The Stamps of Canada | Page 9

on any letter or packet passing through this
Province, or any part thereof, to any other Colony in British North
America, unless it be posted in this Province, and the sender choose to
prepay it; nor on any letter or packet from any such Colony, if prepaid
there; that Twopence sterling the half-ounce shall remain as the rate in
operation as regards letter by British mails, to be extended to countries
having Postal Conventions with the United Kingdom, unless Her
Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom shall see fit to allow this
rate to be changed to Threepence currency; that the prepayment of
Provincial Postage shall be optional.
That all Provincial Postage received within the Province shall be
retained as belonging to it, and that all Provincial Postage received
within any other Colony of the British North American Colonies may
be retained, as belonging to such Colony. That no privilege of franking

shall be allowed as regards the Provincial Postage. That Provincial
Stamps for the prepayment of postage may be prepared under the
orders of the Governor in Council, which stamps shall be evidence of
the prepayment of Provincial Postage to the amount mentioned on such
stamps; and that such stamps, prepared under the direction of the
proper authorities in the other British North American Colonies, shall
be allowed in this Province as evidence of the prepayment of Provincial
Postage in such other Colonies respectively, on the letters or packets to
which they are affixed and which have been mailed there.
The passage of the above Act and its approval by the Imperial
government was followed by a notice to postmasters which gave the
date at which the transfer of the postal system from Imperial to
Provincial authority was to take effect, gave more explicit instructions
with regard to rates of postage, and stated that postage stamps were
being prepared. Mr. Howes gives the chief provisions of this Notice as
follows:--
NOTICE TO POSTMASTERS.
GENERAL POST OFFICE. MONTREAL, 14th March, 1851.
Sir:--
I am commanded by His Excellency the Governor General, to
communicate to you the following instructions, for your guidance in
the performance of your duties, under the New Post Office Law of the
13th and 14th Vict., chap. 17, passed at the last Session of the
Provincial Parliament, which will take effect, and supersede the
Imperial Post Office Acts, hitherto in force in Canada, on and from the
6th day of April next:
1.--From the above date, all Letters transmitted by the Post in Canada,
with the exception of Packet Letters to and from the United Kingdom,
will be liable to a uniform rate of Three Pence, currency, per
half-ounce for whatever distance conveyed: prepayment will be
optional: the charge increasing according to the weight of the Letter,
one single rate for every additional half-ounce, counting the fraction of

a half-ounce as a full rate, thus:
A Letter, weighing not exceeding 1/2 ounce, will be liable to 3d
postage.
A Letter, weighing more than 1/2 ounce, and not exceeding 1 ounce,
will be liable to 6d Postage.
A Letter, weighing more than 1 ounce, and not exceeding 1-1/2 ounces
will be liable to 9d Postage, and so on.
It will be observed that the above scale differs from that now followed,
in advancing one rate for each half-ounce after the first ounce.
2.--The single Packet rate for Letters by the Atlantic Steam Packet
Mails to and from England, via the United States, of 1s 2d sterling, if
unpaid, and 1s 4d currency, if prepaid, as also the rate on Letters, by
those mails, via Halifax, of 1s sterling, if unpaid, and 1s 1-1/2d
currency, if prepaid, remain unaltered, and the present scale of weights
is to remain in force as regards such Letters.
Post Masters must be very careful to observe this distinction when
taxing letters, weighing over one-ounce, intended for the English Mails.
3.--The regulations now in force with regard to Letters to and from
Soldiers and Sailors in Her Majesty's Service, by which under certain
conditions such Letters pass through the Post on prepayment of a penny
only, remain unaltered.
5.--Letters addressed to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward's
Island, or Newfoundland, are to be rated with the uniform rate of 3d per
half-ounce.
6.--Letters to and from the United States will be liable to the uniform
rate of 3d per half-ounce, between the Frontier line and the place of
posting or place of destination in Canada; and until further
arrangements can be made, this charge on Letters from Canada to the
United States must be prepaid at the time of Posting.

9.--The charge on Letters posted at an office for delivery in the same
City, Town, or Place, and any additional charge made on Letters
delivered at the residence of parties to whom they are addressed, are to