PHILATELY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2993, 26 July 1911, Page 66

PHILATELY.

By Pelurts.

At the recent peace banquet in Paris the idea was put forward by Mr Eugene Boggiano, and enthusiastically received by all present, of a universal “Peace Stamp,” on the lines of the stamps used in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, etc., of recent years, as a means of raising funds for hospitals and charities. The “Peace Stamp” would serve a double debt to pay; firstly, it would spread and strengthen the peace ideal; and secondly, it would be a powerful financial support for the work of propaganda. The idea thus outlined has made rapid progress, and the stamp will very shortly be issued, under the auspices of an honorary international committee, among whose members are Maxim Gorky, Anatole France, Fridtjof Jansen, Marconi, W. T. Stead, Keir Hardie, Flammaripn, Fogazzaro, etc. The stamp will be sold in all countries for a penny, and' its legend will be “Pax Mundi.” Care has been taken to secure an artistic and attractive design. It is worth noting, . as indicating the strength of philately on the Continent, that the “V.E.-B.” is the official organ of 249 philatelic societies! The various countries are thus represented : —Germany, 167 societies ; Switzerland, 16 ; Holland, 14; Austria, 12; Sweden, 9; Russia 7; Belgium, 5; United States, 4; Norway, 3; Italy. France, 2 each; Denmark, Hungary, 2 each; Finland, Bohemia. 1 each; Croatia, China, 1 each; Great Britain, none! In addition, the “Y.K.-B” is the official organ of the Bund deutsoher und oesto.rroichisc.her Philatelisten-vereine. Of course there are quite a number of philatelic societies in Great Britain, but they have not adopted the motto “Union is strength” as abroad. Most of the members, too, are specialists, each collecting something different from the other, whereas outside Great Britain specialism is practically limited to the stamps of the Mother Country. “ Competitive designs are invited by the Union Government of South Africa for a new series of postage stamps which it is the intention to issue in connection with the Union. The series will comprise 11 separate designs, one for each of the following denominations —namely, id, Id, 2d, 3d, 4d, 6d, Is, 2s 6d, ss, and 10s. _ A premium of £lO is offered for the design selected as being the best in the case of each of these postal values. All designs sent in must be for an upright stamp and drawn or reduced to about the size of the present postage stamp in the various provinces. They must.show the following: First, the King’s head and crown; second, the words ‘Union of South Africa’ and ‘Unie van Zuid-Afrika’; third, the denomination in figures; and fourth, the words ‘postage’ and ‘postzegel.’ Any characteristic figures or features specially suitable to represent some aspect of South Africa may be' included. The designs submitted need not be in colours, but those of the Id, and 2£d stamps must bo suitable for reproduction in green, red, and blue respectively. The Government’s decision will be

final as regards the selection of designs and the award of prizes under this competition. Competitors are permitted to compete for one or more designs. The designs selected as being the best shall become the absolute property of the Government. Any design for which a prize has not been awarded may, on the same condition, be purchased by the Government at a price to be agreed upon, but in any case not to exceed £lO- - Government dees nob bind itself to adopt any of the selected or purchased designs. The competition closes on March 31, and only such designs as were sent in on or before- that date* will bo From the above notice it will be seen that there will be no. lid, sd, Bd, or lOd values, nor any higher value than 10s, but perhaps the authorities may decide at the last moment to add a 20s value. The new series being for postage only, will reduce the quantities of certain stamps now used for both postal and revenue purposes, but all values should be more plentifully used than j any of those now in use in the four colonies. R. E. E. —The Brussels Exhibition stamps were certainly available for postage, but doubtless very few were need except by stamp collectors. A number of correspondents send us particulars from the Indian newspapers of what is described as the first aerial post! It will be remembered by many stamp ool- : lectors that during the siege of Paris in 1870, and m several other sieges, balloons —manned or otherwise—have been used for communication with the outer world. Captain W. Windham, a British officer, who has been associated with the aeroplane since its adoption by the army, desired by means of practical "experiment to demonstrate the utility of the aeroplane in such a situation as any city might find itself in case of Avar. Obtaining permission from the Postmaster-general of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudlq approved and sanctioned by the Director-general of the Indian Post Office, the captain recently made his experiment in the shape of the first official aerial post, which operated i from the United Provinces Exhibition at Allahabad in February to a pest office receiving station outside the Exhibition, and from thence the letters were despatched to their addresses in all parts of the world. ■ In 1899 the islands of Tutuila and Manua | of the Samoa group were assigned' to the I U.S. and they now have two post offices—- ! namely, Pago-Pago and Tau. These carry a stock of stamps of the current U.S. issues, but it is doubtful whether many values are kept on hand. Guam, a group of the Mariannas, had stamps of its own for a short time. These were soon withdrawn, and since then ordinary stamps have been in use. NEW ISSUES. ' I Great Britain, —Current Issue. —We quote from the Daily Mail:—King George V stamps. Printing the new issue.—All the designs for the new King George "V postage stamps have now been finally approved by the King, and the work of engraving the plates for the printing of the stamp® is being rapidly carried out at the Royal Mint. The King has throughout been extremely interested in the preparations for the issue of his stamps. He has seen designs, sample engravings, and proof stamps, and has kept in touch with every stage of the work. As in the case of the King Edward stamps, the new issues will vary in border and lettering according to the different values, but the bead of the King Avill be the same on every stamp. A big task .now lies before engravers, printers, and postal officials in completing the issue within the next tAvo months or so. The new stamps were to be on sale to the public on Coronation Day. It was the aim of the Post Office to have simultaneous distribution at 6A r ery one of the 25,000 offices in the United Kingdom. During the first two days of selling of the new stamps the demand is expected to be 10 times the average. New Issue for Brazil.—According to a correspondent a new series of official stamps will shortly be issued, bearing a portrait of Marshal Hermes de Fonesoa. i the new President. The denominations will I - probably be the same as the current set. Switzerland. —There is some prospect of a 5 franc stamp being issued there, and the postal administration has already tenta--1 tiA'ely chosen the design, representing the

monument of the three Swiss that Vibert of Geneva is creating for the purpose of adorning- the staircase at the House of Parliament in Berne. Bulgaria.—We have to chronicle a veryhandsome new set, which has been engraved and printed) by the Officina Caloo-f igraficia Italiana in Rome. In our opinion this is the most beautifully-engraved series of stamps since the New Zealand pictorials, and puts some of the recent productions entirely in the shade. It is interesting to note that the 3 stot. _ bears the inscription “Czardom of Bulgaria,” In addition to portraits of King Ferdinand, other subjects shown are “Tower of King Asen” (1 st), Tirnova City (3 st), River Iskar (15 st), Monument on Mount Rola (30 st), view St, Troitza (Trinity) (2 ley). The 3 lev will have a view of Varna City.