"Color, orange-brown, typographed in color on white paper. Proofs were issued printed in blue on pink paper; also in green and yellow. It was issued about September 29th, 1851, but was suppressed almost immediately, owing to its great similarity to the then three cent stamp. Only about 300,000 were ever issued. It has always surprised me that the Department has never kept any official history of its stamps." This stamp was succeeded by the; ISSUE OF NOVEMBER, 17, 1851. ONE CENT. Eagle poised for flight, turned to the left, resting on a branch of laurel, on an oval disk, 18 by 13 mm., the ground of clouds and rays, surrounded by a fine colored line, a colorless line, and a band of solid color inscribed in colorless Roman capitals above "_U. S. P. O. Dispatch_," below "_Prepaid, One Cent_," with ornaments of oak leaves on the left and of laurels on the right. Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., color, white paper. 1 cent, blue. A letter dated from the Post Office Department, Finance Office. July 20th, 1869, and signed W. H. H. Corell, Third Assistant Postmaster General, published in the American Journal of Philately, says: "The blue stamp "Eagle" was used for prepaying City letters delivered by carriers. It was issued about Nov. 17th, 1851, and was withdrawn Jan. 27th, 1852. It was very little used except in Philadelphia, Pa., and Cincinnati, Ohio." As a matter of fact however, the published reports of the Postmaster General, shows that there were issued: 4,777,552 from Nov. 1851, up to June, 1852. 4,370,383 " June 1852, " " " 1853. 7,103,416 " " 1853, " " " 1854. These stamps were all engraved and printed by Messrs. Toppan, Carpenter, Cassilar and Co., of Philadelphia, under a contract with the Department. The collector naturally desires to know what supposed peculiarities of the public demand led to the selection of these values, and not others. As already shown, the carriers were paid out of the receipts from the sale of the two carrier stamps. The one cent was required for newspapers and other printed matter, either singly or in twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, etc., and Mr. Sterling has preserved specimens thus used, adhering, either in strips by the sides or ends, or in blocks. The three cent stamp paid the ordinary letter rate, and two or more would be required on double, triple, etc., letters. Mr. Sterling has also preserved strips and blocks of these found so used.