On Friday afternoon, September 10th, I presented myself at the Post-Office Department and joined a party who were just leaving the building to go over to the American Bank Note Co.'s building, a couple of blocks away. Arriving, we were conducted to the top floor by the manager. The plates, dies, etc., were brought out by those in charge, and the seventeen original dies after inspection by those present were placed one by one under a press and an obliterating roller passed over them several times; proofs were then pulled which faintly showed the outlines of the ovals, etc., but the words showing the values could not even be made out. Next, the rolls for transferring the impression from the dies to the plates came in for their share of attention. There were nineteen of them, and a few burns from an emery wheel quickly put each one "out of sight." The plates, 31 in number, were subjected to the same treatment as the dies, and the total time occupied in the destruction of the various parts occupied almost two hours. _Reference List._ 1897. Engraved and printed by the American Bank Note Co., Ottawa, on wove paper. Perf. 12. 36. 1/2c black, Scott's No. 50. 37. 1c orange, Scott's No. 51. 38. 2c green, Scott's No. 52. 39. 3c rose, Scott's No. 53. 40. 5c deep blue, Scott's No. 54. 41. 6c yellow brown, Scott's No. 55. 42. 8c dark violet, Scott's No. 56. 43. 10c brown violet, Scott's No. 57. 44. 15c steel blue, Scott's No. 58. 45. 20c vermilion, Scott's No. 59. 46. 50c ultramarine, Scott's No. 60. 47. $1 lake, Scott's No. 61. 48. $2 dark purple, Scott's No. 62. 49. $3 yellow bistre, Scott's No. 63. 50. $4 purple, Scott's No. 64. 51. $5 olive green, Scott's No. 65. CHAPTER XIV.--_The "Maple Leaf" Issue of 1897._ Soon after the printing contract was awarded to the American Bank Note Company it was rumoured that a new series of stamps would be issued, but for a time public expectations of the new stamps were overshadowed by the appearance of the Diamond Jubilee issue. A cutting from an Ottawa paper dated September 28th, 1897, shows, however, that preparations for a new set were well in hand, viz.:--