Two _soi-disant_ provisionals have been chronicled; viz., the Halfpenny surcharged in black--one with an Arabic numeral "1," and the other with "8d. STG." The Society can furnish no information concerning these two stamps; but supposing the surcharges to be genuine, they are probably only notifications of insufficient postage applied after the letters were posted. [57] =The Stamps, etc., of the North American Colonies of Great Britain=, page 14. We find that the original chronicle of these varieties was in _Le Timbre-Poste_ in 1869. Concerning them M. Moens writes as follows:-- Un de nos correspondants nous annonce qu'il possède un timbre rose 1/2 penny, surchargé de la marque: 8 _d. stg._ Cette émission, provisoire sans doute, doit être le résultat de la penurie momentanée de timbres 10 pence, dans un ou plusieurs bureaux secondaires.[58] [58] =Le Timbre-Poste=, VII: 82. And in the next issue of the paper:-- On nous a montré le 1/2 p. rose, non dentélé, surchargé en noir, du chiffre 1, de 20 mm. environ et placé dans le sens horizontal. C'est probablement encore un timbre émis provisoirement, pour une raison qui nous échappe, le 1 penny n'ayant jamais existé. Quant au timbre dont nous avons parlé le mois dernier, le chiffre 8 et la lettre S ont pour dimension 16 mm.[59] [59] =ibid.= VII: 94. We think all idea of a "surcharge" can be at once dismissed, as the raising of the value, particularly to 8d., would be a very foolish and doubtless wholly unnecessary proceeding, and certainly some record of such procedure would have been found ere this. The impressions were probably from rating stamps that were accidentally struck on the postage stamps, or possibly used purposely as cancellations. * * * * * The report of the Postmaster General for the 30th Sept. 1858, notes the fact that previous to 1854 all newspapers were rated at 1/2d. each, but in that year were granted free transmission. Concerning the new regulations it continues:-- In pursuance of the Act of 1857, limiting free transmission to such as are posted directly from the office of publication, a halfpenny rate, pre-payable by postage stamps, has been taken since 1st. August, 1857 on all transient newspapers--that is, papers posted by individuals other than the Publishers. The same report states:--"The Department has, from 1st. January, 1859, put in operation an arrangement for the conveyance of Parcel Packets between any two Post Offices in Canada with the ordinary mails." The charge was fixed at 1s. 3d. per pound with a maximum weight of two pounds, and prepayment was enforced. In the Department accounts we find the following:-- Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Co., Supply of letter and newspaper stamps £99.6.6