paper as this is, it being borne in mind that an affair of this kind costs a great deal more money than advertising in all the stamp papers of the day would. We hope,' adds the editor, that an increased business will repay Mr. K. for his kindness to his customers and to stamp collectors.' We cordially re-echo this disinterested wish.

In the first number 'several swindling dealers' are warned that they will receive our kind attentions unless they abandon the paths of deception, and act more honourable in the future.' We trust this threat will not be a fruitless one.

The second number contains a short 'editorial' on the present state of stamp collecting; the following passage from which will be read with pleasure, as evidence of the progress it is making on the ‘other side.'

True, a great many persons, who collected because it was fashionable and a fashionable mania, have tired of the pursuit, and are now paying their most exclusive and languid attention to something better suited to the turn of their frivolous minds; but for every one of such useless soldiers our armies lose, we receive two earnest collectors, gentlemen and ladies, who gather stamps for the love of it- as the antiquary gathers relics of by-gone days-persons who take pride in their pursuit, and are determined to follow it on.

This we must acknowledge gratifying, though one statement rather puzzled us. We have been unable to discover how two earnest collectors' can be 'gentlemen and ladies.'

European philatelists who have cherished the belief that some, at least, of the American locals are genuine, will read with dismay the authoritative assertion of the Postman's Knock, that the United States local stamps are a complete and unmitigated humbug from beginning to end;' nor will they be reassured to find that these stamps are increasing in a prolific manner.'

Wishing very sincerely that The Postman's Knock may be often repeated, we take leave of it for the present.

POSTAL CHIT-CHAT.

A GREAT STAMP ROBBERY recently took place at Manchester. The thieves broke into the stamp-office, and, in spite of iron-sheathed doors and a Milner's safe, they succeeded in securing £7000 worth of stamps. This loss the stamp distributor will have to make good.

THE PANAMA ROUTE.-Letters are now conveyed to New Zealand across the isthmus of Darien, the government of New Zealand having entered into a contract with

the Australian Royal Mail Company for a monthly mail service by steam vessels from Panama to Wellington, with branch services to the other ports of New Zealand, as well as to Sydney and Melbourne. The lowest rate of postage is one shilling per half ounce.

A COMPANY has been formed in New Brunswick, having for its object 'the establishment of a uniform rate or tariff of prices for North American colonial postage stamps. "The growing scarcity of colonials' is given as one reason for this measure, and is intelligible so far as regards the obsolete issues; but it cannot be intended to apply to the current series, unless, indeed, the colonists should have resolved to defer 'mailing' their letters until they have Confederation stamps wherewith to frank them. We ourselves question the utility of such a course to prevent exportation at under rates; and should the company succeed in maintaining a protective tariff, we believe that such a diminution in trade would follow as would leave the protectionists losers. The newly-established company is stated to be 'limited,' but as it does not appear from the prospectus that any capital is to be subscribed, the liability of members must be so infinitesimal as not to need restriction. The governing board at present consists of the president, secretary, and treasurer, who are members ex officio, and of one unofficial gentleman. We observe that the directors have not retained 'power to add to their number.'

com

POSTAL COMMUNICATION IN JAPAN.-Postal munication is all conducted by runners. Government couriers run between the ports at stated periods, doing the distance between Yeddo and the extreme north or south, Hakodadi or Nagasaki, in about twenty-five days, the distance being 290 Re to Hakodadi (say 650 miles), and 350 Re to Nagasaki (say 875 miles). By express, paid at the rate of eighty itziboos or six pounds sterling, letters can be conveyed in nine or ten days. Thus, with some of the best roads in the world, the Japanese are three centuries behind the rest of the civilised world in all that concerns speed and means of communication. And even this very primitive post has no reference to the wants of the people, but serves merely to keep up the communication between the government and its officers. The merchants combine among themselves to send couriers express from one trading city to another, but, so far as I could learn, at no regular periods or in any permanent form. Chinese even seem in advance of them here, for in most of the large cities in the north there are regular posts established by the people or certain guilds of merchants for them.-Capital of the Tycoon.

The

THE CONTINENTAL WAR.-It seems very probable that the war just commened, will considerably_affect the supplies of stamps received from the German States. The disturbed condition of the various countries will, doubtless, have a great influence over the amount of correspondence in and between them, notwithstanding the care which may be taken by the opposing armies to prevent any injury being done to private persons and property, and from this cause the number of stamps collected by German merchants must proportionately diminish. remarks apply to the collection and sale of large quantities of common used stamps, but should dealers in this and other neutral states become, as they very likely may, chary of sending cash to the seat of war for the purchase of unused stamps, the latter will, as a matter of course, become comparatively scarce. Should the Prussian invasion of Hanover result in annexation, the stamps of the latter country will shortly become obsolete; and that it

These

is the invaders' intention to possess themselves of it, is evident from the substitution of the Prussian for the Hanovarian arms in the towns occupied by the forces of the former nation, and by the appointment of a Prussian commissioner to administer the government of the conquered realm. A similar result may ensue from the occupation of Saxony, but we trust, in the interests of stamp collecting at least, that the designs of Prussia will be frustrated.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE MEXICAN ISSUE OF 1864.

To the Editor of the 'STAMP-COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE.' DEAR SIR,-Having noticed in the answers to correspondents in the May number of the Stamp-Collector's Magazine an erroneous statement in reference to Mexican stamps, I herewith enclose a perforated specimen for your inspection. It was issued from Monterey, I think, about the end of 1864, when Juarez's government occupied the place for a short time, and was received in Mexico itself on a business letter from thence. I have therefore no hesitation in assuring you it is perfectly genuine. In my collection have two other specimens of the same issue-un real red, and quatro reales brown.

Liverpool

Yours truly,

JAMES W. NEWALL.

[An engraving of the Mexican stamp here referred to by our correspondent was given in vol. iii., page 104, of this magazine. The series comprehends four:-2 reales blue, and 1 peso black, in addition to those mentioned above.--ED.]

TENPENNY ENGLISH ENVELOPE STAMPS. To the Editor of the 'STAMP-COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE.' SIR,-A correspondent, Mr. Pearson Hill, stated some months back in your valuable magazine that the one shilling, tenpenny, and sixpenny embossed stamps, when undated, were not envelope stamps but adhesive labels. With all respect to Mr. Pearson Hill's information, I have this to say:-a friend of mine possesses a tenpenny undated stamp, which to my certain knowledge was cut out of an envelope on which it was embossed, not stuck on. How then can it be an adhesive label? The stamp is brown or chocolate, eight-sided, and undated. It was received by my friend's mother, when at Caen some twelve years back, on a letter from this country. Should I be able to obtain another of these stamps I will gladly forward it for your inspection. My friend was offered ten shillings for it by a dealer a little time ago. I have myself a one shilling embossed stamp, and a sixpenny, both undated; but as they came to me in a cut condition I can say nothing on the subject: they are both postmarked. are labels perhaps Mr. Pearson Hill, or one of your correspondents, could tell me when and for how long they were used, and for what purpose; and when were they superseded by the one shilling and sixpenny labels now in use. I should be much obliged by your inserting this letter in your magazine, as it be of use to some of your readers. may I have, Sir, the honour to remain, Your obedient servant,

Clifton.

If they

CHRISTABEL.

[As the tenpenny stamp never was dated, its existence on an envelope is the point in contest: is the silk thread, vertical or diagonal, in the specimen referred to? if the former, that is decisive that it was an adhesive.ED.]

SPANISH WATERMARKS, ETC.

To the Editor of the 'STAMP-COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE.' SIR,-In the paragraph on Luzon in last month's magazine mention is made of the garter watermark on Spanish stamps. Does the writer allude to the loop watermark of 1855, or is there another watermark unknown to the generality of collectors? It has been justly remarked that Spain first had the honour of having its stamps catalogued according to their watermarks. But there is still considerable ambiguity in their arrangement, and even great Dons differ in their opinions. Bellars & Davie-though at first sight their arrangement appears 'confusion worse confounded'-approach, I believe, nearest to truth. I have' however compared the watermark of 1855 with that of 1858, and can find no difference sufficient to justify the distinction of 'curved watermarks' 1855, and 'looped zigzags' 1858. There may be a slight curve in the zigzag or chevron of the older stamps, but certainly not sufficient to constitute a variety; and none have I found without the loop attached to the angle of each zigzag, which Bellars & Davie's mode of expression would lead one to infer was altogether wanting in the 1855 stamps. I believe most connoisseurs ignore the re-issue of the loop watermark in 1858. But I have a 2 reales postmarked Feb. 6th, 1859, and have also no doubt of the re-issue of a 4 cuartos pink. The carmine I ascribe, from its comparative rarity, to 1855, though not prepared at present to prove it. People argue that the 1857 issue on plain paper must necessarily be the last previous to the change of design; because specimens on plain paper are the most numerous in the market. But this is no proof to my mind, as I believe they have been very largely reprinted for the benefit of collectors.' The reprints, as I presume, may be recognized by the absence of two longish strokes shading the outline of the chin, which in the originals are a continuation of the strokes shading the throat, but which in the reprints end abruptly at the junction of the throat with the chin, leaving the chin entirely without shading of any kind. I am glad Mr. Pemberton has at last come forward to own his foundlings, the lithographed officials. Dr. Magnus may have made the discovery for himself, but it was known to the readers of your magazine long ago (see vol. ii., page 111). Mr. Pemberton, it appears, did not then think them forgeries, though I find on looking back that I had pencilled in the margin their conditional condemnation by the words 'probably forgeries.' On reading the recent article on Lithographed Spanish Stamps,' I made the same ginal note to Dr. Magnus's discovery of the 4 cuartos, lithographed, of the 1857 type. Mr. Pemberton, I observe, is of the same opinion (page 79). That the 4 cuartos (somewhat less in value than our penny stamp) is a favourite stamp with the Spaniards on which to exercise their skill in forgery, may be inferred from your remarks some time since, in which it is stated that the 4 cuartos of 1862 was forged to such an extent that the postal authorities felt obliged to withdraw it suddenly from circulation.

mar

With regard to the woodcuts recently given in this magazine of the various watermarks, I demur to the propriety of reversing the letters and figures as they appear when examining the stamps from the back.

maintain the true way of representing them, such as the C C under crown, the TWOPENCE Victoria, &c., should be straightforward as they are written, and as they actually appear when the back instead of the face of the stamp is held towards the light.

The

[A crown colony, properly so called, is one acquired by the sovereign of this country in right of the crown, by occupation and settlement of a territory possessions ceded to, or conquered by this country, do not strictly fall within this definition. In the former class of colonies the common law of England prevails, and is carried by the original settlers in the country, at least, so much as is necessary for the situation and wants of an infant colony; while, in a ceded or conquered territory, the former laws remain in force, except they be altered expressly by the crown. phrase, crown colonies, has, moreover, acquired a subordinate meaning, dependent rather on the interior polity than on the original mode of acquisition, and comprehends such colonies as have constitutions of their own, depending on the respective commissions issued by the crown to the governors, and the instructions which usually accompany such commissions; under the authority of which provincial assemblies are constituted with the power of making local ordinances, not repugnant to the law of England.-ED.]

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

J. B. W. BARNARD, Ballarat.-Your reddish Victoria threepenny was only issued this year, when the sixpenny was changed to blue: you will find it duly noted in our May number.

A. S., Sydney.-The two French stamps you wish to know more about are stamps used not for postal but in legal proceedings, and were probably on the protest of a foreign bill, noted and dishonoured in the department of the Rhone. All French law proceedings are on paper thus stamped: see the scales of Justice held by the figure.

F. H. H.-The Italian stamp you describe, with inscription in circular band, AMMINISTRAZIONE DELLE REGIE POSTE, is not uncommonly met with, and we do not know why it was not noticed in last month's article on the stamps of the Italian kingdom.

R. H., Stoke Newington.-Some of the older Pacific Steam Navigation stamps were marked in the Peruvian post office: if the specimen in question is forwarded to us, we shall be happy to give our opinion on its genuineness. A forged postmark is not uncommon on the stamps.

C. E. B., Dartmouth Park.-The twopenny Ceylon olive-green has been duly chronicled in the magazine; as also the current rose-coloured threepenny Victoria.The peculiarity you remark in your green Wurtemberg envelope seems not unusual, and has been previously alluded to in our pages.-The Austrian you describe is a bill or receipt stamp, and is found of sundry values.- We do not think the San Franciscans you name are of much value.

E. E. H., London.-The stamp about which you ask information is one of the issues of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, whose initial you see at the four angles. The genuine individual is of a peculiarly rich red colour. You say yours is light-red, which is the hue of the numerous forgeries of the same, now so unsparingly and shamelessly offered for sale, and not always even under the gloss of fae-similes.

G. K., Londonderry.-This correspondent asks when the first penny post was used in Ireland; having an envelope postmarked 1835 with DONEGAL PENNY POST. Perhaps one of our Irish friends can afford him and us the required information,

M. T.-You ask why the 20 c. of the French Empire is highly priced; you must mean the 25 c., which was in use but for a brief period, and is now rarely met with.

S. C. M-There are three works on Forged Stamps -produced by Messrs. Pemberton, Dalston, and Stourton, respectively. Your best plan will be to obtain them all, which we believe you can do from our publishers. The sale of forgeries having become very extensive, great caution is necessary in purchasing, and we should recommend you never to buy rare stamps without first submitting them to the inspection of some respectable dealer or competent friend. -Your obliterated Lubeck are undoubted forgeries. They are exceedingly good imitations, but are easily recognised by the cancellation, which is always composed of either three or four straight lines about a third of an inch apart, and so impressed as not to spoil the appearance of the stamp-Your Romagna is not even the proper colour, and is altogether a poor counterfeit; but the Baden is more carefully done. All the rest of your stamps are genuine.English envelope stamps cut out may be used for postage.

ABRACADABRA.-We believe the Hamers and Scheerenbecks were emitted in 1859, the Van Diemen set in 1864. These are the only Hamburg locals deserving places in stamp albums, though many collectors include the Krantz and Lafrenz humbugs.-Singhalese' must have been intended to mean 'Cingalese' or Ceylon stamps.

G. E., Liverpool.-The Pony Express stamps, so far as we know, were always issued gummed, and we can only account for your specimens being ungummed by supposing that they are reprints, or that they had been taken out of a collection. The 25 cents unused, if an original, is rare, but, in common with the rest, it has been reprinted.

J. M. CHUTE.-Your black Baton Rouge we should imagine to be a proof, but it is by no means improbable that a few impressions in black were circulated.

S. O. KRATES.-We have no further information concerning the gaucho stamps, but consider their genuine character already sufficiently proved. Had they been 'sells' we should have seen more of them by this time. Their very scarcity is no slight evidence in their favour.

G. N. S.-The first volume of the Stamp-Collector's Magazine is out of print, but our publishers can supply the second and third at the advertised price.

LOUIS.-The fourpenny rose New Zealand is already difficult to obtain, having been in use only a month or two. Owing to the similarity in colour between this stamp and the penny, some confusion arose, and to obviate this the hue of the former was changed to yellow.

MARCO. If you cannot obtain original specimens of the British Guianas, we should advise you to content yourself with the reprints. These will fill up the vacancy in your book, and will be at any rate evidence of the designs of these almost unattainable stamps.

WENDEN.-We think the Livonian stamp with griffin in centre is no longer used, as on recently writing for a supply of the current stamp, we received the earlier issue with plain green centre.

IMPROVER. The present 'roman-figure' Brazil will doubtless be superseded by the new issue as soon as the stock in hand is exhausted. We think with you that the improvement will not have been made before it was required.

E. S. S. X.-The fourth English edition of Lallier is now ready, and may be had of our publishers, Messrs. Alfred Smith & Co.

NEVIS. These stamps, SO remarkable from delicacy of design, are printed on toned paper without watermark.

ANTIGUA.-Its two stamps (of which the earlier penny has a more violet tinge than the current one) are on toned paper with the star watermark.

ST. LUCIA. The type of this island's stamps has not varied; but the radical change of colour, and increase in the number of the stamps, compel us to divide them into two series.

In the former, comprising three impressions, red, blue, and green, we find two very distinct issues, not only owing to diverse shade of colour, but to diversity of watermark. The 1859 set, brownishred, blue, and yellowish-green, has the star watermark. The 1863 set, reddish-pink, deep-blue, and bright-green, has the crown and double C, which latter is found also on the black, yellow, violet, and orange individuals of the current emission.

[This latter set, as well as the preceding, could not have been printed from the same die that was used for the first trio, as will be readily seen on ocular comparison].

ST. VINCENT. The pair of values belonging to this island, of which the green is found of two distinct hues, seem unwatermarked.

We

GRENADA. We have identified two sets, one with the star, and one without watermark. The colours scarcely vary. think the former is the current one. BARBADOS. No watermark. The first set of stamps bearing no facial value, emitted in 1852, is on bluish paper.

TRINIDAD. The lithographed stamps are on very thin unwatermarked paper. The 1851 set of stamps without expressed value is on bluish paper. The second emission of these is on white unwatermarked paper.

None of the stamps with value denoted, perforated or not, have a watermark, and the date of their emission can only be distinguished by their diverse shades of colour. They are all on toned paper. Those in actual service come with the double C and crown. We have seen it on the bright-violet fourpenny, the brightgreen sixpenny, and the mauve shilling. The red may follow, but has not appeared at the present date.

[BERMUDAS. The recently-issued stamps of these islands are on glazed paper and watermarked with the double C and crown].

BAHAMAS.-The first issue of the solitary series of these islands is printed on toned, unwatermarked paper. The issue of 1863, including the new shilling green, bears the crown and double C.

[BRITISH HONDURAS.-The series of stamps lately issued by this colony is on glazed paper without any watermark].

GRANADINE CONFEDERATION. All its stamps are printed on white unwatermarked paper. In the second series, with small figures, the one peso is also found on blue paper. Of the fifth, that with nine stars, coloured design, corners unornamented, we have found a blue 10 centavos and a green 50 c. on blue paper.

VENEZUELA, COSTA RICA, NICARAGUA, ECUADOR. No watermark in any of these; all impressed on white paper.

BRITISH GUIANA.-Setting aside the (almost) unattainable stamps of the first three series, we find those of 1853, 1860, and 1863 on white unwatermarked paper. M. Baillieu has shown us some of the black one cent on paper bearing a watermarked inscription, formed by capital letters. According to his researches, kindly communicated to us, the words are TH. SAUNDERS, 1863. The sheet containing one hundred stamps in ten rows of ten each, these words, which denote the manufacturer of the paper, are on the seventh, eighth, and ninth rows. The

(so-called) newspaper stamps are impressed in black on coloured paper, with no watermark.

BRAZIL.-All stamps on white unwatermarked paper.

PERU. No watermark. [The issues for these two countries now in process of preparation by the American Bank-note Company, like the Nova Scotian, and current Newfoundlands, from the same hands, are not likely to be watermarked].

CHILI. The original 5 and 10 centavos

OS

stamps are on bluish paper. These, as well as the current four, bear a middlingsized figure corresponding with their value. There are slight differences in the size of the figure, especially as regards the 5 centavos. PACIFIC STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.Among these stamps we have found the oz. 1 real carmine, and the 1 oz. 2 reales blue on white laid paper. The two others and the known essays are on white unlaid paper.

MONTEVIDEO. The stamps of Montevideo, or the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, are on white unwatermarked paper.

BUENOS AYRES. These stamps are equally devoid of watermark; but in the head-ofLiberty series, the red is on yellowish, and the green on bluish paper.

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.-The first two series are, unwatermarked, printed in colours on white paper. The set with

A X

Rivadavia's effigy is on white paper, and bears for watermark the two letters R, A., united, as in the annexed cut. The Corrientes stamps were irst on blue, then on green paper.

$ 3. CONCLUSION.

We have now reached the end of our labour, having successively indicated, in all countries, those important peculiarities observable after examination of paper and watermark. We have grouped stamps resembling each other in this respect, under the name of 'issues.' Let us now see the

general conclusions furnished by such examination.

In the first place, we believe we have demonstrated the interest and importance of this kind of study. At the present time every amateur seriously desirous of forming a complete collection, cannot dispense with the notice of watermarks, the character of which will so often establish a difference between two stamps apparently identical.

As a variation of tint, and with still more reason, an entire change of colour almost always indicates a change in watermark, those who collect shades of colour are no longer to be sneered at, since this variation is very often not the mere effect of chance or of the greater or less quantity of colour employed.

The addition of a new stamp to a series is ofttimes a reason for changing the paper, the tint of the colours, or the watermark. It will be necessary, therefore, to examine specially the stamps of the same epoch, or those which come immediately after.

The presence or absence of watermark, clinching other sources of information, allows the connexion of stamps of the same series emitted at one epoch. It does not any the more indicate that these stamps were emitted at the same time. In reality, a provision of any one series of stamps being made, they are not all in equal use. It is easy, consequently, to admit that the exhausted stamp will be replaced, either by a stamp on similar paper and with the same watermark, but often of different tint; or by another variety differing in paper or watermark. Hence is explained how only one or two stamps of the same series are found with one sort of watermark, or how the stamps of a new emission only come out successively and at long intervals, the earlier being exhausted when the later have only just appeared. The stamps of Ceylon have furnished us with an instance of this.

The explanation of two kinds of watermark on the stamps of a new series, emitted simultaneously, like that of Western Australia in 1865, is more difficult. Must the necessary use of ready-prepared paper be allowed? We suppose < SO. The event