ovided an
interesting set of type-set provisional stamps during the Boer
occupation, from March until April 9, 1901, when the British troops
occupied the town and district. The stamps, which were but roughly
printed in the office of _De Zoutpansberg Wachter_ in the town, are
inscribed "POSTZEGEL" at top "Z. AFR. REP." at each side, and "1901"
at foot. The value is expressed in figures and word in the rectangular
opening of the frame of printer's rule (_Fig._ 118). The values issued
were 1/2d. green, 1d. rose, 2d. orange, 4d. blue, 6d. green, and 1s.
yellow, and owing to the crudity of the printing, specialists find a
very extensive range of minor technical varieties amongst this issue
of six denominations.

[Illustration: 118]

RUSTENBURG. After the relief of the British garrison by Baden Powell's
force in June, 1900, the British hand-stamped South African Republic
stamps with the _sans serif_ initials V.R. in violet, the values known
being 1/2d. green, 1d. carmine and green, 2d. brown and green, 2-1/2d.
blue and green, 3d. purple and green, 6d. lilac and green, 1s. ochre
and green, 2s. 6d. dull violet and green (_Fig._ 119).

[Illustration: 119]

SCHWEIZER RENECKE. This Transvaal hamlet, in which a British force
under Colonel Chamier was besieged from August 19, 1900, to January 9,
1901, overprinted some Cape of Good Hope 1/2d. and 1d. and Transvaal
1/2d., 1d., 2d., and 6d. stamps with a handstamp, reading "BESIEGED"
in violet, but this scarcely alters the postal status of the stamps
(_Fig._ 120).

[Illustration: 120]

VOLKSRUST. Here also in June, 1900, a number of Boer stamps were
overprinted "V.R.I." in serif letters. The stamps used for the
overprinting were fiscal stamps of the type of _Fig._ 121, converted
for postal use by the overprint "POSTZEGEL" (postage stamp) (_Fig._
122). The values overprinted V.R.I. were 1d. pale blue, 6d. carmine,
1s. olive-bistre, 1s. 6d. brown, 2s. 6d. purple.

[Illustration: 121 122]

VRYBURG. In November, 1899, the Boers occupied this town in Griqualand
West, and they surcharged some of our Cape Colony stamps in stock
there with the initials of the South African Republic (Z.A.R.) and a
new value (_Figs._ 124, 125, 129).

[Illustration: 124 125]

The town was retaken by the British in May, 1900, and certain
stamps of the South African Republic left behind by the Boers were
overprinted with an English inscription (_Figs._ 126-128).

[Illustration: 126 127 128 1