of the sheet so unfortunately
blown or thrown out of the printing-office window in 1906. That they
were not intended for use in mailing machines seems amply proved from
the fact that none of the 2c stamps of the present issue have been
issued in imperforate sheets.

No 1/2c value was issued in the King Edward design although the Queen's
head stamp of that denomination continued in use until 1909. This value
was primarily intended for use in prepaying the postage on transient
newspapers, but for many years the number sold to the public was out of
all proportion to those which could have been required for its
legitimate use. There is no doubt that large quantities were purchased
by stamp dealers for wholesaling to packet makers and dealers in the
cheap approval sheet business and, undoubtedly, stamp collectors in
Canada usually preferred to use four 1/2c stamps on their letters rather
than an ordinary 2c one. This excessive demand for the 1/2c resulted in
the Post Office Department issuing the following circular to Postmasters
in 1902:--

The attention of postmasters is drawn to the fact that the postal
necessity for the 1/2c stamp, as such, is now confined to one
purpose--prepayment of newspapers and periodicals posted singly,
and weighing not more than one ounce each. As publications of the
kind referred to must, in the nature of things, be few, and as in
the case of their being mailed to subscribers by the office of
publication, the bulk rate of postage would be far cheaper and more
convenient for the publisher, the demand for the 1/2c stamp
throughout the Dominion must be appreciably diminished as a result
of this restriction of its use. While, of course, any number of
1/2c stamps on an article of correspondence will be recognized to
the full extent of their aggregate face value, it is not the wish
of the Department to supply them except for the sole specific
purpose above mentioned, and an intimation to that effect should be
given by postmasters to patrons of their office who are in the
habit of buying 1/2-cent stamps for other postal purposes.

This circular had quite an effect on the use of 1/2c stamps, for only
about one-third as many were used in the year following the publication
of the circular. Finally, on May 19th, 1909, the Post Office Act was
amended so that the special rate on newspapers was repealed and the
minimum postage