1912 - 1928
Rates to the United States
The following rates and fees to the United States during the Admiral period are shown in this post:
1. Letters
2. Post Cards
3. Printed Matter
4. Air Mail
5. Registration
6. Special Delivery
1. Letters
a) To April 14, 1915
The letter rate was 2 cents for each ounce.
Halifax to New Haven, Conn., May 15, 1914
2 cents letter rate to the United States
b) April 15, 1915 to June 30, 1926
On April 15, 1915, a War Tax of 1 cent was to be prepaid on letters to the United States.
Winnipeg to Rainbow Lake, N.Y., July 29, 1915
War Tax stamps paying the 2 cent letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
War Tax stamp
Toronto to New Haven, August 15, 1915
2 cent letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Unpaid War Tax
Letters mailed without the prepaid War Tax were to be marked "Return for War Tax" and returned directly to the sender. When the sender was not known, the letter was to be endorsed "War Tax" and sent to the nearest Branch Dead Letter Office (DLO).
Bawle, Alberta to Brooklyn, November 13, 1916
War Tax unpaid and stamped "RETURNED FOR WAR TAX"
Since there was no return address, the letter was sent to the Branch DLO at Edmonton (November 15, 1916 receiver). The letter was forwarded to the Toronto DLO where a 1 cent stamp was affixed paying the War Tax and cancelled November 20, 1916.
Censored
Montreal to Charleston, W. Va., April 15, 1916
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Opened and sealed with censor tape.
St. John,N.B., to Worcester, October 29, 1916
2 ounce letter rate 5 cents : 4 cents postage for two ounces + 1 cent War Tax
Montreal to Appleton, Wisc., February 7, 1916
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
1T¢ stamp paying postage + War Tax
Winnipeg to Atlanta, April 20, 1917
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Slogan with Union Jack:
SAVE YOUR MONEY
BUY WAR SAVING CERTIFICATES
Hamilton to Hog Island, Penna., September 21, 1918
7 cents paying the 3 ounce letter rate : 6 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax
Senate
The Senate free franking privilege applied to domestic letters only.
Ottawa to Bay City, Michigan, June 1, 1922
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Senate postmark
House of Commons
The House of Commons free franking privilege applied to domestic letters only.
Ottawa to Washington, May 7, 1919
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Canadian Pacific Railway Company, Montreal to Utica, September 28, 1925
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Slogan:
THIRD CANADIAN PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
MONTREAL 5-9 OCTOBER
Canadian Pacific Railway perfin
Canadian Car & Foundry Company, Limited, Montreal to New York, July 31, 1917
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Canadian Car & Foundry Company, Limited perfin
Slogan + Flag
c) From July 1, 1926
The War Tax on letters was removed on July 1, 1926.
Montreal to New York, October 7, 1926
2 cents letter rate to the United States
Montreal to Boston, March 28, 1928
2 cents letter rate to the United States
Surcharged 3 cent stamps
The rate reduction to 2 cents resulted in a surplus of the 3 cent stamp. The 3 cent stamps were surcharged 2 cents.
Windsor to Detroit, March 12, 1927
2 cents letter rate to the United States
The two-line surcharge was issued
on November 4, 1926
2. Post Cards
a) To April 14, 1915
The post card rate was 1 cent.
Vancouver to New York, December 7, 1914
1 cent post card rate to the United States
b) From April 15, 1915
On April 15, 1915, a War Tax of 1 cent was to be prepaid on post cards to the United States.
Niagara Falls to Columbus, December 12, 1920
1 cent post card rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States
Insufficiently Prepaid Post Cards (1921-1924)
According to the August 1921, Official Guide Supplement, "post cards for delivery in the United States and Mexico will not be forwarded unless fully prepaid". This regulation continued in effect until 1924.
Calgary and Vancouver R.P.O. to Weslaco, Tex., December 7, 1922
2 cent post card rate to the United States
Unpaid and thus could not be admitted to the United States. RETURNED FOR POSTAGE handstamp applied. Since there was no return address, the card was sent to the Vancouver Dead Letter Office (DLO). The DLO affixed correct postage and forwarded the letter to Texas. DLO date stamp December 9, 1922.
Insufficiently Prepaid (from 1924)
Cobourg to Buffalo, 1925
2 cents post card rate to the United States
1 cent shortpaid and taxed 2 cents, double the deficiency
3. Printed Matter
The printed matter rate was 1 cent for each 2 ounces. The War Tax was not imposed on printed matter.
Vicotoria to Richmond, Calif., December 22, 1926
4. Air Mail : February 26, 1927 - August 7, 1928
Canadian letters could receive air mail service in the United States if the U.S. air mail rate of 10 cents per one-half ounce was prepaid in U.S. postage in addition to the Canadian surface postage.
Vancouver to New York, December 2, 1927
2 cents Canadian postage paying the surface letter rate to the U.S. + 10 cents per 1/2 ounce U.S. air mail rate
Blaine and Seattle RPO cancellation on the U.S. air mail stamp, December 2, 1927
Toronto to Pasadena, November 27, 1927
2 cents for one ounce surface rate to the U.S. + 20 cents for one ounce U.S. air mail rate
Air mail stamp received Chicago cancellation, November 25, 1927
5. Registration
a) To July 14, 1920
The registration fee was 5 cents.
Milestone to Davenport, Iowa, January 5, 1915
2 cents letter rate to the U.S. + 5 cents registration fee
Montreal to San Fransisco, March 16, 1915
2 cents letter rate to the U.S. + 5 cents registration fee
Galt to Los Angeles, January 7, 1920
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the U.S. + 5 cents registration fee
Toronto to San Francisco, April 15, 1918
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the U.S. + 5 cents registration fee
b) From July 15, 1920
The registration fee was increased to 10 cents.
London to New York, November 22, 1927
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the U.S. + 10 cents registration fee
Toronto Sub. 116 to Detroit, July 18, 1927
2 cents letter rate to the U.S. + 10 cents registration fee
6. Special Delivery
a) To December 31, 1923
If special delivery service was required for a letter addressed to the United States, the letter had to be franked with a U.S. 10 cent special delivery stamp or 10 cents U.S. postage in addition to the Canadian postage.
Montreal to East Orange, New Jersey, November 13, 1916
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the U.S.
U.S. special delivery stamp affixed and marked with a pencil
Special Delivery service was provided at East Orange
b) January 1, 1923
Special delivery service to the United States could now be provided with Canadian stamps. The fee was 20 cents.
London to New Haven, September 13, 1926
2 cents letter rate to the U.S. + 20 cents special delivery fee