the simple reason that the inland rate had been reduced
to 2 cents; therefore the present combined postage and registration
stamp is a 7 cents.

The above extract, it will be noted, is very explicit as regards the
actual number issued as well as the dates of issue of the three most
distinctive shades. On what authority these statements are based we
cannot say, but Mr. Howes shows from official records that many more
than the quantity stated were printed, viz.:--

The first delivery of these stamps, and of course the first
printing, was of 100,000, as recorded in the stamp accounts for
1893. As these accounts were made up to 30th June, and there is no
record of any "issue to postmasters," the stamps were doubtless
delivered just before the accounts were closed, so that opportunity
had not been given to distribute the new value. For the next few
fiscal years the amount received from the manufacturers averaged
over a million and a half annually, so that by the time it was
superseded it had been printed to the number of at least 7-1/2
millions.

_Reference List._

1893. Engraved and Printed by the British American Bank Note Co.
Ottawa. Wove Paper. Perf. 12.

35. 8c grey, Scott's No. 48. 48a, 49 or 49a.

CHAPTER XIII.--_The Diamond Jubilee Issue._

The year 1897 was an eventful one in the history of the British Empire,
for on June 20th the greatly revered Queen Victoria celebrated the
sixtieth anniversary of her accession to the throne. Naturally such an
epochal event was marked in one way or another in even the most remote
corners of the Empire. In some cases there were public celebrations and
rejoicings with, perhaps the erection of memorials, while some of the
colonies marked the event by the issue of special series of postage
stamps. The Dominion of Canada commemorated the "Diamond Jubilee" by the
issue of a highly ornate set of stamps comprising no less than sixteen
different denominations, and the inclusion of what were widely termed
"unnecessary" high values and the unbusinesslike and somewhat
discreditable manner in which they were placed on sale by the Post
Office Department cast a slur on Canada's postal history which took many
years to live down.

Early in 1897 the idea of issuing a special series of stamps was mooted
as witness the following extract from the _Weekly Philatelic Era_ for
January 30th:

Many sugges