In March, 1884, the _Philatelic Record_ contained the following paragraph:-- We are informed that there is likely to be issued shortly "a new ten cent stamp of special design, which, when attached to a letter, will ensure its immediate delivery to its address at any free delivery office, between the hours of 7 a. m. and 12 midnight." A similar system has, we believe, been in use for some years in Belgium, where the extra charge is paid in telegraph stamps. This was certainly a case of intelligent anticipation for it was not until fourteen years later that a stamp of this character was issued by the Dominion of Canada. The Postmaster-General's Report for 1898 referred to the introduction of the new stamp as follows:-- The calendar year has witnessed the introduction of the special delivery stamp, whereby on the payment of a delivery fee of 10 cents in addition to the ordinary postage, a letter immediately upon its arrival at the office of destination is sent by special messenger for delivery to the addressee. A special-delivery stamp of the face-value of 10 cents was prepared, and the first supplies thereof were sent out sufficiently early to Postmasters to permit of the inauguration of the special delivery service on the 1st July, 1898. The object of the service is to secure special and prompt delivery of a letter on which a special-delivery stamp, in addition to the ordinary postage, has been affixed. The new system was dealt with at some length in a circular issued to postmasters under date June 7th, 1898, and as this is of considerable interest we reproduce it below:-- The Postmaster-General has approved of arrangements whereby, on and from the first of July proximo, the senders of letters posted at any Post Office in Canada and addressed to a City Post Office now having Free Delivery by Letter Carriers shall, on prepayment by Special Delivery stamps of the face-value of ten cents, affixed one to each letter, in addition to the ordinary postage to which the same are liable, secure their special delivery to the persons to whom they are addressed within the limits of Letter Carrier Delivery at any one of the following Post Offices in Cities, viz.:--Halifax, St. John, N. B., Fredericton, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Brantford, Hamilton, London, Winnipeg, Victoria, and Vancouver. The hours of delivery to be within 7 a. m. and 11 p. m. daily, except Sunday. These hours are subject to change as dictated by local circumstances. Drop-letters posted for local delivery, and bearing Special Delivery stamps, in addition to the postage, will also be entitled to special delivery in the same manner as letters received at the Post Office by mail.