Page:British India Adhesive Stamps Surcharged for Native States.djvu/14

Rh These stamps have everything to gain by publicity. So far their origin has been unknown, and the darkness of ignorance has encouraged the growth of suspicions as to their standing. The more the philatelic public knows of the actual facts as to their production and use, the more will they be convinced of their claim to be considered genuine postage stamps with a real interest of their own.

They are produced under the following conditions:—

The surcharging is done in Calcutta at the Government of India Central Printing Press, under conditions of supervision etc., which make underhand dealings impossible. The stamps to be surcharged are supplied by the Superintendent of Stamps and Stationery under special precautions, and a like number have to be returned to him after receiving the surcharge. The employes cannot bring into the office, or introduce extraneous matter, such as unused stamps bought for the purpose, into the machines; and cannot manipulate the setting, of the surcharge when once passed.

All work done by. human beings is liable to a want of accuracy. This is specially the case when the "human beings are Orientals not sufficiently educated to have lost the queer belief that want of accuracy is absolutely essential to avert the dreaded "Evil Eye." Further, the chance of error which occurs in one setting of type is greatly increased when that type has to be set 240 times, as it has to be for every supply of surcharged star-watermarked stamps. And when we remember that these 240 settings have to be made not once, but often and at varying intervals of time, it is hardly wonderful that mistakes do occur. There are some mistakes which will occur, no matter what, care is taken. Type will break while in use, and minute portions of a letter will now and then take up too much or too little ink. These are the