Dominion of Canada
1868 - 1875
Postage Rates Within Canada and to the United Kingdom and the United States
Introduction
On July 1, 1867, the colonies of the United Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia formed the Dominion of Canada. Postal services continued pursuant to colonial legislation existing prior to Confederation until April 1, 1868 when the Dominion of Canada's Post Office Act came into operation. Until October 1875, the payment of postage with stamps was optional and letters could be mailed paid or unpaid.
Postage Stamps
On April 1, 1868, the first set of Dominion of Canada stamps with the vignette of "Victoria Head to Right"was issued. Beginning in 1870, the original issue was replaced by a smaller size. The original 1868 design is referred to as the "Large Queens" while the small design is referred to as the "Small Queens". The Small Queens saw long service and were finally replaced in 1897.
1868 "Large Queens"
(The 5 cent denomination was issued in 1875. There were later printings of the 1/2 cent and 15 cents stamps )
1870 -74 "Small Queens"
(Additional denominations were issued. The Small Queens were replaced in 1897)
This post deals with postal rates within the Dominion Canada, as well as to the United Kingdom and the United States, showing stampless and stamped covers.
A. Rates Within Canada
Letter
a) To March 31, 1868
Until the Post Office Act came into effect on April 1, 1868, the pre-Confederation rates were still in effect. The rate for prepaid letters posted in Canada addressed to any place in the Province was 5 cents per one-half ounce. Letters posted unpaid were rated and charged 7 cents per one-half ounce.
Brighton to Toronto, March 10, 1868
Paid 10 cents letter rate for a one ounce letter (double weight)
"PAID" handstamp and numeral 10 in red pencil
b) From April 1, 1868
The rate for letters passing between any two places in the Dominion of Canada was 3 cents per one-half ounce if prepaid, and 5 cents per one-half ounce if posted unpaid.
Paid
Letters could still be mailed prepaid without stamps, although the use of stamps became the normal practice.
Dalkeith to Toronto, January 20, 1869
3 cents prepaid letter rate
Elgin to Elora, June 22, 1869
3 cents prepaid letter rate
Wellandport to Fonthill, April 18, 1873
3 cents prepaid letter rate
"PAID" handstamp and numeral 3 in manuscript
Ospringe to Toronto, March 24, 1869
3 cent prepaid letter rate
"paid 3c" in manuscript
Watford to Toronto, April 9, 1875
3 cents prepaid letter rate
Toronto to Vittoria, November 15, 1869
3 cents Large Queen paying the letter rate
St. Catharines to Fonthill, May 8, 1872
3 cent Small Queen paying the letter rate
Two-Ring No. "12" cancellation
Elora to York, September 7, 1871
(Fancy cancellation listed as Type 1048 by Jarrett)
Unpaid
Woodstock to Toronto, May 7, 1869
5 cents unpaid letter rate
Toronto to Ottawa, April 11, 1874
5 cents unpaid letter rate
Quebec to Montreal, May 7, 1875
5 cents unpaid letter rate
Sheguinda (Manitoulin Island) to Caledonia, September 6, 1875
5 cents unpaid letter rate
Misspelled Office Name
"Q" instead of "G"
Little Current transit
September 6, 1875
Registration
The registration fee was 2 cents making a total of 5 cents for a registered letter.
Eugenia to Toronto, May 24, 1875
3 cents prepaid letter rate + 2 cents registration fee
B. Rates to the United Kingdom
Letters
1. To December 31, 1869
Canadian Packet
The letter rate was 6 d. sterling, or 12 1/2 cents per one-half ounce. If forwarded unpaid, a fine of 6d. sterling in addition to postage was charged.
Toronto to Leek, England, October 8, 1868
6 d. sterling / 12 1/2 cents rate to England
PAID 6d. Stg. handstmap
Inman Line
The Inman Line was awarded a contract to carry mail from Halifax commencing January 1, 1868. The contract lasted until 1871 when it was taken up by the Allen Line. The rate by this route was 12 1/2 cents (6d. sterling).
Windsor, Nova Scotia, to Lee, Kent, England, July 16, 1868
6 d. sterling / 12 1/2 cents rate
Carried by the Inman Line "Etna" out of Halifax, arriving Queenston, Ireland on July 25, 1868, and marked in transit through London on July 27.
2. January 1, 1870 to September 31, 1875
Letters sent prepaid by Canada Mail Packet via Quebec, (Portland in the Winter) or Halifax was 6 cents per one-half ounce. The rate via New York was 8 cent per one-half ounce. Unpaid letters were charged on delivery double the amount of deficient postage.
Paid with Stamps
Montreal to Liverpool, December 13, 1872
Per Mail Steamer6 cents Small Queen paid the Canadian Packet rate
Allans Line
Via Portland
Paid in Money (Stampless)
Regulations required that letters which had been prepaid in money were to be stamped "PAID" with RED ink. Postmasters were advised that letters stamped "PAID" with black ink were treated as unpaid letters by the British Post Office and subject to a charge of 6d. sterling on delivery.
Toronto to London, July 7, 1870
6 cents letter rate to England via Canadian paquet prepaid in money
"PAID" correctly stamped with red ink
Cedarville to Edinburgh, April 31, 1873
6 cents letter rate to England via Canadian paquet prepaid in money
PAID handstamp in black ink
"6" in red ink
Goderich to Liverpool, July 8, 1870
6 cents letter rate via Canadian packet
Goderich "PAID 6" handstamp
C. Rates to the United States
Letters
a) April 1, 1868 to January 31, 1875
The letter rate was to the United States was 6 cents for each one-half ounce if prepaid. Unpaid letters were charged 10 cents.
Paid
St. Athanase to Plattsburg, N.Y., December 15, 1872
6 cents prepaid letter rate to the United States
Montreal to New York, June 9, 1868
6 cent Large Queen stamp paying the prepaid letter rate to the United States
Toronto to New York, February 23, 1871
6 cents prepaid letter rate to the United States paid with Small Queen stamps
Unpaid
b) From February 1, 1875
The Post Office Departments of Canada and the United States entered into a Postal Arrangement effective February 1, 1875. Postage rates to be charged on any mail matter (except closed parcels and patterns and samples) posted in Canada and addressed to the United States would be the same as if addressed to any place in Canada.
Letters
Letters to the United States were to be prepaid at a rate of 3 cents for each one-half ounce (the same as the Canadian letter rate).
Brantford to Detroit, April 21, 1875
3 cents letter rate to the United States prepaid with money
"PAID 3" handstamp applied with red ink
Since the use of postage stamps became compulsory on October 1, 1875, the cover below is a very late "stampless" cover.
St. John's to Norwich, Connecticut, September 27, 1875
3 cents letter rate to the United States prepaid in money
"PAID 3" handstamp applied with red ink