain, (signed) John Carruthers,
assistant postmaster."
And under this:
"Received at Freemason's Hall, London, Eng., at ... o'clock, ... day
of January, 1899.
...
"Grand Secretary."
This is probably the first time in philatelic history that race-track
timing has been employed on the passage of mail matter through the
post!