Several interesting essays have been made by the postal authorities however which have not been put into currency at any time. These were probably made about the time of the withdrawal of the Salomon head stamp as they all show the same border, the central portion of the design only being changed. This, it may be conjectured, was the first expedient that occurred to the minds of the postal authorities at the time when Salomon having been forced to seek shelter from his enemies in Cuba, the stamps bearing his portrait became useless.

There are two varieties of type and both are illustrated here. The first is a form of the Arms design, rather more elaborate in detail and certainly finer in execution than that which was actually adopted (1891). To judge from the proof impression, however, its chief drawback as a postage stamp was the intricacy of the design which by reason of the vast amount of detail compressed into so small a space rendered the features of the stamp anything but prominent. Every specimen the writer has seen of essays of this type have been taken from a die intended for a stamp of the denomination of three centimes, and these have been tried in many colours.

The second type of essay showing the border of the 1887 issue has as its distinguishing feature a numeral. The centre of the stamp formerly occupied by the President's portrait is here devoted to a large numeral standing boldly out upon a background of horizontal lines. While doubtless for Postal clerks this design may have proved of advantage it cannot be wondered that a stamp of more patriotic interest was preferred, and so this essay was discarded in favour of the series showing the Republican arms. The writer has two strips of three of these essays, each strip being properly perforated and affixed to a card. One is of a blue and the other of red colour, and each is of the five centimes denomination.

There is another essay in the form of a. surcharge on the type of 1888 showing the portrait of President Sam.


FORGERIES.

As in the case of many small republics Hayti has proved rather a happy hunting ground for the forger of postage stamps. The products of the counterfeiters, however, have had in the main for their object the defrauding of the postal authorities, not merely the swindling of stamp collectors. Thus it happens that the great majority of known forgeries of Haytian stamps have passed through the post and bear genuine postmarks.

The most notable of, Haytian forgeries are the complete counterfeited sets of the Liberty head type. These were long regarded as genuine varieties, differing from the normal specimens in perforation. The gauge of the genuine stamp was 13˝, of the forgeries 16 and 14. The complete set exists perforated 16, and all save the 1 centime stamp are known in the gauge 11.

The following summary of the chief points of difference has been drawn up by a writer in the Timbre Poste. The translation is that of the Monthly Journal.*

"The letter "R" of "Republique" is too narrow ; the first "E" of that word has the upper limb longer than the lower, instead of the contrary being the case ; the “Q” appears to be smaller, and its tail is almost straight ; the last "E" has the lower limb no longer than the upper.

"The ornaments at each side of the shield are smaller than in the genuine.

"The profile has a pointed nose, with no visible nostril ; the lips are thin and, the chin too large ; the two locks of hair by the side of the ear are short and hang down.

"The lines of shading on the face are 'the same as in the genuine.

"The letters of the word “Cent" are too thick, the letters "C" wider and more open, and the letters “T" have the horizontal bars too heavy.

“The piles of cannon balls are closer together.

"Of the numerals - the "1" is too thick ; the "2" too wide ; the “3'' too small (4mm. high instead of 4˝mm.) ; the "S" has too wide a head, an the same is the case with the "7" ; in the "20" there is a defect at the left-hand end of the foot of the figure "2".

"The stamps are lithographed and transferred direct to the stone, with the numerals inserted in the transfer ; there are, therefore, no differences of type between the designs of the various values."

" The paper is white, speckled ; the perforation varies.

" 1. Perforated 16

1c. bright vermilion red.
2c. deep violet.
3c. yellowish grey.
5c. pale yellow-green.
7c. bright blue.
20c.red brown.

" 2. Perforated 14

2c. deep violet.
3c. pale brown.
5c. pale yellow-green.
5c. bright yellow-green.
7c. blue.
7c. bright blue.
7c. deep blue.
20c. red brown.


BOGUS STAMP.

There has been circulated amongst stamp collectors a label that is of an entirely fraudulent character. As is the case generally with bogus stamps it is poor both in design and in execution. The label bears a representation of a female head looking to left, possibly intended for Liberty. The inscription reads "Maravedis Re Marquatd J. Hayti Pommare."


CONCLUSION.

In conclusion it may be well to point out that there is ample scope for the stamp collector in Hayti. There is a realm of romance contained within the boundaries of the Republic, which is communicated in some measure to the album containing its stamps. There are sufficient minor varieties (some of them very minor indeed), to delight the heart of the keenest specialist who - to borrow Somebody Else's phrase - "ploughs his furrow" in the direction of the Black Republic. The speculator is not yet much known to the collector of Haytian stamps, though there are many possibilities for a brilliant future for these issues. In a country that cannot be classified as much more than semi-civilised, under a government as changeable as the chamelion's coat, frequently subject to revolutionary outbreaks, and upon which several fatherly "Powers" are doubtless gazing with fond longing, there can be little doubt that a change must come-and that soon. Of what nature the change may partake is a matter that time alone shall settle, and philatelists and all lovers of Right can only anticipate and trust that it will take the form of yet another ennobling triumph of civilization.


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