been able to find out the above constitutes all that
has been published regarding this envelope. We can find no further
mention of it in the columns of the _London Philatelist_ or of any other
journal published since 1904 nor does Mr. Howes so much as refer to it
in his recently published monograph on Canada's postal issues. Yet, on
the face of it, the matter seems one worthy of extended investigation by
some Canada specialist or other. Its history, as given above, is similar
in many respects to the history of many of the much sought after
Postmaster's provisional stamps of the United States and there is a
possibility that this envelope may represent a legitimate postmaster's
provisional.

CHAPTER III.--_The First Issue._

In common with the other Colonies of British North America Canada was
granted the privilege of administrating its own postal service in 1850,
and in the same year an Act was passed providing for the change. It is
hardly necessary to quote this Act in full though the following extracts
are of interest:--

CAP. VII.

An Act to provide for the transfer of the management of the Inland
Posts to the Provincial Government, and for the Regulation of the
said department.

II.--And be it enacted, that the Inland Posts and Post
Communications in this Province shall, so far as may be consistent
with the Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in force in
this Province, be exclusively under Provincial management and
control; the revenues arising from the duties and postage dues
receivable by the officers employed in managing such Posts and Post
Communications shall form part of the Provincial Revenue, unless
such monies belong of right to the United Kingdom, or to some other
Colony, or to some Foreign State, and the expenses of management
shall be defrayed out of Provincial Funds, and that the Act passed
in the Eighth year of Her Majesty's Reign, and entitled An Act to
provide for the management of the Customs, and of matter relative
to the collection of the Provincial Revenue, shall apply to the
said Posts and Post Communications, and to the officers and persons
employed in managing the same, or in collecting or accounting for
the duties and dues aforesaid, except in so far as any provision of
the said Act may be insusceptible of such application, or may be
inconsistent with any provis