“_May 21st._—Several more cases of stamps wholly unobliterated, or very nearly so, have come within my knowledge; and all sorts of tricks are being played by the public, who are exercising their ingenuity in devising contrivances for removing the obliterative stamp, by chemical agents and other means. One contrivance is to wash over the stamp, before the letter is posted, with isinglass, or something else which acts as a varnish, and as the obliterating stamp falls on this varnish, it is easily removed with soap and water. Tricks of this kind are quite sufficiently numerous to produce great annoyance; but I doubt whether it is more than the exercise of a little ingenuity which will speedily be directed to other objects. I am making every effort, however, with the aid of Phillips, the chemist,[297] and others, to prevent these frauds, and I trust I shall succeed.” Seven days later I find the following entry:— “_May 28th._—To-day Lord John Russell sent a blank sheet of paper, which some impudent fellow had addressed to him, using a label which had evidently been used before, for the features were entirely washed away. Nevertheless, it was passed at the Post Office. Whiting, the printer, also sent a note his brother had received from Brighton, the stamp of which was so slightly obliterated that the mark was scarcely visible, and by night would almost certainly pass.” This took me next day to the Post Office, where I remained during the two busiest hours of the day, witnessing operations. I give the following extract:— “_May 29th._—The tricks with the stamps are, Mr. Bokenham says, abating; and, practically, he thinks there is no danger of their being used twice, now that ink for obliteration has been supplied to the deputy-postmasters from the Central Office—a measure which I advised in the first instance.” Nevertheless, more than a fortnight later, I find the following entry:— “Pressly[298] assured me that he continually receives letters the stamps of which have not been cancelled. That he has sent them so frequently to Colonel Maberly that he does not like to send any more, lest it should be thought annoying. He gave me one recently received.” Meantime, as the red ink seemed inefficacious, black ink was tried; and, for a time, this appeared to be effectual.