Page:British India Adhesive Stamps Surcharged for Native States.djvu/12



THE Government of India, at one time and another, but not in recent years, have entered into postal "conventions" with the Hill State of Chamba, the four Cis-Sutlej Sikh States of Patiala, Nabha, Faridkot and Jhind, and with Gwalior. These conventions are almost identical in their provisions, and, as far as philatelists are concerned, the interest of any one of them lies in the fact that each party thereto recognises the franking power within its own territory of the postage stamps issued by the other party, provided that they are of the nature laid down in the convention. In other words, the stamps which we are now considering will frank a letter posted in the State concerned throughout the State and also throughout British India.

These conventions further bind the Government of India to supply these States, on indent, with stamps current in British India surcharged with the name of the indenting State. The charge made to the latter for this service is the actual price paid by the Government of India to the contractors in England for printing the stamps, plus