Chapter XXVII: Official Stamps

Canada has never issued special postage stamps for use on departmental correspondence but in November, 1884, a German paper,--_Der Philatelist_--on the advice of a correspondent, chronicled a series for official use. These were said to consist of the ordinary adhesives, two envelopes and a post card surcharged with the word OFFICIAL in black. To quote from the _Philatelic Record:_--"It is alleged that they were prepared and issued in 1877, but after a short time were called in again. The surcharges are in some cases oblique, and in others perpendicular. It is at least strange that, considering our intercourse with Canada, our first knowledge of the issue of official stamps so far back as 1877 should reach us from Temesvar, wherever that may be".

Doubts were, naturally, expressed on all sides with regard to the authenticity of these labels and a letter addressed to Ottawa on the subject resulted in the following reply:--

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA,
OTTAWA, _18th May, 1885_.

Sir:--I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acknowledge
receipt of your letter of the 29th ult., enquiring whether postage
stamps bearing the word "_Official_" on their face are in
circulation in the Dominion of Canada, and beg, in reply, to say
that no such stamp, card, newspaper wrapper, or envelope has _ever_
been issued by this Department. I am, sir, your obedient servant,

(Signed) WM. WHITE, _Secretary_.

Two years later, in April, 1887, after this canard had been satisfactorily disposed of another set of alleged official stamps was referred to in the _Philatelic Record_ as follows:--

Mr. Hechler sent to the Transvaal correspondent of Major Evans a
set of Canadian stamps surcharged SERVICE, and he certainly
vouched for the authenticity of the Royal arms and supporters, with
the word SERVICE on some Canadian envelopes, which he declared had
been issued to the troops that were sent out in the Indian
rebellion in 1885, and with whom Mr. Hechler was serving. This
rebellion did not break out until April of that year, and yet we
find these envelopes described in the _Timbre-Poste_ of February of
the same year, on the authority of _Der Philatelist_ of the
previous January. This all seems to be very remarkable, especially
as no one but Mr. Hechler appears ever to have had any of them.

A little delving into the history of these stamps and envelopes soon showed that they were nothing more than a private speculation on the part of their sponsor, Mr. Hechler. It appears that Hechler was a captain in a Volunteer regiment which was despatched to assist in putting down the rebellion. He had the words SERVICE printed on a number of envelopes, postcards, and probably stamps as well, which were used in sending notices of drill, etc., to his company. But they were never issued or recognised by the Government of Canada.