The new stamp reverted to the small size and general design of the "small cents issue", but with the important difference that the head was turned to the _left_ instead of the right, as with all the others of that series. It was line engraved on steel, as usual, and the only entire sheet we have seen was of 200, in ten horizontal rows of twenty stamps, but without a sign of any marginal imprints. The perforation variety 11-1/2 × 12 is reported as occurring in this value also, as well as the regular gauge 12. The color was at first a bluish gray, which soon darkened and ran through a series of shades as if in emulation of the old 6 pence stamp. Mr. Horsley states[119] that it appeared in slate-blue in October of 1893, and slate in 1895. _Alfred Smith's Monthly Circular_ for December, 1895, records it in a "dark slate-black," and the _Weekly Philatelic Era_ for November 30, 1895, says that "a peculiar feature in connection with the new shade of the current eight cent Canada postage stamp is that upon being put in water and left there for a few minutes the paper becomes of a pinkish tint which after the stamp becomes dry still remains." This "new shade" was doubtless the dark slate color referred to, which must have been issued, therefore, in October or November of 1895. In December, 1897, the _Monthly Journal_ notes it in a "deep purple", similar in shade to the 8 cent Jubilee stamp, and very likely printed from the same mixing of ink. [119] =London Philatelist=, XVI: 88. The stamp was printed upon a medium white wove paper, and is found in imperforate condition like the other values of the then current stamps, which we have already described.[120] The imperforates are in the early bluish gray color, so that it is fair to suppose they were from the first printings in 1893. A block of four is illustrated as number 110 on Plate X. [120] See page 130. The first delivery of these stamps--and of course the first printing--was of 100,000, as recorded in the stamp accounts for 1893. As these accounts were made up to 30th June, and there is no record of any "issue to postmasters," the stamps were doubtless delivered just before the accounts were closed, so that opportunity had not been given to distribute the new value. For the next few fiscal years the amount received from the manufacturers averaged over a million and a half annually, so that by the time it was superseded it had been printed to the number of at least 7-1/2 millions. There is nothing of special importance concerning postage stamps in the Postmaster General's Reports from 1893 to 1897, but we glean an item of interest from _Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News_ of December 3, 1896:--