The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-15
The Growth of Italy.


represents Naples dS50; Sicily qs5s): King Hum
bert's Italy QSS0; Sardinia dS56-6D; Neapolitan
Provinces QS6l.)
A few years ago. a chancellor of the ex-
chequer, replying to a deputation on deci-
NAL coinage, said that changes of currency
were seldom brought about except after
revolutions. His statement has been chal-
lenged. But of postage stamps it is hardly
too much TO say that almost every gov
eminent which has governed or misgov-
erned Europe for the last fifty years has
left it's traces in the albums of collectors.
The Roman inscriptions on altar stones
and monuments in the Hospitium at York
are sufficient evidence that among legions
once quartered in that neighborhood were
the Sixth the Victorious and the Ninth,
the Spanish one. Stamps are unnecessary
as evidence of history, but they illustrate
ii just well coins do; and from coins
and monuments has been constructed
good deal of what we know of Greek and
Roman history.
1910 marks the introduction of penny post
age into Great Britain. Within the next
few years other European countries fol-
lowed suit. AS a rule postage stamps have
been elegant and interesting in design,
often distinctively national-witness the
pyramid stamps of Egypt. the Newfound-
land Goldfish, the Nicaraguan volcano. The
people of the United States like the Flor
entines and the citizens of Birmingham,
have not been afraid to honor their great
men in public places. The older stamps of
the States show the portraits of the Presi-
dents a comparatively new series the his
tory Of Colombus
England has been the happy nation with
out history. For more than sixty years
our stamps bore the image of the late
gracious Queen. Our European possessions
are few. Malta has been ours since 1880,
Gibraltar since 1904. In 1890 we exchanged
Heligoland with Germany for Zanzibar. The
reprints of the Heligoland stamps in red,
green and white are now a glut in the mar
ket A scarce and interesting stamp is that
of the Ionian islands with Greek inscrip-
ton round Victoria's head The islands
were given to Greece in 1862. The hurried
acquisition of Cyprus in 1878 is indicated by
the use of surcharged English stamps
INTERPRETATIONS OF REVOLUTION.
The Oldest French stamps, without per-
forated edging, show the head of Liberty
and superscription "Repub. Franc" These
are relics of the Second Republic 1858. A
pub. Franc" but with the head of Louis
Napoleon. This was issued whilst he was
President of the republic. a little later the
legend changed to Empire Franc" An
other issue added a laurel wreath, making
| one suspect a spirited foreign policy. That
policy led to Sedan; and in 1870 republic
was again declared, and Liberty reappeared
on the stamps. There are few pages of
history better illustrated by stamps than
| this of the dying reverberations of the great
| revolution
The troubled times, 1854, left their
traces on the stamps of Spain. Isabella,
queen for thirty-five years, yielded TO Lib
erty; and Europe saw the strange spectacle
| of a republic advertising for a king. The
| rejection of a French prince and the favor
| shown to a Hohenzollern candidate gave
! offense to France, and occasioned the
| Franco German war. At last-1S1O-Ama-
dec, son of the King of Italy, took the
throne but was not strong enough to hold
it. So Liberty regned in his stead, 1878
| until Alfonso, son of Isabella, succeeded
| young indeed, but that was fault easy
to grow out of Through the years 1921
| the Carlist government held the provinces
of Navarro and Biscay, the stamp showing
! the head of Don Carlos.
| Germany was once compared to menag
erie, the various states like wild beats glar
ing through the bars. Illustrating the
| growth of Prussia, and the rise of th'
| present Empire of Germany, we tind tina
Schleswig. Holstein, Schleswig-Holstein
| Hanover, Oldenburg, Brunswick, Mecklen
urg-Schwerin, MecklenburS-Ste an'
the free cities, Hamburg, Lubbock. Bremen
| all had separate stamps before Prussia alb
sorbed them. OF these either originals, re
prints or foregries can be obtained. Berge
dorf had for emblem on its stamp half th'
| Hamburg Castle and half the Lubecl
Eagle because it was the joint property o
the two cities. AT one time the Prince o.
Thurn and Taxis held the German postins
contracts and issued two sets of stamps
for the northern and southern states
marked in groschen and kreuzer, respect
lively The influence of Prussia wa
strengthened by the victory over Austri
at Sadowa in 1866 In 1861 the North Ger
man Confederation was formed. but tn
states south of the Main-Baden. Bavaria
Wurtemburg-still kept their separat
stamps The stamps of Alsace-Lorrain
were used during the military occupation
of 1901, before the formal annexation o
these provinces Unused specimens ar
common. but those postmarked during tn
war are more interesting.
The early Austrian stamps show the hea
of Francis Joseph. who came to the thron
in 1s4s. and is still Emperor When tn
Magyars of Hungary got home rule In lSe
the Emperors portrait was still kept on tn
stamp. This once raised vision of gree
stamp, with emblems. harp and shamrock
representing the national aspirations, an
head OF our sovereign in token of loyalty
More recent Austrian stamps bear tn
double-headed eagle. which may also
recognized on those of Venetia and Bosnia
THE GROWTH OF UNITED ITALY.
The obsolete stamps of Austrian-Ital
(=Venetia and LOmbardy) are distinguish
from those of Austria by the denominatio
SOLID italian half penny instead of Ii
(=kreuzer. Austrian one-fifth of a penny
On board the Austria-Lloyd steamers trad
ing between Trieste and Constantinople tn
values are surcharged i'm piastres.
The growth of United Italy is well showr
There are obsolete stamps OF Oh Sardinia
t-Sardinia1P Pie mon IT, Savoy NIECE Wit