the separation of a single stamp
from the others on a sheet when required for use.

It will thus be seen that the 7-1/2d value, which was recommended three
years earlier (at the time the 10d was issued), materialised at last,
though there appears to be no official record bearing on the date the
new value was placed on sale to the public. The volume dealing with the
postage stamps of British North America, published by the Royal
Philatelic Society some twenty years ago, gives the date of issue as
June 2nd, 1857, though no authority for this statement is given.

[Illustration]

The design was adapted from that of the discarded 12d of 1851, the same
portrait of Queen Victoria adorning the central oval. The inscribed
band around this contains the words CANADA PACKET POSTAGE at the top,
and SIX PENCE STERLING at the bottom, the two inscriptions occupying so
much space that there was no room for dividing ornaments of any kind. In
the upper and lower left hand corners is "6d stg." and in the right hand
corners "7-1/2d cy." is shown. A word of explanation regarding the use
of the word PACKET in the inscription is necessary. This does not refer
to any parcel post (indeed, there was no parcel post at that period) as
has sometimes been erroneously asserted, but refers to the fast mail
steamers of the day which were then known as "packets". This
denomination, as shown by the extract from the Postmaster-General's
report printed above, was intended for use on single letters sent to
England via the Canadian packets.

This 7-1/2d stamp was, according to Mr. Howes, printed in sheets of 120
arranged in ten horizontal rows of twelve each, each sheet showing the
imprint of the manufacturers eight times on the margins as in the case
of the values issued previous to 1857. Only one consignment, consisting
of 834 sheets (100,800 stamps) was received, and as 17,670 of these were
still on hand when the decimal currency was introduced in 1859, a simple
calculation will show that the total quantity issued was 82,410 stamps.

Although there had been a real need for a halfpenny value since the
first adhesives made their appearance in Canada--as shown by several
rates it was impossible to prepay in stamps without them--it was not
until 1857 that a stamp of this denomination was placed in use. The
following circular announced their impending issue:--

POSTAGE ON NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS.

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

TORONTO