FOOTNOTE:

BLOCK SHOWING ONE THIRD OF A SHEET OF BLUE HALF ANNA STAMPS OF 1854. PRINTED IN CALCUTTA

All the stamps referred to above were prepared by Captain Thuillier, who subsequently became General Sir Henry Thuillier, C.S.I., Surveyor-General of India.

In November, 1855, stamps of the value of ½, 1, 2, 4 and 8 annas were received from Messrs. De La Rue & Co. The designs were engraved on steel and the stamps were printed on white wove unwatermarked paper with white gum. The 4 and 8 annas are also found printed on a highly glazed thick bluish paper without watermark. These stamps supplanted the old issues manufactured in India, but the stocks of the latter were not finally called in and destroyed until 1858.

In 1860 8 pies[7]stamps were on sale in India. These were required for prepayment of soldiers' letters to the United Kingdom. Up to August, 1855, British soldiers' correspondence was carried free of charge, but when this privilege was withdrawn they had the option of prepaying the postage in cash at 9 pies a tola (2/5 of an ounce) or else affixing a stamp for 8 pies. Up to 1864 certain changes were made in the colours of some of these stamps; the 2 annas green was altered to brown-pink early in 1856, subsequently to buff, and then to yellow. At the end of 1864 the colour of the 4 annas was changed from black to green, as the stamp had been forged.

The 8 annas and 4 annas stamps on bluish glazed paper, and the 4 annas, 1 anna and 8 pies on white paper, have been found cut in halves upon postal articles in order to pay half their face value postage. All covers found with these bisected stamps were posted in Singapore, which had an Indian post office at the time.

The first issue of Indian postage stamps with the elephant's head watermarked was made in 1866. The values bearing this watermark are ½ anna, 8 pies, 1 anna, 2 annas 9 pies, 4 annas, 6 annas, 6 annas 8 pies, 12 annas, 1 rupee.

The 6 annas 8 pies stamps were printed as this was the rate per ounce for letters to the United Kingdom via Marseilles between 1863 and 1874. The stamps, however, were not actually issued until 1867, and their sale was discontinued in 1874, when the Marseilles route was abandoned.

Up to 1882 all the Indian stamps printed in London were of smaller size than English stamps, and they bore the inscription "EAST INDIA POSTAGE." In 1882 new dies on a larger scale were prepared by Messrs. De La Rue, and the inscription was changed to "INDIA POSTAGE." The values issued were ½ anna 9 pies, 1 anna, 1 anna 6 pies, 2 annas, 3 annas, 4 annas, 4 annas 6 pies, 8 annas, 12 annas, 1 rupee. The stamps were printed on medium white wove paper watermarked with a five-pointed star.

On 1st January, 1891, the postage to the United Kingdom was reduced to 2 annas and 6 pies, and a new stamp was prepared. Until the new issue was ready the 4 annas 6 pies stamps were surcharged with "2½ As." Bi-coloured stamps of 1 rupee, 2 rupees, 3 rupees and 5 rupees were also printed and a provisional 3 pies stamp was issued, made by surcharging the ½ anna stamp with "¼" in black. The stamps of 2, 3 and 5 rupees were of specially large size and bore a later portrait of the Queen (Fig. 3). This portrait was also adopted for the 3 pies carmine stamp which was issued in 1899. Owing to the decision of the Postal Union to have uniform colours for stamps representing the initial rates of international postages the colours of the ½ anna, 1 anna and 2 annas 6 pies stamps were changed to yellow-green, carmine and ultramarine. This necessitated a change in the 3 pies from carmine to grey and in the 2 annas from ultramarine to mauve.

SPECIMEN VICTORIAN ISSUES

The King Edward VII issues of 1902-3 were of the same corresponding values as those of the Queen Victoria stamps 1882-1900. The colours are 3 pies, grey; ½ anna, yellow-green; 1 anna, carmine; 2 annas, mauve; 2 annas 6 pies, ultramarine; 3 annas, orange-brown; 4 annas, olive-green; 6 annas, bistre; 8 annas, purple; 12 annas, purple on red paper; 1 rupee, green and carmine; 2 rupees, carmine and yellow-brown; 3 rupees brown and green; 5 rupees, ultramarine and violet.

In 1906 it was decided to abolish the special receipt stamp and to use the ½ anna and 1 anna postage stamp for both postage and revenue purposes. A new design was therefore prepared for these values with the inscription "INDIA POSTAGE AND REVENUE."

In 1909 the double-headed telegraph stamps were abolished and it was decided to employ postage stamps in payment of telegrams. The value of telegraph stamps extended to fifty rupees, but it was considered sufficient to add three new values to the postage stamps for use upon the more expensive telegrams, namely 10, 15 and 25 rupees. These stamps are of the same size and design as the 2, 3 and 5 rupees issues, and the colours are 10 rupees, pink and green; 15 rupees, olive-brown and blue; 25 rupees, orange and blue.

The stamps of George V issued in 1911 were completely re-designed. The higher values with the elephants as supporters are very artistic. In 1913 the 2 annas 6 pies stamp was re-designed and the colour changed from ultramarine to bright blue.

In 1918 the United Kingdom raised the postage rate to India from 1d. to 1½d., and, to correspond with the increase, the Government of India raised the postage to the United Kingdom to 1½ annas. The new stamp was intended to be a dark chocolate-brown, but was printed by Messrs. De La Rue & Co. in a light chocolate.

In 1866 service postage stamps first came into use for employment on official correspondence. The ½ anna, 1 anna, 2 annas and 4 annas were overprinted with the word "Service." The first supply was overprinted in India pending the arrival of the stamps ordered from England. A consignment of 8 annas overprinted was also received from England. In 1874 the overprint was altered to "On H. M. S.," as shown in Fig. 4, and in 1883 the rupee stamp was also overprinted in this way.

Various other overprints were used by local bodies in India, but after a time the practice was forbidden. In 1911 the overprint was again altered to "Service."

The following overprints were also used for Indian postage in other countries:

Straits Settlements1867-1868,Queen's Head.Zanzibar1895-1896"British East Africa""C.E.F. (China Expeditionary Force)1900 to present date.British Somaliland1903-1904,Queen's and King's Head.I.E.F. (Indian Expeditionary Force)1914 to present date.

SPECIMEN EDWARDIAN AND GEORGIAN ISSUES

Overprints (Indian Convention States)Patiala1884to present date.Gwalior1885"Jhind""Nabha""Faridkot1886-1901.Chamba1896to present date.

There are many varieties of the overprints in the Indian Convention States stamps and many errors, which have led to numerous forgeries of the different overprints.

A very exhaustive history of the postage stamps of India with detailed accounts of errors and provisional issues will be found inThe Postage and Telegraph Stamps of British India, by L. L. R. Hausburg, C. Stewart Wilson and C. S. F. Crofton, published by Messrs. Stanley Gibbons. This is the standard work on the subject, and it contains many fine plates and illustrations. Part I, on postage stamps, is written by Mr. Hausburg, and no article on Indian stamps can pretend to be anything more than a résumé of his detailed researches.

One merit the Postal Administration of India can justly claim and that is the purity of its stamp issues. The simple design of the Sovereign's head has always been maintained and the temptation to issue fancy pictures for commemoration purposes has always been steadily avoided.

FOOTNOTE:[7]12 pies = 1 anna = 1 penny approximately.

[7]12 pies = 1 anna = 1 penny approximately.

APPENDICES

The following table gives the staff of the Department on the 1st April, 1919:—

Controlling Staff88General Supervising Staff747Postmasters7,041Extra Departmental Agents12,668Clerical and Signalling Staff24,620Postmen and Peons43,768Road Establishment18,467Linemen2,959———Total110,358

The Audit Staff of the Posts and Telegraphs has not been included as this is under the control of the Finance Department.

Recruitment for the posts of Superintendent is effected in two ways, namely—

(1) by the selection of qualified persons not already in the service of the Department, and(2) by the promotion of officials from the subordinate ranks of the Department.

(1) by the selection of qualified persons not already in the service of the Department, and

(2) by the promotion of officials from the subordinate ranks of the Department.

In the former case the person selected is generally required to join as a probationary superintendent, and is not given a permanent appointment until he has shown his fitness in every respect for the position and has passed an examination in Post Office work.

Ordinarily a probationary superintendent is not allowed to act as a superintendent until he has had a practical training in postal work; that is to say, he performs the duties of a postmaster, accompanies a superintendent on tour and is given an insight into the general working of the Department in the offices of the Postmaster-General and Superintendent. There is no minimum period fixed in which a probationer, when fully qualified, must receive a permanent post. It depends on the vacancies that occur in the sanctioned cadre; but experience has shown that the period seldom exceeds two and a half years, and the average is two years and two months.

Postmasters are generally recruited from the lower ranks of the Department, such as sub-postmasters and clerks, who usually start their careers as probationers. The exceptions to this rule are the probationary postmasters, who are specially selected in order to improve the personnel in the higher appointments.

An extract from the Consultations, 17th January, 1774, gives in detail the arrangement made by Warren Hastings for the improvement of postal arrangements.

The President lays down before the Board the following plan for the better regulations of the Dauks and for forming a General Post Office:—

The present management of the Dauks is attended with many inconveniences. Private letters are exempt from postage and the whole expense of the establishment falls upon the Company. The Dauks from the same cause are loaded with packages of the most frivolous kind and of unreasonable weights. The privilege of sending private letters by the Dauks being confined to the European inhabitants, affords but a partial aid to the necessary intercourse of trade. The establishment is branched out into various departments, all independent and unconnected, the expense partly defrayed by ready-money payments and partly by taxes on the zemindars and farmers, who make an advantage of them in the deductions of their rents. From all these causes the establishment is involved in a labyrinth of obscurity, without checks and without system. The delays on the road are often greater than those of common cossids or couriers without a possibility of correcting them, because it cannot be known by whom they are occasioned. Of these delays the President himself has had repeated proofs insomuch that whenever he has had occasion for extraordinary despatch he has made use of express cossids, and these never failed to exceed the regular Dauks by nearly half the space of time employed by the latter for the same distance. The looseand irregular manner in which the letters are received and distributed exposes the correspondence of individuals and even the public despatches to great delays and to the risk of being lost or intercepted.

To remedy these evils, the following plan is submitted to the Board, for the future management of this office, in which it is attempted to limit the expense to provide a fund for its support by laying a moderate postage on private letters, to render it of more extensive use and to form the different parts into one uniform and general system.

Plan of a new Establishment of Dauks and of a General Post Office

1. That the Dauks be formed into four divisions as follows:—

First Division from Calcutta to Ganjam;Second Division from Calcutta to Patna;Third Division from Patna to Benares and to such fartherdistance as may be hereafter determined;Fourth Division from Calcutta to Dacca.

2. That no Dauks be appointed to the cross-roads (excepting Dinagepur) as hereafter mentioned, but cossids only occasionally employed by the Provincial Councils and Collectors to convey the letters to the nearest stages of the Dauks; the pay and other charges of these cossids to be transmitted monthly to the Postmaster-General, whose office will be hereafter described.

3. That as the military operations in Cooch Behar require a constant and regular correspondence, a cross-post be established between Dinagepur and Rajmehal, and that it remains for future consideration whether it will be necessary to establish a cross-post from Burdwan on the assembling of the Council at that place.

4. That three hercarrahs or dauks, one massalchy[8]and one drum be appointed to each stage, viz.:

Miles.Furl.Stages.Harcrs.Massl.Drum.FromCalcutta to Ganjam3582421264242"Calcutta to Patna3986481444848"Patna to Benares165419571919"Calcutta to Dacca179421632121Cross-road from Dinagepurto Rajmehal77292799———————11792139417139139

5. That a Munshi be fixed at each capital stage who shall have charge of a certain number of stages.

6. That two gurreewallas or time-keepers be appointed with each Munshi for the purpose of determining the arrival of each packet, which shall be written on the outside of the packet and an account thereof with the time of the last despatch kept by the Munshi.

7. That a deputy postmaster be appointed with the following establishment of servants at the following stations, who shall have charge of all the stages from the Presidency to the place of his residence, pay the Munshi's charges dependent on him, take an account of all letters received and despatched, receive and issue letters, transmit his accounts and reports to the Postmaster-General, and receive his orders:—

Establishment atDeputy.Peons.Moorshedabad110Patna110Benares12Ganjam12Dacca12Dinagepur12——628

8. That a Postmaster-General be appointed at Calcutta with one Deputy, one merda or native assistant, seven sorters, one jemadar and fifteen peons for distributing letters. He will have the control of the whole establishment, and all the accounts will be brought into his office.

Bye-Rules

1. That all letters shall pay postage, excepting such as are on the public service.

2. That the postage on inland letters shall be paid when put into the office at the following rates:—

Single letters for every 100 miles, 2 annas. Double letters in proportion according to their weight.

3. That letters coming by sea, or from foreign settlements, shall pay on delivery and be rated at half postage.

4. That a table of postage, formed according to the above rules, be affixed at the different offices for the public inspection.

5. That the post office in Calcutta shall be open from 10 o'clock in the morning till 1 for the delivery of letters, and from 6 till 9 in the evening for the receipt of letters.

6. That a daily account of the number and weight of letters despatched, with the amount of postage, be kept at each office, that a monthly account be transmitted to the Postmaster-General by his Deputies and that a general abstract of the whole receipts and disbursements be laid before the Board every month.

7. That the letters when received into the offices shall be sorted and put up in separate bags for the different stations, together with a note of the number in each.

8. That all letters shall be stamped with the day of the month on which they are delivered into any chief office.

9. That for the facility of paying the postage on letters small copper tickets be immediately struck to be received at the rate of 2 annas each, but to pass only at the post office.

FOOTNOTE:[8]Torchbearer.

[8]Torchbearer.

The dak or travelling system prevailing in India in the year 1857 was almost wholly arranged by the Post Office and was available for private individuals as well as for officials. When a traveller contemplated a journey he applied to the local postmaster for means of transport, giving, as a rule, two or three days' previous notice. Horse daks, i.e. wheeled conveyances drawn by horses, were available only on the great trunk roads, which were metalled. On other roads, the journey, when not performed on horseback, was accomplished in a palanquin or palkee, a kind of wooden box, about six feet in length by four in height, fitted at the sides with sliding shutters and suspended on two poles borne on the shoulders of four men. The pleasures of travelling in this fashion have been described by Bishop Heber and other writers. The traveller provided his own palanquin, and the postmaster supplied the palkee-burdars or palanquin-bearers, eight in number, as well as two mussalchees or torchbearers and two bhangy-burdars or luggage porters. The charges, about one shilling per mile for the entire set of twelve men, had to be paid in advance, the traveller notifying the time and place of starting and the duration and localities of halts. There was also an extra charge for demurrage or delays on the road attributable to the traveller himself. For these charges the postmaster undertook that there should be relays of dak servants throughout the whole distance, and, to ensure this, he had to write in advance to the different villages and post stations ordering relays to be ready at the appointed hours. The stages averaged ten miles each and were accomplished in three hours, at the endof which time the twelve men retraced their steps, having been succeeded by another twelve; for each set of men belonged to a particular station. The horse daks were established on the same system, several pairs of horses or ponies being kept at the different stages as relays. The bullock train, which was intended chiefly for baggage and parcels, was largely used for conveyance of troops during the Mutiny. There were one or two private companies in existence, but the public as a rule preferred to use the Government vehicles, as they were considered more reliable.

There were no hotels or inns on the road, but dak bungalows or rest houses, a convenient substitute, were established at places varying from fifteen to fifty miles apart, according as the road was much or little frequented. These bungalows were under Government control, a khidmatgar or servant and a porter being in attendance at each, the traveller paying a fixed sum for the use of his room and making a separate bargain for any few articles of provisions that might be obtainable. The building was little more than a thatched house of one story, divided into two or three rooms, to each of which a bathroom was attached. The khidmatgar cooked and served the meals ordered, while the porter supplied wood and water. The dak system was perfected by Lord Dalhousie, during whose administration many fine metalled roads, including the grand trunk road from Calcutta to the Punjab, were completed. The new system was a great improvement upon the primitive arrangements in force during the Punjab campaign of 1846, when, owing to the tedious nature of the journey and the slow method of progress, out of one hundred officers sent off by palanquin from Calcutta to aid Viscount Hardinge only thirty arrived at the Sutlej before the campaign was over.

Year.No. of Banks.No. of Accounts.Balance. Rs.1882-834,23839,12127,96,7961883-845,19984,84875,14,4551884-855,499122,5991,34,41,9111885-865,833155,0092,25,45,8911886-876,048219,0104,25,19,3451887-885,966261,1575,04,88,3571888-896,056311,0015,88,64,6811889-906,350358,2725,86,96,7551890-916,455408,5446,34,67,4081891-926,452463,4537,05,93,1601892-936,408520,9677,81,87,7271893-946,358574,0508,26,57,3191894-956,384611,9478,40,17,9231895-966,343653,8929,04,23,0721896-976,420713,3209,63,92,4111897-986,290730,3879,28,72,9781898-996,310755,8719,42,80,0411899-19006,479785,7299,64,64,4661900-016,636816,65110,04,32,5691901-027,053866,69310,68,21,2331902-037,075922,35311,42,15,5341903-047,372987,63512,33,36,7171904-057,8551,058,81313,40,70,1301905-068,0711,115,75813,99,26,2601906-078,0491,190,22014,76,69,7891907-088,3281,262,76315,18,14,3431908-098,5011,318,63215,23,41,5141909-108,7671,378,91615,86,71,7861910-118,9291,430,45116,91,88,2241911-129,5021,500,83418,89,85,4381912-139,4601,566,86020,61,14,5021913-149,8241,638,72523,16,75,4671914-1510,1611,644,07414,89,26,3231915-1610,3861,660,42415,32,12,5171916-1710,4211,647,41916,59,53,4011917-1810,9751,637,60016,58,46,470

Number andamount of OrdinaryNumber and amount ofNumber and amount ofMoney OrdersRevenue Money OrdersRent Money Ordersissued in India.issued in India.issued in India.Year.Number.Value.Number.Value.Number.Value.1880-811,604,1744,57,08,580————1881-822,157,7965,73,32,026————1882-832,565,9046,46,84,182————1883-843,034,8947,31,24,179————1884-853,550,2578,20,88,55913,9143,35,904——1885-864,163,0789,38,27,37539,7687,11,117——1886-874,821,11710,68,49,15166,20411,29,4151,21312,3581887-885,512,39511,84,43,572138,68720,38,58630,1653,55,2831888-896,136,79012,99,06,864196,03726,83,46939,8235,25,2171889-906,759,11614,65,32,147262,58534,70,57658,1277,42,2841890-917,326,06515,77,70,303278,07541,95,71678,4219,74,2721891-927,783,29616,44,09,526300,33644,27,79699,97313,01,7211892-938,237,85517,19,16,585320,65149,21,950110,19814,37,0501893-948,754,94018,35,34,008335,93350,49,372119,95215,84,5811894-959,422,10519,43,09,308348,17856,27,613113,26615,61,0211895-9610,055,03620,62,03,368371,80659,64,630111,59415,37,8831896-9710,947,57121,97,28,206346,51058,23,851102,87514,68,3521897-9811,644,35024,23,37,096382,40267,91,786110,32415,98,6021898-9911,740,56524,54,50,445441,03481,37,197121,98717,31,6801899-0012,505,05925,62,50,323441,73978,00,682124,15518,15,9981900-0112,922,46526,27,19,976453,86282,83,758134,97719,72,3891901-0213,581,92826,84,51,162471,38791,96,336153,80022,47,4351902-0315,311,95527,82,17,678530,77895,72,448167,71123,67,7391903-0416,470,11529,43,59,136579,8511,06,87,532192,37525,88,7231904-0517,657,91731,04,28,794692,7051,04,12,346192,92625,83,4831905-0619,622,43733,14,36,803724,7471,00,03,341199,75426,70,5181906-0720,923,38335,25,97,091690,68897,26,046203,15727,93,6471907-0822,109,66637,97,08,358622,50194,67,041176,19523,80,8111908-0923,132,11539,19,26,114685,0211,11,10,709198,68326,89,7681909-1023,888,14939,96,74,848740,7761,16,93,227219,65129,82,6141910-1124,781,84741,85,13,444750,7771,24,17,561222,74729,87,6281911-1226,322,25744,29,23,702754,3061,23,49,182226,98230,39,7921912-1328,624,47047,39,38,492754,7661,21,77,802252,61834,27,2031913-1429,940,63151,18,35,732764,6731,20,02,271240,66232,74,7571914-1529,317,37751,54,81,941863,2351,24,31,425247,46833,21,0681915-1631,281,23153,92,17,506844,7421,36,70,463261,66736,73,4091916-1732,331,65257,54,48,259839,5061,38,59,594274,99037,94,4791917-1833,903,62562,77,87,899880,7001,50,47,255268,41936,15,440

This handsome building is situated on the west side of Dalhousie Square at the corner of Koila Ghat Street, being a portion of the site of the old Fort of Calcutta. The removal of the old foundations was a work of great difficulty owing to the extreme hardness of the masonry, which in many cases had to be blasted away. The building was erected from designs by Mr. Walter B. Granville, Architect to the Government of India. It was opened to the public in the year 1868 and cost 6,30,000 rupees. It consists of two lofty storys, the east and south fronts being faced with tall Corinthian columns flanked by massive piers in which are the staircases. The south-east angle of the building is semicircular, also faced with Corinthian columns leading to a lofty circular hall in which are the public counters. This is surmounted by a lantern crowned by a dome, which forms a conspicuous object in the city.

The site of the General Post Office is of great historical interest owing to its association with the great tragedy of the Black Hole of Calcutta. On entering the Post Office courtyard from Koila Ghat Street there are two tablets with the following inscriptions:—

I. The brass lines in the stone,on the adjacent ground,mark the position and extentof the South Curtainof old Fort William.

GENERAL POST OFFICE. CALCUTTA

BLACK HOLE, CALCUTTA.ADJOINING THE GENERAL POST OFFICE

II. The two lines of twelve archesto the west of this tabletare all that now remains above groundof old Fort William andoriginally formed a portion of the arcadewithin the South Curtain.The Black Hole Prison was a small roomformed by bricking up two archesof a similar but smaller arcadewithin the East Curtainsouth of the East Gate.

The sunken arches, where the Post Office vans were kept, once formed part of the arcade within the south curtain, the wall line of which is marked out by brass lines let into the pavement. The wall of the curtain, a portion of which was still standing in 1895, backed the old export and import warehouses, and through the arches one would have in the old days looked into the parade ground within the Fort. The export and import warehouses were built against the south curtain in 1741 and would have followed the line of Koila Ghat Street.

The angle of the south-east bastion and the thickness of its walls is indicated by brass lines let into the steps of the Post Office. A tablet pointing out this fact is on the adjacent wall, and the entrance to the east gate of the Fort is commemorated by a tablet fixed into the red building opposite the Holwell obelisk:

Sixteen feet behind this wallwas the entrance of the East Gateof old Fort William through whichthe bodies of those who perishedin the Black Hole were brought andthrown into the ditch of the Ravelinon 21st June, 1756.

To the north of the General Post Office building, inside the large gateway, is a tablet with the following inscription:—

THE BLACK HOLE.The marble pavement below this spotwas placed herebyLord Curzon, Viceroy and Governor-General of India,in 1901To mark the site of the prison in Old Fort Williamknown as the Black Hole.In which 146 British Inhabitants of Calcutta wereconfined on the night of the 20th June, 1756,and from which only 23 came out alive.The pavement marks the exact breadth of the prison,14 ft. 10 in., but not its full length, 18 feet.About one-third of the area at the north end beingcovered by the building on which this tablet is erected.

Near by Mr. Holwell, then Collector of Calcutta, who was one of the survivors, erected an obelisk at his own expense to the memory of those who perished in the Black Hole on the spot where the 123 killed were buried. The tablet bore the following inscriptions:—

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