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Enclosed please find cheque for twelve dollars being subscription to your Society for the current year.
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1930.
POSTAGE STAMPS.
WEEKLY NOTES FOR COLLECTORS.
MORE ABOUT THE PRO- VISIONAL" 18 ON 19.”
A CONFLICT OF DATES.
[Bx W.S.]
Collectors and others who read these articles will remember that two weeks ago brief reference was made to the Provisional stamp, 18 centa on 16 cents. It be occurred to me, since writing those lines, that greater attention might be given to this stamp, in view of the fact that the date of issue given by me is contrary to those given by both Bertram W. H. Poole and the Stanley Gibbons Catalogue
Mr. Fools's Calculations, The following, are extracts from Foole's' Philatelic Handbook "Owing to the variation in the value of the dollar, stamps of the value of 16c. were found neces sary in 1876 in place of 18, de- nomination. Pending the arrival of a supply of regular stamps of this value from England, recourse was had to surcharging, the 18c. label being overprinted 18c.. The provisional was only in issue for about two months, when it was replaced by the ordinary 16c.
stamp..
In August, 1876, a supply of the 16c. stampa arrived in Hong Kong, and thus replaced. the provisional of that value. The catalogues give the date of issue of this stamp as 1877, but the date, August 1876, is from an official source, and is, therefore, more like ly to be correct."
Stanley Gibbons Catalogue, up to 1928, gires the date of issue of the Frovisional stamp as June, 1876, and for the last two years, as 1878 only.
"Official" Information.
It would appear that the last extract was the one which upset Mr. Poole's calculations. Although he states that his information "re- garding the regular. 15c. value is from an official source, he fails to. indicate what official source. It
must be accepted that he received
source such information from a which he considered most reliable, but it is very doubtful whether he received it from an official source direct: Assuming that implicit con- fidence was placed in the date given, since it came from a person
The General Postal Union. should I say the rules of the Union, prescribe-Limite which must not be exceeded, but within these limits there is a discretion, es- pecially as to the rates on cars respondence carried long distances oversea. Honce it is that a week or so ago we were sending home letters from here at the ridiculously low rate of four cents (3.33 far- things) whilst our relatives and friends at home were paying almost double this amount,,
A Short Life.
TO-DAY'S FINANCE
MEETING.
VOTE OF $300,000 FOR UNIVERSITY.
MORE WATER METERS FOR KOWLOON.
"MUSIC AND THE
ALL BROW."
SOME CURIOSITIES AND EXPERIMENTS.
EXTRACTS FROM LAST NIGHT'S RADIO TALK;
The following are extracts from A meeting of the Legislative last night's talk in the series of Council, to be followed by a meet-broadcast talka Music and the ing of the Finance Committee will All Brow
be held this afternoon at the Council Chamber.
An interesting item on the agenda before the Finance Committee is a vote for $300,000 under the heading of "Grant in aid of Institution of University of Hong Kong. The de- tailed explanation of this item reads as follows:--
Provision made in Esti
mates
$50,000
HOW Rashes do Itch
BATHE them freely with Cuticure Soap and hot water, dry gently, and apply Curlearn Ointment. It is surprising how quickly the inution and itching stop and after a few treatments the rash disappears. There is nothing better for all forms of skin troubles.
The Ark three talks in this series have dealt with tunes and the added notes accompanying them, which have been considered respec- tively as the captains and the mem bers of the teams backing those captains up. If those talks have Moused your interest, you should now have a general idea of the foundations on which music is con structed, of the building materials used and of the methods employed by the builders. Such edifices nat have been taken as examples had been built on simple plans, no For an example of what can be endeavour having been made to done with that uninteresting tuae, analyse other than the homely the scale itself, you need only try dwelling" kind of music. Palaces, over the first few bars of the. garden cities and so forth are beverse part of that song which
It has not been possible to trace any authoritative information re- lative to the date of issue of the regular 18d stamps, but basing one's estimate on the length of time taken to meet "previous de- mands through the Crown Agents, the date given in Stanley Gibbons Catalogue, viz., August, 1877, would appear, correct. Accepting this date, it should be noted that the provisional stamp had but a very the short life-five months at most. The number of 18. stamps sold during 1877 was 71,847, which ask the Secretary of State's apyond our scope. was over a period of nine months.proval of the following proposals:- Taking Ave months of this time, (a) The total grant of $330,000 to during which provisionals were on sale, the most that could have been sold would be 30,915 a very small number to meet the requirements of many collectors.
There is little to be said regard- ing the regular stamp, other than its colour ranged from dull to bright yellow. It was printed on Crown CC. paper, perforated" 14, and there is no space between the" inner rectangle and the chignon.
H.E. the Governor in Council dis- cussed the finances of the Hong Kong University on July 10 and July 17, 1830, and it was agreed to
be made on account of 1830. (b) The increased grant to be used in the first place to balance the University budget to the close of 1930 on the basis of existing salaries.
Now certain houses strike one at
once as being most pleasing to the eye, simple as their layout may be. Others, made of excellent material, may be an eyesore. So it is with music; a good team may be ruined by a poor captain and vice vera, Later on we will pull ona or two pieces of music to bits, so as to emphasise their good points and to show their weakness,
Qurious Examples.
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appeared in a popular London ravue about three years ago, "The- Dancing Tambourine." By playing it in an unusual rhythym and by adding a rising and falling under- current in the accompaniment, the composer has produced a distinctly, taking piece of music..
The
So much for curiosities. first piece of music for the operat ing table is "The Robber's March from "Cha Chin Chow." The com- poser bere has set out to convey in notes a mental impression of a half disciplined, breezy, virile horde of musical-comedy cut-throats.. There should be no doubt in your mind as to whether he has succeed- ed.
Marseillaise.
(c) The University to produce
modified scheme of revised salaries for both its sterling and dollar paid servants which would bring the cost of the re- vision within the surplus left In the meantime, let us show from the grant after balancing what skilful composers can do with the budget and leave a reason the slender materials-that is to able margin for, eventualities. say, a dozen rotejat their dis (d) The grant to be subject to re-posal. In order to act as the palat- vision annually in the light of able jam taken after the nauseous the exchange conditions then medicine you have been absorbing. Now for another pulsating piece prevailing.
on the scale, and allied subjects, of music, "Marseillaise." Up to a (e) The increased grant not to be care has been taken to select point, and beyond another, this is conditional on reimbursement examples which are striking, curious one of the most inspiring timple from Boxer Indemnity foods.
and probably well-known to the things ever written. But in the middle there comes a short, sub- Approval has now been received bulk of lisoners, and a formal vote for $300,000 ist
sidiary phrase entirely unworthy of now requested.
the fervour of the rest. (The fines which lead up to the exclamation "To arms!"in the version in the
numerous
Water Meters.
On account of the receipt of applications for new meter services in Kowloon due to
of $93,000 is
The Church of England service offers a large field for research you're already had hymns 165 and 12 cited as examples of good team work-and our first two curiosities are coming from the same source.
Having brought to the notice af collectors, through this coloum, miner variety which exista in the sercharge of 1 cent on 3 cents pro- visional stamp of Chine, and hav ing noticed a remark that it is now considered merely a "freak," may be permitted to state in de fence that no freak is constant, whereas the serif-less "I" with the bevelled top is. Furthermore, it cannot be accepted that wax Would adhere to a stamp, in such o way as to effect the overprint in the rapid development of the precisely the same place on each Peninsula, a vote sheet with precisely the same reequested, which will allow for the wrote it a very long time ago, and sult. The opinion expressed in provision of approximately 500 ad-you will find that the vice-captain this column was and is that the ditional meters." variety, even though a minor one, bas its peculiar fascination, and possessors will be well advised to give it place as a variety of in- terest. These minor things have an pleasant way of becoming major things when they are treated with contempt.
Postcards
The decrease in the number of postage stamps sold is the latest indication of the economic slump which has hit Japan, according to or place which was considered, the vecnacular papers. They pub official, it is not difficult to observe lish the information that the gen how Mr. Poole arrived at the eral public as a whole is taking to former date, viz., that of the pre-writing its messages on postcards visional stamp. His remark that instead of in letters. the change of postage rate from ready to mail cost only a sen and 18c. to 16c. being due to the varin- & half, while it costs three sen plus tion in the value of the dollar, is stationery to get a letter off to a friend. Government figures for the bas incorrect and was possibly months of April, May and Jane based on supposition.
show that the sales of stamps de clined by Y.600,000, while those for postcards went up Y.235,000." The authorities say that if this goes on the net loss to the Mimitry of Communications at the end of the year will be Y.1,500,000.
Définite Proof.
It is now for me to explain on what authority I have chosen to doubt the veracity of the foregoing, and in doing so I would state that my temerity is supported by an official document dated March 13, 1877, from which I propose to give. only those items which directly concern the points under discus. gion.
The following Provisional Memo- randum of information relative "to the General Postal Union is circu- lated for the use of the public:
(1.)-On and after April 1, the postage to all countries of "the Union charged at British Offices in China and Japan, will be as follows:-
BRITAIN'S POOR STAMPS.
new
an eagle." Descriptions of lands capes in a picture exhibition? Not at all-extracts from the Times de scribing the subjects of a issue of Italian postage stamps celebrating the bi-millenary of Vergil. In other words, Italy does just what our Post Office won't
do.
Look up the tune to the second part of Hymn & A and M. It is known as Tallis' Canon Talis
of the team, to wit the tenor line, is such an ardent admirer of his captain that he follows him, all over the field, step for step and four paces behind him. The musical tion, or "Chinese copying," such term applied to perfect tune imita- as this is Canon."
Old Psalms.
Scottish Students' Song Book.) All the same, this mild and uninspired hitch helps, by contrast, the frenzy of the conclusion.
One of the most popular hymn tunes, hallowed by tradition, is No. 577 The Day Thou Gavest." Some call it sugary and undignified, but there is much weak music that age and associations has made holy. Our own National Anthem 13. almost in that category. So it is with hymn 577, and I submit that its very special hold on the public
ear is due to the brilliant and daring originality of its composer to lay out the tune in one of the most popular secular rhythyms, that of the waltz.
all fit into
Now turn from the old Cathedral
In conclusion different captains. Psalm to the chant for Psalm 1 and And not only Italy. The French 5 in the thirtieth morning. Divide act differently when leading the have on their stamps representait into its four parts and call them same team. You will find that tions of the Pont du Gard, the A, B, C and D, respectively. Now three tunes as different from one Port de la Rochelle and Mont listen to A and C played one after another as Annie Laurie," Old Saint-Michel. All over the world, the other: now B and D. A and C Folks at Home" and Dvorak's well- indeed, great nations and com are, chord for chord, the opposites knownHumoresque munities young in Statehood are of one another a sort of mirror the same accompaniment. Try itr in question and sing each of the proud to show their countryside reflection-likewise B and D. This at home. Play the Humoresque fauna on their stamps. It would brilliant piece of writing is the be, as we have said, a reasonable, equivalent of a sensible sentence other tunes in turn to it practical and advantageous thing which reads the same forwards or have such backwards. for Great Britain to stamps."
Degenerating Issues. Great Britain led the world by inventing postage stamps, but cur issues have steadily degenerated in quality. There is no well-known country with a series of postage stamps so uniformly atrocious from ad artistic point of view. And millions of these stamps we press daily with the authority of the King's head, on the notice of country people, young and old, who have no art galleries to correct or lead a taste for which little or nothing has been done at their village school. And then we wonder why, in the countryside, there is so often indifference to the passing of beauty in old buildinga and memorials of the past generally, 80 often a ready acceptance of Dis trick Council Cottages, a byword in many districts of feckless, par simonious: gracelessness.N MAN
The postage stamps of France and Germany and of several European States arc aliberal education.
A Plea for Pictures.. The reasonable and practical plea of The Countryman for putting the countryside :00 British postage stamps has been supported not only in the Times and in a question in Parliament but in two issues of the Field, surely the host English of journals. As the Field says, we have a countryside of great beauty, To and through the United King-but we have millions of citizens
dom vid Brindisi, Letters, 16c. who know nothing, or almost no per balf-ounce...
thing, of our scenery or our birds and beasts. If more townsmen (5.)-Postage Stampa: Atem were familiar with the fact that porary supply of 18c stamps is in preparation, and they will be scent creatures as the red deer and
our countryside holds such mugai forwarded to the ports as so the golden eagle, animals of such Ours are depressing. We are glib as possible
rarity as the pipe marten and wild It can be argued that this might cat, birds which are native to this about raising the standard of edu not have been the first occasion on country only, such as the red cation and about encouraging Art, which such stamps were considered grouse, might they not be expect and are spending thousands of necessary. To this I would pointed to be proud of their possessions pounds for these ends, and all the out that the year 1877 is the first of this kind, and do their best to what it can, through the stamps time the Government itself is doing given of any sales of this value, keep them as their heritage1 Roe we all have to use, to show that so I think the above memorandum deer, salmon, boxing hares, night- may be taken, as conclusive proof, ingales (how many townsmen would beauty does not matter.. that April 1, 1877, was the date on know one by sight, daffodils es which this provisional memorandum Wordsworth saw them, the tors of was issued, and not 1876, as is Dartmoor the subjects for such generally accepted. The above illustration are endless. memorandum furthermore states that the change was necessary under the conditions of the General Postal Union and not, as Mr. Poole states, owing to the variation,
of the dollar. It might be thougne,
Fortunately, we have a King who
is learned in philately. Over stamps, lice coins, the Sovereiga has considerable power. L Fis Majcsty should see fit to suggest to the Postmaster-General that the time has come when the whole And our contemporary proceeds character of our stamps might well
Italian and French Examples.
to quote -- A pastoral idyll of be considered in the light of the"
bur ifther
in view of the statement immedi-woman at the loom with two nations and our own Dominions, ately preceding, that the General children at the knee, and a calf every man and woman who cares Postal Union deprived His Excel nuzzling in the background for the national reputation abroad lence the Governor of his power shepherd piping beside a blazing under Ordinarice 10 of 1876, Section hearth with two lambe warming 12, of making changes in postage themselves in the background. An rates, but on this point I would old Rowan watching the fight of disabuse any mind thus disposed. (Continued on next Column)
will rejoice, and all who are labouring to raise our artistic ideals and to preserve the national store of natural beauty will feel their hands to be strengthened.
Next week's talk: The Appeal of the Ballad."
STAR
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