178 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [ VoL. Muh. 
two years ago. The first foreign state to adopt them was the Canton of 
Zurich in Switzerland, in 1843. They were introduced into the United 
States in 1847. Throughout Europe they became common in 1849 and 
1850. In Canada they were employed for the first time in 1851. Until 
that time the post office in the British American provinces had been 
controlled by officers appointed by the home government. On April 6th, 
1851, the entire management was transferred from Imperial to Provincial 
authority and within the same year several important reforms were 
carried into effect. Previous to that date the charge for the carrying of 
letters was extremely high—inland postage averaged nine pence 
currency (15 cents) per letter. It was at once reduced to three pence 
(5 cents). For three years longer the charge on foreign letters remained 
at the old rates, viz., one shilling and fourpence currency (about 27 cents) 
on English, and sixpence (10 cents) on United States letters. 
The first Post Master General for the Province of Canada was the Hon. 
James Morris, and it was under his administration that the reduction on 
the postal charge on inland letters was made, and adhesive stamps for 
their prepayment introduced. Canadian postage stamps, for the three 
penny rate, were first issued for public use on St. George’s day, April 
23d, Lost 
It is with no desire to cast any reflection on Mr. Morris, under whose 
auspices great postal reforms were initiated, when I humbly point out 
that the stamps introduced by him were anything but faultless. Forty 
years, experience has established, that the designer whom Mr. Morris 
employed, failed to recognize the essential features which a postage stamp 
should possess; and strange as it may seem the worst features of the 
original faulty design still remain. From 1851 to the present date, the 
defective characteristics of the first stamp have in a greater or less degree 
been preserved in every successive issue. 
Stamps of different values are necessary for the prepayment of letters 
and postal packets, varying in weight. Obviously, a postage stamp should 
on its face, plainly indicate its value, so that it should present no difficulty 
to the person using it. The three-penny stamp in 1851 had on each of 
its four corners a small figure “three” (3) to denote its value, its designer 
seemingly ignoring the fact that one large figure would be plainer than four 
or any number of small figures We may trace to this source the crucial 
defect of every Canadian stamp since issued, for whatever changes have 
been made in those printed from year to year since their first introduc- 
tion, the small figures to indicate their denomination have been con- 
stantly adhered to. When we examine the whole series there is a strong 
family likeness in this particular. Indeed the stamps in common use to- 
a ee ee ah a - 
