Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-10-02

A $5.Oe0 STAMP.
 900 mark. The stamp in question was found in the colony early last winter; 1t is on the original envelope and is very lightly cancelled; and, while number of others are in existence, this is admitted to be the finest specimen that has ever been discovered.
 The island of Mauritius, from which these renowned stamps were issued, is 8 small English colony about 1000 miles off the east coast of Africa, sep arated from the mainland by Madagas- car. It was among the first British possessions to establish postal sery- ice, which dates back to 1847, and the '.post office stamps as they are com monly called by philatelists, consti- tuted the first consignment sent to the colony. They were issued in two denominations, one-penny orange and twopence blue, the total number print ed being less than 1000. In design they are very similar to the early Eng fish issues, showing the head of Queen Victoria to the left, while at the top and bottom are the inscriptions Post age" and "One Penny" and at the left and right Post Office" and ''Mauriti- us." They are the same size as tae ordinary issues of the United States. Had all of the first consignment been used the stamps would not command such an enormous premium, but the records of the colony show that the majority were destroyed, which ac- counts for their great rarity at the present time.
 The circumstances attending the de- struction of these early Mauritius stamps are interesting In December, 1847, the heads of departments, civil servants and members of the gov ernor's staff, decided to give ball in return for a like entertainment held by some of the officers of her majesty's Twelfth regiment A few days before the invitations were sent out a con signment of stamps were received in the colony for the postal service. This, of course, was the first time postage stamps had ever been used there, and the postmaster-gen who was chairman of the ball committee, thought it pertinent to have the invi- tations franled with the new stamps. in order to introduce them to the in- habitants. The plan was carried out, but the radical element, which at the time predominated in the legislative council, could not resist the tempta- tion of gaining a point on the govern ment house, and accordingly at the next meeting of the council an order was passed declaring that postage stamps were entirely unnecessary for so small colony, and that the stock on hand should be immediately de- stroyed. Thus the only specimens used were those which franked the invita- tions to the ball.
 In 184s, the following year, a second consignment of stamps was forwarded to the Mauritius government, the needs for permanent system having been shown on all sides, but these were slightly different from the first issue. Until 1878 it was thought that the two issues were similar. but in thdt yCdA d pIOulueul LODQOn collect or, in examining the records of the colony and comparing specimens of the two consignments, discovered that the former issue bore the inscription Post Office," while on those of the second it was Post Paid" Thus they are referred to as the ''Post Office" stamps, which distinguishes them from the second issue. The issue of 1s4S con sisted of the same number as that of the year previous, but all of them were used, and they are easily obtained, compared with those of the 1s47 issue. It is generally credited that few. if any, of the Post Office. stamps were used except on the ball invitations. which numbered about 250.
 There are numerous other copies of the Mauritius stamps reposiag in the big collections of Europe, about 20 in all being known. Perhaps the best as- sortment Is in the possession of NJ. Philip Won Ferrari, of Paris, whose collection is undoubtedly the largest and most valuable in the world. In if are four of these coveted treasures. tWo 0F each G Gauar, ;no+;or rrlo