PHILATELY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2975, 22 March 1911, Page 65

PHILATELY.

Br Peltier.

Portuguese Provisionals. —The event of the month has been the issue of a series of provisional stamps by the newly-established Republican Government of Portugal. They were issued on November 1, and comprise the entire series with the portrait of the exiled King ■ Manuel from 2£ to 1000 reis, overprinted diagonally with the ominous inscription "Republica" in large Roman capitals in red; on all except the 2.0 reis value, on which the overprint is in green. Supplies of these historical stamps were received in London on November 5, and they are in considerable demand. An official decree authorising the issue of these provisionals was published in the Diario do Governe of Lisbon for Ocober 15, and on the 31st of that month all unsurcharged stamps were withdrawn from circulation. The overprint was applied at the Lisbon Mint, and it is understood that the current issues of the several overseas possessions of Portugal will be similarly treated at an early date. ' It is not anticipated that this provisional issue will enjoy a very prolonged life, as reports from the Portuguese capital state that the preparation of a permanent Republican issue is being hurried forward by the Mint authorities, who, by way of effecting a saving of time, are merely altering the dies of the current King Manuel series by substituting the Republican Arms composed of crossed flags and lictor's rods for the portrait of the deposed Monarch; and the new issue printed from these modified dies may be expected at any moment.

The following is a short description of flhe Melbourne Post Office in 1850:—"The »ld post office, which stood on the site of fche present palatial structure, was a densely-thronged centre of attraction during the gold rush. On the> arrival of the monthly mail from England the long, low wooden verandah was crowded from morning to night by an anxiously-expectant mob, and it frequently took several hours before the coveted news from Home could be obtained." Stamps were sold through a small window 3ft square, fronting on to the verandah, and a pair of scissors was hung on a chain for th© convenience -of the public in separating the stamps.

There is still vivid in the memory of the Portuguese race the. recollection of the fall of the Empire of Brazil. The independent empire set up by King John VI at the beginning of the past century lasted little more than the allotted span of a man's life, for the monarchy tottered to its fall in 1889, after but 81 years under the sway of the house of Braganza. The Emperor Pedro II it was who then learnt how hollow is the crown that rounds the temple of a King. The-, old stamps inscribed "Imperio do Brazil," or simply "Brazil" had already dropped the royal effigy, though one retained the design of the Imperial Grown. These gave way to the large stamps with the central device group of stars known as the Southern Cross, and bore the inscription, "E. U. do Brazil," the contraction of the new style o'* Republics, dos Estados Unidos do Brazil. Later came the inevitable allegorical figure on whose Phrygian -capped head have been laid the responsibilities of many great deeds and many a foul one.

The fact of his Majesty the King being such an ardent philatelist, and possessing such a superb and valuable collection, is influencing several members of the Court to take up the hobby, and some of the London dealers are finding them good customers. This development in Court circles is bound to be reflected in other rank® of life, and consequently we may look for a "boom" in the stamp world this season. To parody a well-known couplet: — Those now do stamp who never stamp-ed before, And those who have thus stamp-ed now stamp the more. Official stamps are a very important subdivision of philately. They are used to enable the postage expenditure of various departments to be kept separate. In many cases the official stamps are mad© by means of surcharge upon the ordinary postage stamps of the country issuing them. The United States official stamps were notable exceptions to this practice. They consist of a series of values for each department, all the values in each series being the same colour, with a different colour and somo variation of design for each department. NEW ISSUES. Gilbert and Ellice Islands. —We have been informed that Fijian stamps were being surcharged for use_ in these islands, and supplies would arrive shortly from England. We now learn from the Berliner Briefmarken-Zeitung that the surcharge is in two lines, the colours of some of the stamps are different from these now in use in Fiii, being in unison with the other Crown colonies, and in the near future we presume that the Fijian stamps will be issued in similar colours. The Gilbert Group, which has been under British control and protection since 1892, is cut by the equator and 175th meridian E., considerably to the northward of Fiji, and embraces the islands of Bataritari, Little Makin, Kiebu, Marakei Abaian, Tarawa. Maiana, Apemama, Anunuka, Kuria, Nonuiti, Tabeteuea,

Beru, Nukunau, Onoatoa, Tamana, and Arorae, and a number of email islets, Ocean Island, some 200 miles distant, was joined to the Group in 1901. The islands are small, their total area being not more than 170 square miles; the native population number over 30,000. The Bllice Islands, which are under the same protectorate, are over 300 miles nearer Fiji, and comprise the islands of Nanomea, Nanamaga, Nuitao, Nukuleilei, Vaitupi, Nui, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nulakita; the population of this group does not exceed 4000. The poet offices were opened on January 1, 1911, and the following values were to be issued: id green, surcharge in black; Id red, surcharge in black; 2d grey, surcharge in black; 2£d blue, surcharge in black; 5d violet and olive, surcharge in black; 5d purple, surcharge in black; Is black on green, surcharge in red. Chili. —The centenary of Independence stamps are of the usual class produced by American Bank Note Company with different views in centre all printed in black, the frames being of uniform design, except the high values: —2c claret, battle of Chacabuco; 5c deep blue, battle of Maipo; 10c sepia, combat between frigates Lautaro and Esmeralda; 12c scarlet, capture of the aria Island; 20c vermillion, abdication of O'Higgins; 25c blue, first Chilian Congress; 1 peso, yellow, monument of San Martin; 2 peso green, Zenteno; 10 peso Blanco; 5 peso green, Zenteno; 10 peso purple, Admiral Cochrane. [The latter is the third British naval officer to be depicted on postage stamps, the other two being Nelson and John Smith on Barbados and U.S.A. respectively.—Ed.]