In this color the stamps were first issued in 1885, and were distributed to a number of small towns in Ontario. Some months later the attention of the Postmaster at Toronto was called to this stamp, and as he had received no official notification of an emission in this color, he caused inquiry to be made as to the authenticity of these stamps. A number of offices that had them on hand were communicated with, and all the answers were positive in the statement that the color of the stamps when received had been a decided brown, and had not undergone the slightest change by the action of either time or chemicals. A number of these letters are in the hands of a collector here, and are proof positive that this stamp was issued in a brown color. [199] =Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News=, VI: 96. In spite of this brave showing, however, it is practically certain that the stamps are not a misprint but color changelings caused by oxidation, or rather "sulphuretting" to be more exact, an effect peculiarly liable to take place with stamps printed in red or orange. The same thing is found to occur in other Canadian stamps, the 3 pence and 5 cent of the Beaver type, the first issues of Newfoundland and the 3 cent, 1851, of the United States, as well as some of the red and orange colored revenue stamps of the Civil War period. In fact the change is carried almost to a black, at times, but can be restored to the original color by the application of hydrogen peroxide. CHAPTER XVIII THE POSTAGE DUE STAMPS Canada managed for years, like many other countries, to collect the postage due on insufficiently prepaid mail matter by merely marking the amount on the cover. The use of stamps as checks on those responsible for making the collections seems not to have been appreciated, or more probably was not deemed necessary. At last the advantages of such a system seem to have become manifest, and in the Postmaster General's Report for the 30th June, 1906, we find the following:-- A system of accounting for short paid postage collected by Postmasters, by means of special stamps known as "Postage Due" stamps, has been adopted by the Department. These stamps are to be affixed to short paid mail matter and cancelled by Postmasters when such matter is delivered to the addressee, and are not to be used for any other purpose. They cannot be used for the payment of ordinary postage, nor are they to be sold to the public. The denominations of these stamps are 1, 2 and 5 cents. The first issue of the stamps to postmasters was on the 1st June, 1906, but the system did not come into operation until a month later. The following is the official notice with the technical portions omitted:-- POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA. OTTAWA, 1st June, 1906. _Circular to Postmasters of Accounting Offices._