THE POST CARDS

We have already remarked that Canada lagged behind the United States in adopting adhesive stamps and also stamped envelopes, but when we come to post cards we find the United States to be the laggard by nearly two years. In the Postmaster General's Report for 30th June, 1870, we find the following:--

The introduction of what are known as "post cards" in the United Kingdom, and the convenience which is stated to have attended their use, have induced the Department to make arrangements for the manufacture of similar post cards for the use of the public in Canada. These post cards will be sold at one cent each, and may be posted for any address within the Dominion--and will be conveyed to destination, and be delivered in like manner with letters--the one cent covering the cost both of the card and of postage.

They may be used for any communication, which can advantageously be written and sent by such a medium; and, it would seem unquestionable, must, in Canada as in England, prove to be extremely convenient for many objects and purposes.

The next year's Report states:--"Post Cards have been issued to the public from June, 1871, and it is believed have been found to be of material convenience. The number issued up to the 31st December was 1,470,600."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

These cards were cut to a size approximately 4-5/8 3 inches (116 75 mm.). The design consists of an engine turned border set about 3/16 of an inch in from the edge, with the stamp in the upper right corner of the enclosed s.p.a.ce. This stamp shows a medallion bearing the head of Queen Victoria that appears on the "large" cents issue of 1868, surrounded by a frame that makes a roughly rectangular outline. The arrangement and style of the inscriptions on the card are shown by the ill.u.s.tration. At the bottom, just above the frame, is the imprint in letters of "diamond" size, "British American Bank Note Co. Montreal & Ottawa." The card is not of particularly heavy stock, has a somewhat rough surface, and is of a light buff tint that varies some in tone. The printing was done in sheets of several impressions and the engravings were separated by thin colored lines running the whole length between them. The color of the impression is a deep blue, though specimens in a lighter tone are not uncommon.

In the Postmaster General's Report for 1872 we learn that on the 1st November of that year, amongst other changes in connection with rates to Newfoundland, the exchange of post cards at the ordinary domestic rate was provided for. In the Report for 1873 we read:--"By arrangement with the United States Post Office, the post cards of Canada and of the United States have, from the 1st July 1873, pa.s.sed freely to destination between the two countries on prepayment of 2 cents each, by affixing a 1 cent postage stamp to the card in addition to the one cent stamp printed thereon." The postal arrangement concluded between Canada and the United States in 1874,[227] however, by which mail matter was to be exchanged between the two countries at the domestic rates of each, obviated the necessity of the extra cent on the post cards from the 1st January, 1875.

[227] See page 120.

It may be remembered that the marginal imprints on the sheets of adhesive stamps began to be changed in 1875 and that the word "Ottawa"

was dropped. The same change took place in the post card some time during 1876, it being first noted in _Le Timbre-Poste_ for January, 1877. The new card had the imprint at the bottom reading "British American Bank Note Co. Montreal" in letters slightly larger than on the first type. The frame of the card also seems to have been re-engraved as slight differences can be detected, and the outside or "over all"

measurements are found to be about 1-1/2 mm. greater each way. Otherwise the appearance of the card is the same, but it is cut a little larger, measuring 4-3/4 3 inches (120 75 mm.), and the stock is a little heavier than the first card and of a slightly paler buff. The engravings on the plate were this time separated by short lines of color at the center of the sides of the cards. The color of the impression was the same as before and at times the front of the card was tinted bluish because of imperfectly wiped plates during printing.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Although Canada failed to obtain entrance into the Universal Postal Union on its establishment in 1875, as already detailed,[228] yet she was granted the new rates in her correspondence with the Mother Country. This included a 2 cent rate for post cards, and on the 1st January, 1877, a 2 cent post card made its appearance which was intended particularly for British correspondence as is shown by the sub-heading "TO UNITED KINGDOM." It was quite similar in design to the 1 cent card, with the same medallion portrait of Queen Victoria on the stamp. The frame of the card is of engine-turned work but of different pattern from the 1 cent card, and has corner pieces. The arrangement of the inscriptions is shown by the ill.u.s.tration. The card is cut to the same size as the 1 cent (4-3/4 3 inches) and is of medium thickness and of a very light yellowish buff. The impression is in a deep yellow green.

[228] See page 108.

Of these 2 cent cards the stamp accounts give 200,000 as having been delivered in 1877 and 5000 more in 1879. But the issues to postmasters are given as 98,300 in 1877, 6090 in 1878, and 13,680 in 1879, a total of 118,070; and as there is a record of the return of but 35, it seems fair to a.s.sume that the remaining 87,000 were destroyed.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Canada was finally admitted to the Postal Union on the 1st July, 1878, and consequently the 2 cent rate on post cards became applicable to all the other Postal Union countries. We therefore find the "United Kingdom"

card altered to conform to the new conditions, the words "Union Postale Universelle" now appearing at the top as shown in the ill.u.s.tration. The stamp has also been re-engraved, the frame being changed and the words CANADA and POSTCARD added in small capitals above and below the medallion. The card is of the same size as before, on good stock of a very pale yellowish tone and with a smooth surface, and the impression is in a strong yellow green.

This card appeared early in 1879 and continued in use until 1896. Its issue to postmasters increased from 27,300 in 1879, to 67,400 in 1892, though it dropped to 47,000 in 1895.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

All the previous cards had been line engraved on steel plates and of artistic appearance and fine workmanship. Beginning with 1882, however, a cheaper form of production began to be employed, the impression being typographed probably from electrotypes. The frame of the card is now omitted, the design consisting simply of a curved banderole bearing the words CANADA POST CARD with the instructions beneath, and at the right the oval stamp which, from now on, corresponds to the contemporary stamp of the newspaper wrapper.

The _Philatelic Monthly_ for 1st May, 1882, chronicled a new one cent card as having just appeared, but did not describe it. It doubtless appeared early in April and was of the design detailed in the last paragraph, the stamp being that of the second type of the newspaper wrapper, which lacked the foliations around the numerals and had the inverted triangular ornaments beneath the circles containing the figures "1". The impression was in blue or in ultramarine on a very light buff card of stout quality and cut to 5-1/8 3 inches (129 76 mm.)

About the end of the same year a reply card made its appearance concerning which the following notice was issued:--

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

OTTAWA, 13th December, 1882.

Departmental Order No. 27

_Reply Post Cards._

2. For the convenience of correspondence by Post Card within the Dominion, a double Post Card has been prepared and is now ready for issue, which will afford to the original sender of this form of Card the means of sending with his communication, a blank prepaid Post Card to be used in reply. Each half of the double card will bear a one-cent postage stamp impressed thereon in prepayment.

The ordinary Post Card regulations will apply to these reply cards, both when originally posted, and with respect to the reply half when re-posted.

The reply or double Post Cards, will be issued at two cents each, and are to be sold to the public at that rate by Postmasters and stamp vendors.

Canada reply Post Cards, to be used in correspondence with the United Kingdom, will also be supplied at an early date, and when Post Cards of this description originating in the United Kingdom and bearing the impressed postage stamp thereof on both halves, have been received here by mail, the reply half may be re-posted in Canada, for return _to an address in the United Kingdom_, as a prepaid Post Card, and may be forwarded to destination without requiring the addition of any Canada postage stamp or other postage prepayment in Canada.

JOHN CARLING, _Postmaster General._

Judging by the date of the circular the reply card was probably issued the middle of December, 1882, although it was not reported in the stamp journals until the next February. The stock used was the same as that for the single cards and cut so as to be the same size as the latter when folded. The design was the same as the single cards but printed in a gray black on the first and third faces of the folded card. The reply half is only distinguished by the word "(REPLY.)" placed between the banderole and the line of instructions.

Considerable interest was aroused among philatelists in 1891-2 by a controversy that sprung up over a reported "error" in this reply card, which occurred with the stamp at the left side and the inscriptions to the right. Curiously enough, this card had been chronicled as a new issue in the _Philatelic Monthly_ for March, 1885, where we read:--"We are indebted to Mr. De Wolf for the first specimen of a new double 1 cent card we have seen. It is slightly smaller than those first issued and the stamp is placed on the left side instead of the right." The fact of its existence had apparently lain dormant, except among post card specialists, until the Canadian correspondent of _Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News_ rose to remark[229] that they could be produced by manipulating an uncut sheet of the regular cards. This called forth a rejoinder from Mr.

A. Lohmeyer[230] who wrote:--

In the first place, the _Error Cards_, for such they are, do not exist among the 1 cent cards, but only among the 1-1 cent of 1882, or reply-paid cards. Of this issue a comparatively small quant.i.ty were printed with the stamp in the upper left corner, and the _error_ was not discovered until after a number of post-offices had been supplied with them, whereupon they were recalled, withdrawn from circulation and destroyed. This accounts for the great scarcity of these error cards, which have, in reality, been in circulation, for I have several used specimens (halves) in my collection.

I will now proceed to prove the absurdity of the manipulation described in the article referred to by facts and figures: The s.p.a.ce between the stamp and the points of the ribbon bearing the inscription "Canada Post Card" on the correct issue, where the cards would have to be cut to manufacture Canadensis' error (?) cards, is 4 millimeters. If this s.p.a.ce is equally divided in cutting the sheet, it would leave a margin to the left of the stamp and to the right of the ribbon, after being cut, of 2 millimeters, while the s.p.a.ce between the right side of the stamp and the ribbon would be 10 millimeters.

Now take an error card, and you will find the latter s.p.a.ce to measure only 3 millimeters, and the outer margin to the left of the stamp and the right of the ribbon to be respectively 5 millimeters.

"Figures do not lie".

A. Lohmeyer.

Baltimore, Oct. 31, 1891.

[229] =Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News=, I: 43: 1.

[230] =ibid.=, I: 44: 2.

This would seem conclusive proof, and also serve as a means of detecting any false error cards which might possibly be made from an uncut sheet as printed--but which have never been found. Yet six months later we find the _Monthly Journal_ making inquiries along practically the same lines. This brought out the following reply in _The Postal Card_:--

By referring to our paper No. 55, issued on the 14th of May, 1890, you will find there a copy of a letter received by us, from the Secretary of the Post Office Department at Ottawa regarding this very card as follows:

"I am directed to acknowledge your letter stating that you have in your possession a Canadian reply post card, upon which the stamp appears in the upper left-hand corner, and inquiring whether this stamp was officially issued by the department, or whether the position of the stamps was due to a mistake in cutting the sheets.

"In reply, I am to say that the position of the stamp on the card to which you refer (a certain number of specimens of which were inadvertently issued by this Department) was due to a mistake in printing."

We have never seen one of these cards which could have been produced by wrong cutting.

If any Error cards _have_ been made by such a manipulation, either by accident or design, we do not know it. However, the difference between a wrongly cut card and a genuine error is so apparent that it can be detected even without the use of a millimetre scale.

The distance of the stamp from the end of the scroll on the error card is 4 mm., while if produced by wrong cutting of a sheet of the correct issue (stamp at right), the distance will be 14 mm.