455
2
date both on the document and on the adhesive stamp which
7
it bears, and I venture to suggest that a sketch of this
if it new die should if possible be procured, and that,
be found free from the objections to which Messrs De La
Rue's sketches are exposed, it should he ador ted as the
model for Hong-Kong. Otherwise, I am of opinion that a
single-dated die similar in shape to that at presont in use at the Stock Exchange Office should be manufactured
for the use of the Colony. As I have mentioned in my
Jetter to the Crown Agents of the 30th. ult. the objection
to the use of a (on the score of fraudulent imitation)
very simple over-embossment loses much of its weight if
it be made a strict rule that no adhesive stamp shall leave
the Stamp office until over-embossed. In my original Report 1 sugrested that the public should be permitted to affix stamps for themselves, if desirous of doing so, but, after discussing the matter at Somerset House, I have ar- rived at the opinion that it would be distinctly prefer- able to regard the adhesive stamp as being incomplete and
not ready for issue till over-embossed with a date.
]).
As regards expense, 1 am, personally, of opinion that
the great desirability of introducing some more efficient
check into the Hong-Kong Stamp office (in which the only English Officer has his time occupied with Treasury work,
the Stamp and can only therefore pay occasional visits to office) renders the expenditure as detailed in the enclos-
ed correspondence desirable. Were it not for the danger
viz: of imitation to which embossed stamps are exposed
by means of wex impressions - it would probably be better,
as it undoubtedly would be much more economical, to have
embossed adhesive stamps manufactured from the existing
Hong-Kong Stamp Office embossing dies, and then to over- emboss these in the Stamp Office when affixed to documents
by means of a dating machine with the date (the proper date plugs for which could he served out by a responsible
Officer/