ed provisionally--an
opinion with which Mr. Howes seems to concur by his statement that "the
watermarked paper must therefore have been used sometime during the
course of the year 1868, probably the middle, when supplies of all
values except the 1/2c were printed." But we fail to find from any
evidence so far adduced that this watermarked paper was in use only
during some well defined period. The fact that it is not found in
connection with the 1/2c proves nothing for this value was of a
different size from the others and doubtless paper of a different size,
but the same quality was used so as to prevent unnecessary waste in
cutting into sheets for printing. At best, as we have already stated, it
is but a papermaker's trade mark, and it is difficult to understand on
what grounds it is included in the catalogue as a variety to the
exclusion of similar and well known examples in the stamps of other
countries. We must confess that more importance seems to be attached to
the variety than is warranted by its philatelic status and we commend to
our readers' attention Major E. B. Evans' pertinent comments regarding
it, viz:--

We feel bound to state that, unless the paper itself is of a
different nature from the plain wove, this watermark seems to us to
possess no interest whatever. It is evidently entirely unofficial,
and it is quite possible that it only occurred in one sheet out of
several of identically the same paper.

The other variety of paper which calls for special mention is a "laid"
paper found in connection with the 1c and 3c values. It is obviously a
true "laid" paper, the laid lines being very distinct, fairly wide and
quite evenly spaced. While the use of this paper was, no doubt, quite
unintentional, it is a distinct variation from the normal wove which
cannot be ignored by specialists, though we hardly think it is entitled
to rank as a "major" variety as shown by the classification followed in
Scott's catalogue. The 3c was discovered first and was mentioned in the
_Philatelic Record_ for March, 1882, as follows:--"Mr. Tapling informs
us that he possesses the 3 cents red, issue of 1868, on laid paper." A
few months later Mr. Corwin discovered a copy of the 1c which he
described in the _National Philatelist_ for January, 1883, as follows:--

Some time since I saw noted in the _Philatelic Record_ the
existence of a 3 cent Canada stamp, emission of 1868, on laid
paper. In