“While on this subject it would be as well to give the same information in regard to the Cent issue of Nova Scotia, although there is no error in regard to the date of those as there is to the first issue. The extract following is taken from the Report of the Postmaster-General of Nova Scotia for 1860. He says: “‘Postage stamps of a new design, and adapted to the decimal system, were obtained, with the consent of the Governor in Council, from the New York American Bank Note Co., and circulated on the 1st of October last (1860). The design, colour, and value of the stamps are as follows: One Cent, black; Five Cent, blue; Eight and a Half Cent, green; Ten Cent, scarlet; and Twelve and a Half Cent, black. “‘A supply of 19,000 sheets, or 1,900,000 stamps, equal in value to 132,000 dollars, has been obtained from the above firm, costing for their manufacture and incidentals 901.50 dollars.’ “It will be seen that there is no mention made of the Two Cent stamp. This value was not issued till some time after the other stamps had been, for the reason that there was no use for it until what was called the ‘County Postage Act’ came into force. The following extract from the Postmaster-General’s Report is self-explanatory: “‘To enable me to carry out that part of the Act, passed during the last session, in reference to the Post-office reducing the postage to two cents on a letter posted in a county for delivery within the said county, it was necessary to procure for the public convenience a stamp for the prepayment of this particular class of letters. Application was accordingly made to the New York American Bank Note Co. for a supply, and 5000 sheets were procured at a cost to the Department, including die, of 226 dollars. “‘The reduced rate came into operation on the 11th May last, and has yielded for the first five months, ended 30th September last (as far as I have been enabled to glean from the returns in my possession) a revenue of 450 dollars, a less amount, in my opinion, than would have been realized under the higher rate for the same period.’ “The following list will give us the precise date of all except the One Penny. Of it I can do no more than give the year, and about the probable time, judging from the Postmaster-General’s Report. The list is as follows: 3 pence } 6 ” } Issued 1st September, 1851. 1 shilling } 1 penny ” about 3rd quarter, 1853. 1 cent } 5 ” } 8½ ” } Issued 1st October, 1860. 10 ” } 12½ ” } 2 ” ” 11th May, 1863. “Those extracts will, I think, finally settle the date of the stamps of Nova Scotia. “DONALD A. KING.”