Page 35 - LP1478

The London Philatelist

which would have no franking value in the United States and might have confused United States
postal officials if present. Also, the Canada 6c Large Queen is only tied to the cover by the Canadian
Halifax, Nova Scotia oval grid cancel, while the St. Pierre cancel does not tie the stamp. This careful
placement of cancellations was effected so as to rigorously comply with the terms of the Canada-
United States cross-border postal convention, thereby avoiding delays and any possible additional fees.
A St. Pierre cds for 22 June 1871 has been lightly struck on the lower left of the cover, below the

Figure 3. July 1871 St. Pierre to Edinburgh, Scotland, franked with a single Canada “Large Queen” 6 cents
brown (Brigham).
stamp. A circular dated transit cancel reading ‘NORTH SYDNEY/ C B / JU25/ 1871’ (C.B. is for
Cape Breton) appears in the upper right corner. The postmark cancelling the stamp is a Canadian
mute oval grid commonly used in Halifax, the port of call of the British Packets en route to Liverpool.
A circular PAID/ LIVERPOOL / BR. PACKET / 10 JY 71 / 2B receiving mark was struck in red.
The short-lived Canada Large Queen designs were gradually replaced during 1870-1871, by the
Small Queen stamps.

Figure 4. February 1872 St. Pierre to Edinburgh, franked with six 1c yellow-orange Canada Small Queens.
Small Queen stamps on covers to the United Kingdom.
Figure 4 shows a horizontal strip of six 1c yellow-orange Small Queens, making up the proper
Canadian 6c rate to Scotland on a cover front (back removed) to the same address as the cover in
Figure 3. The stand-alone St. Pierre cds for 19 February 1872 does not cancel the Canadian stamps.
A manuscript ‘0.25’ (25 centimes) is at the lower right, indicating the prepaid St. Pierre Post Office
charges. The stamps are tied with a fancy geometric ‘cork’ cancel in black. Judging from the February

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