29]

WOLMARANSTAD. Occupied by the British in June, 1900, the available
South African Republic stamps having the Dutch name overprinted
"Cancelled" and the addition of the sans serif letters, separated by
hyphens "V-R-I." in blue and red. The values are the 1/2d., 1d., 2d.,
2-1/2d., 3d., 4d., 6d., and 1s. of the regular South African stamps,
and the 1d. red commemorative stamp, in which, however, the word
cancelled is in a square, script type (_Figs._ 130, 131).

[Illustration: 130 131]

UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA. It was fondly regarded as the settlement of
British and Boer troubles in South Africa when the former belligerents
in the Transvaal, Free State, Natal, and Cape Colony combined to form
the Union of South Africa. The opening of the Union Parliament was
commemorated in a special stamp (_Fig._ 132), the first to bear the
portrait of H.M. King George V. after the decease of King Edward.

[Illustration: 132 133]

This has since been followed with a complete issue of Georgian stamps
for the whole of the Union (_Fig._ 133).

SOUTH AFRICA IN 1914. Already we have a first instalment of special
marks used on letters of General Botha's loyal forces against the
rebels, and against German raiders. The first (_Fig._ 134) is the
handstamp struck in violet of an official regimental frank. The
army base and field post offices have their postmarks of the pattern
indicated in _Fig._ 135, and the censor label illustrated (_Fig._
136) is printed in violet, apparently in sheets which before use
are endorsed with a black mark of concentric circles bearing an
inscription of which only a portion shows on each label, and of which
we have only seen an undecipherable part.

[Illustration: 134 135 136]

All three of these were used on a letter from a member of the South
African Scottish regiment at Luderitzbucht in German South-West
Africa.

CHAPTER IV.

FRANCE--Napoleon's Minister of Posts--The Second Republic--The
Presidency--Empire--French Expeditions to China and
Mexico--Sedan--Metz--Strasburg--The Siege of Paris--Balloon
Post--Pigeon Post--Peace--Military Frank Stamps--The German
Invasion, 1914--Red Cross Stamps--War Postcards and Postmarks.

The postal arrangements of France have been deranged oft-times within
the past century by war and revolution. It is just a century since the
famous episode of the Lavalettes occurred. The Count de Lavalette was
Director of Posts under Napoleon, and