k made
from it, and we give a full size illustration, showing both the
stamps and the postmarks, herewith. As our readers may perceive, we
were quite wrong in suggesting that the "split" stamp was merely a
badly cut copy, as it appears to have been carefully bi-sected
diagonally and to have been intended to pass as a half stamp,
making up, with the entire stamp to which it is attached, a rate of
4-1/2d. If this were all, though the specimen would be a great
rarity--indeed, we believe it to be unique--it would not be
necessarily a great puzzle to us. It is true that we do not know of
any 4-1/2d rate in Canada, and there never was a 4-1/2d stamp in
use there; but still, such a rate might have existed, although
there was no possible means of making it up except by the use of at
least three 1/2d stamps; but the puzzling part about this letter is
that it is addressed from Port Hope in Canada to New York, the
single rate from Canada to the United States was 10 cents; the
letter is marked "CANADA--_PAID 10 Cts_." by the side of the
stamps, and that rate was sixpence in Canadian currency. The whole
document appears to us to be perfectly genuine and _bona-fide_; we
have examined it with a skeptical mind and a powerful magnifying
glass, and we can only say that if it is a "fake" it is wonderfully
well done. On the other hand, if it is genuine, the half stamp must
have done duty as a whole one, because it certainly took two 3d
stamps to make up the 10 cents rate. The puzzle remains a puzzle to
us, but we are grateful to Messrs. Morgenthau for their courteous
reply to what may have appeared a captious criticism.

_Reference List._

1851. Engraved and printed by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson,
New York, on laid or wove paper. Imperforate.

1. 3d vermilion, Scott's No. 1 or No. 4.
2. 6d violet, Scott's No. 2 or No. 5.
3. 12d black, Scott's No. 3 or No. 6.

The third report of the Postmaster-General for Canada, dated March 31st,
1854, refers to a change in the rates of postage on single letters sent
abroad and also mentions the possibility of additions to the meagre set
of three values then current, viz.:--

In March, 1854, the charge on packet letters between Canada and the
United Kingdom and most foreign countries was reduced by the
Imperial Government from 1s 2d sterl