| Show CHANGING THE EI GLISH STAMP j I An Expensive New Isaim Required by i Edwards Accession I Among the many changes which the l death of the Queen will nccesHltat One i of the most Important and certainly i noi the leaisi expensive is In the stamp fajue of the United Kingdom It Is yet too early to state the1 precise nature Uf j the alterations that will be made Inns i njiich ns the Treasury the Inland j I Hovenuo department and the PoslolTlce the threo Government offices concerned i II I the matter haw not yet made up i tlIeir minds on r the subject Corre spondence has passed among the three departments and a decision will be made on an early date One obvlouH and necessary Qhange Sri of course that the head of Iinc Edward Ed-ward Vir will replace that of Queen Victoria on all stamps but the question ques-tion that Is agitating the mlnda of the officials is the position of the Kings I head It will as In the present Issue l I I be placed within ja circle but a surges I lion has been made from an Influential J quarter that the head should be reversed I i re-versed Against this has been urgej that the reversal of the head would make his Majesty look away from tIle address This may appear a frivolous objection but II 1 is nevertheless one 16 which the authorities are giving serious seri-ous consideration Their Ideas on the subject of tine new Issue will be em bodied In a report which will be placed befpre the King who will give time final decision This question of the position of the monarchs head Is practically the only pne that has to bo RCtlled as we understand II is not intended as a consequence con-sequence of the Queens death to make any change in the colors of the stamps one change In color will how eye shortly be announced to the pub lic but it was decided on some > conHld erable time since and has no connection connec-tion with the death of her Majesty Al the green adhesive stamps will be abolished and carmine colored stamps substituted for them The Postofllce has been obliged to mIte thls change1 on acqount Jt is understood of the diBr covery that the green coloring matter used In the printing of these stamps Is of a poisonous character The other colois are absolutely free from any such suspicion The cost of tho change may be estimated esti-mated when It Is stated that not only has a dieto be cut for each separate Stamp but stamps being printed In sheets each individual stamp in the shpet must have a die Eighteen potage pot-age stamps ranging In value from one halfpenny to 5clll be affected Ijy tho change These Clamps are of course also available forlriland revenue and telegraphic purposes There arc also Iwo series of embo8sed envelopes one bearing a halfpenny and the other a penny stamp which require separate dies as well as newspaper wrappers and postcards The preparation of these dies will ocqupy at least twelvemonth twelve-month and when they are ready the printing of the new stamps will be begun be-gun al once Gradually the stamp with the familiar head of the Queen will l pass out of use and find a place only In the albums of philatelists London Chronicle |
