Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-11-22

How they First Came go be Used Abroad
and In tho United states.


Great Britain. and, although it was not
until 1910 that the stamps were used
In that country, they have now become
common, as many boys stamp-album
will show. in every nation on the globe.
The original stamp of England was in
the form of an envelope for the trans
mission of letters TO any part Of that
country, at l penny for single-rate
letter. This plan was originated by
Sir Rowland Hill, who has been aptly
termed "the father of postage stamps"
There is, however, another aspirant for
the honor of inventing the postage
stamp. In Italy, as far back as 1918,
letter sheets were prepared and stamp
ed by the government on the lower left
hand corner and the letters so stamped
were delivered by specially appointed
carriers on the payment of sum OF
money equal to that represented by the
stamp. This stamp represented a
carrier on horseback, and was of three
values. II remained in use In Italy
until 1886, when its use was discontin-
ued But whether Italy or Great
Britain originated the postage stamps.
1t IL evident that IL was the movement
of the latter country in the use of these
convenient articles which was the in
centive that caused their adoption by
tho continental nations of Europe.
England, however, enjoyed the
monopoly Of using stamps for two
years, and has, at the same time, made
fewer changes in the designs upon her
stamps than any other country in which
they are used. Since 1910 the main
design upon all British stamps, except
the half-penny. has been the portrait Of
the queen. and ever since that date the
British stamp has borne the girlish
form of Victoria forty-thrce years ago
While in Great Britain no other
portrait than that Of the queen has ap-
peared upon any Of the stamps. in this
country, the Sandwich islands, the
south American republics, Mexico.
Brazil, and some other countries the
honor OF portraiture has been distrib-
uted among the various prominent
and the denominations have
been designated by the different
portraits they bore, as well as by the
different color of the ink with which
they were printed. There has been
only one exception TO this in this
country, when, in 1869. a Scent stamp
was issued. the design being a train of
cars. Il was. however. in use only
short time when it was replaced with
another bearing the Roman nose and
queue belonging 20 our esteemed fellow
George Washington. and. with
that exception, his classic features
have invariably adorned the stamp
most in use The first country 10
follow Great Britain in the use Of
stamps was Brazil In l~i2 Brazil
adopted series of three stamps, the
designs being large numerals printed
in black. denotng their value. Brazil
was followed by switzerland and Fin
land, and then by the following
countries in the order given: Bavaria,
Belgium, France, Hanover. New south
Wales. Tuscany, Austria, British Guiana.
Prussia, ~aNony. Gutenberg, Trinidad,
Wurtemburg, and the United States
Il may not be gratifying to our nation
al pride to know that we did not adopt
the postage stamp until after it had
found a place in New South Wales and
Trinidad. but such is the case. Fol
lowing the nited states were the
many other nations in which it is as
common now as il is here. The man
who brought the stamps into use in
this country was the Hon. +. A.
the postmaster at New Haven,
Conn. who adopted it in his Office in
lSiL II did not differ in form and
size much from the stamps now in use
but was Of a brown color, and printed
in black. Upon it was printed: Paid
New Haven Post Office; cents +. 4.
Mitchell, +. NJ" The merchants and
business men of New Haven complain
ell at the loss of time occaioned by
their having to wait while they paid
their postage, having to take their
places in the line at the clerks window,
and also because they could only mai,
and prepay postage while the post.
Office was open. For their accom-
he had these stamps printed.
which he sold 10 them. thus enabling