The number of post offices had more than doubled; the length of the post routes had increased by fifty per cent; and although the revenue had dropped one quarter during the first year, owing to the reduction in postage rates, it had increased by half in the next three years; while the total correspondence between Canada and the United States had increased by two thirds in the same three years. But the item that interests us particularly in this report reads:-- To promote the general convenience in prepaying letters to the United Kingdom at the new rate, postage stamps of the value of 10d. Currency, equal to 8d. sterling, were procured and issued for sale to the public. Thus part of the recommendation contained in the report for the preceding year was carried out. In the accounts for the fiscal year we find the following entries:-- 1st. Quarter, Rawdon, Wright & Co., Postage Stamps for P. O. Dept. £12.12.6 3rd. Quarter, Rawdon, Wright & Co., Making Stamps 42.18.6 4th. Quarter, Rawdon, Wright & Co., Postage Stamps for P. O. Dept. 17.13.6 From this it would appear that the bill for engraving ("making") the new 10d. stamp was paid in the third quarter of the fiscal year, corresponding to the last quarter of 1854. According to the table of receipts from manufacturers in the "summary" already quoted,[35] the 10d. stamp was first received by the Post Office Department on Jan. 2, 1855. In Mr. King's "Reference List,"[36] however, the date "Dec. 5, 1854" is given as being "taken from used stamps on the original covers," but this must certainly be a mistake. The "summary" also gives the quantities issued to postmasters by quarters, and there were none issued (naturally) in the quarter ending Dec. 31, 1854. In the next quarter, ending Mar. 31, 1855, there were 16,200 issued to postmasters, so that the first issue probably took place soon after receipt, that is, in January, 1855. The total number received from the manufacturers in this first delivery was 100,080. [35] Metropolitan Philatelist, XVII: 83. [36] Monthly Journal, VII: 9. The plate for this stamp is stated to have been made up for printing sheets of 100 impressions in ten rows of ten, like the three values of 1851, and also to have had the eight marginal imprints. But there are reasons for thinking it may have been made to print 120 impressions, ten rows of twelve each, concerning which more will be said later. Suffice it to remark here that the number delivered (100,080) is exactly divisible by 120, making 834 full sheets, which is not the case if 100 is used. The normal color of the stamp is a very deep blue.