“The _blue_ or _red_ stamp will be received for payment of half the sum it indicates, if cut in two diagonally.
“These stamps can be had at the General Post Office, Charlottetown, and of all Postmasters on the island.
“(Signed) L. C. OWEN, _Postmaster-General_.
“GENERAL POST OFFICE, _December 26th, 1860_.”
We see from this notice the first issue consisted of three stamps, forming five values with the two provisionals. Those first issued were evidently the Two Pence, Three Pence, and Six Pence, perforated 9, as they are the only values found with this large perforation. With regard to the two provisionals, Mr. T. K. Tapling’s collection contains a specimen of the Three Halfpenny, but I have never seen the bisected Two Pence. The latter probably could only be employed for the prepayment of books, &c., and consequently the stamps would get destroyed. It may be also this provisional was soon replaced by the One Penny, orange-yellow, when there would be no further call for its use. The disappearance of the variety, although in this case we know the stamp was so used, naturally strengthens the suggestions I have thrown out as regards the bisection of the Two Pence Halfpenny and Three Penny stamps of British Columbia for the prepayment of newspapers.
I am unable to give the date of issue of the One Penny and Nine Pence, as I have found no mention of these two stamps in _The Royal Gazette_; but the file I have had access to is a very incomplete one, several years being missing altogether from the series. The Nine Pence currency stamp, equal to 6d. sterling, was evidently issued for the prepayment of letters to England, as the ½ oz. rate for letters between the two countries at that time was 6d. sterling. Here let me remark that the currency of the island was apparently more depreciated than that of the other North American Colonies, where we have seen 7½d. currency was equal to 6d. sterling.
The next notice, taken from _The Royal Gazette_ for October 22nd, 1868, shows us the reason for the issue of the Four Penny stamp, which came into use at this date or shortly afterwards.
“His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor in Council has been pleased to approve of the following modifications in the Postal Arrangement between the United States and this Island; viz.: