y as compared with the old, provides for a greater limitation
of the privilege of free transmission of newspapers, and also provides
for the establishment of a Parcel Post.

No further reference seems to have been made to the parcel post until
the Postmaster-General's Report for June 30th, 1864, where it is
stated:--

By means of the Parcel Post a parcel may be sent within the
Province to or from any place, however remote from the ordinary
lines of traffic conveyance, on prepayment of a postage rate of 25
cents per lb., provided that the weight or size of the parcel does
not exceed the carrying capacity of an ordinary mail bag; and
provided that the contents of the parcel are not of a character to
injure the rest of the mail.

Later the parcel post system was extended so that it embraced the sister
Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the rate remaining at 25c
per lb. Apparently the weight and size of a parcel acceptable by the
postal authorities still remained delightfully vague and indefinite and
was simply limited by "the carrying capacity of an ordinary mail bag."

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

As we have seen from the Postmaster-General's Report for 1859 the first
"cents" stamps were placed in use on July 1st of that year. The series
comprised the values 1c, 5c, 10c, 12-1/2c and 17c these corresponding to
the 1/2d, 3d, 6d, 7-1/2d and 10d denominations previously in use. The
designs of the new stamps were adapted from those of the corresponding
values of the old issue as a comparison of the two series will amply
demonstrate. The 1c differs from the 1/2d only in the words denoting the
value below the portrait. The 5c differs from the 3d not only as regards
the new inscription of value but has small ornaments on the oval band
dividing CANADA POSTAGE from FIVE CENTS. In the corners the numerals
"5," replacing "3," are placed in an oblique position on a ground of
crossed lines. The 10c differs from the 6d in having the corner numerals
(represented by the Roman "X") placed obliquely on a cross hatched
ground instead of upright on a ground of foliate ornamentation, while
TEN CENTS replaces SIX PENCE under the portrait. The 12-1/2c differs
from the 7-1/2d only as regards the corners where "12-1/2c" replaces the
former values of "6d. stg" and "7-1/2d cy". On the new 17c the words of
value required so much more room than the TEN PENCE on th