ing to 8d sterling the 1/2 oz.,
when sent in the closed mails through the United States, and from
1s sterling to 6d when sent from a provincial port--Quebec and
Halifax. Should no further changes be likely soon to take place in
the charges on the correspondence with England, it would promote
the public convenience to procure postage stamps of the value of
10d and 7-1/2d respectively, to correspond with the present packet
charges.

In the Postmaster-General's fourth annual report, issued in the
following year, the above recommendation was adopted so far as the 10d
value was concerned, for we read:--

To promote the general convenience of the public in prepaying
letters to the United Kingdom at the new rate, postage stamps of
the value of 10d currency, equal to 8d sterling, were procured, and
issued to the public.

[Illustration]

According to documentary evidence unearthed by Messrs. King and Howes
the plate for this value was made, and the first stamps were printed
from it during the last quarter of 1854, for in the Post Office accounts
for that period the item, "Rawdon, Wright & Co., Making Stamps,
L42-18-6," appears. According to another list compiled from official
sources the stamps did not reach Canada until January 2nd, 1855, and
though we know of no official document bearing on the actual date of
issue, or of any very early dated cover, in view of the fact that the
stamps represented a denomination for which there was an urgent demand,
it is only reasonable to suppose that this 10d value was placed on sale
some time during the month of January, 1855.

Mr. King states that this value was printed in sheets of 100 stamps,
arranged in ten horizontal rows of ten, and with the manufacturers'
imprint shown eight times on the margins, as in the case of the three
stamps previously issued. Mr. Howes, however, is of the opinion that
these 10d stamps were printed in sheets of 120, 10 rows of twelve each,
like the 7-1/2d value issued later, and in support of his theory points
out that the quantities delivered in the first supply (100,080) and
second supply (72,120) are exactly divisible by 120 into 834 and 601
full sheets respectively, whereas neither of these numbers is divisible
by 100 into an even number of complete sheets. In view of the absence of
positive evidence in the shape of an entire sheet or full horizontal row
of stamps, it must be admitted that there i