“Of those the Three Pence, dark blue, Six Pence, yellow-green, and the light shade of the One Shilling, are the earlier issue. After examination of a large number of specimens of the two lower values on the original cover, a dark blue Three Pence or yellow-green Six Pence is seldom found after November, 1857. From that date the light blue Three Pence and dark green Six Pence is the rule. At the time the last supplies were sent out, in 1857, some sheets of the Three Pence and Six Pence were printed on an intensely blue paper, as I have in my collection a Six Pence on this blue paper split and used as Three Pence on original cover, postmarked ‘Lunenburg, Dec, 7, 1859,’ and an entire one, on envelope from same place, ‘Feb. (date indistinct), 1860.’ The Three Pence is on a much bluer paper than the ordinary dark shades of same on blue paper of the earlier issue. Of the Six Pence on blue paper I have only seen four specimens, and I have examined a large number of that value. “The later printing of the Three Pence was on a white paper, which was tinted blue on face by the ink, or insufficiently-cleaned plates. The Six Pence is on a paper which shows a somewhat bluish shade in it. “D. A. KING.” “DATE OF ISSUE OF THE ONE PENNY NOVA SCOTIA. “While the exact date of issue of the Three Pence, Six Pence, and One Shilling Nova Scotia stamps has been discovered, that of the One Penny has only been guessed at. Having lately been fortunate enough to procure access to the letter-books of the Nova Scotia Post Office Department, I have been enabled to make the date almost exact, as will be seen by the following letter of the Postmaster-General of Nova Scotia, and copied from the letter book of that Department: “‘HALIFAX, _May 12th, 1853_. “‘SIR,—I have the honour to request that I may be furnished with a supply of [A]200 sheets of One Penny stamps (amounting to £100), for the use of the Post Office in this Province. “‘(Signed) A. WOODGATE, _Postmaster-General_. “‘_Receiver-General of Nova Scotia._’ [A] The sheet of the One Penny therefore contained 120 stamps, while those of the Three Pence, Six Pence, and One Shilling, as we see from Mr. A. Woodgate’s letter of July 2nd, 1857, were each composed of 160 stamps. “This is the first mention of the One Penny stamps in the letter-book, and the date of issue should, I think, be taken from that application. In the letter-book containing copies of letters to deputies, the first requisition for One Penny stamps is from the Postmaster of Amherst, the answer to which, here given, is: “‘HALIFAX, _June 30th, 1853_.