eral and 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 or 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 Greater 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.

The printing of the new stamps began on December 1st, both the
Governor-General and Postmaster-General being present while the first
sheets were run off the presses. Although it was originally intended to
issue the stamp on Christmas Day it was actually placed on sale quite
early in the month as explained in the following extract from the
WEEKLY:

_Ottawa_, Dec. 5th.--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 th