h has taken place in
bringing out the new issue has been due to questions arising out of
the existing contract under which the postage stamps of the
Dominion are produced, and that even after the approval of the
design and the receipt of the die some difficulties were
experienced in connection with the preparation of the plates by the
contractors.

These have happily been surmounted, and now that the issue is an
accomplished fact it is with much gratification that we illustrate
the design of the new stamp, our illustration, prepared some time
back, being taken from a proof from the steel die engraved by
Messrs. Perkins, Bacon & Co., of London, and used in the
manufacture of the plates of the several values issued by the
Canadian postal authorities on the 1st instant By comparing our
illustration with the stamp as issued it will be seen that the
contractors or the postal authorities have made some alterations in
the design, which, in our judgment, are by no means improvements.
The leaves in the lower corners have been redrawn on a smaller
scale, and hardly impinge upon the frame; their drawing is vastly
inferior, and the graceful effect of the broken circle is lost. The
numerals of value are in color on a white ground reversing the
original design, the labels being larger and the figures taller and
thinner, this also detracting materially from the charming
homogeneity of the stamp as first proposed. The greatest
alteration, and the worst, is the substitution of heavy diagonal
lines for horizontal ones in the background. The latter were finely
drawn and delicately shaded, leaving the King's Head in clear
outline, and _framed_ by the dark oval band containing the
inscriptions. The background and frame no longer present this
artistic effect, and the whole design materially suffers thereby.

The circumstances connected with the inception of the issue are as
gratifying as they are novel, and will be hailed with acclamation
by the Philatelists of the British Empire.

The Postmaster of Canada, Sir William Mulock, being one of the many
distinguished visitors to this country during the Coronation
festivities, took the opportunity afforded by his visit of
approaching the Prince of Wales, and of meeting His Royal
Highness's suggestions and advice