The Postage and Telegraph Stamps of Great Britain (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1881. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... SECTION L (i) ESSAYS AND PROPOSALS SUBMITTED PRIOR TO 1840. Charles Whiting. The late Mr. Charles Whiting, the eminent printer of Beaufort House, in the Savoy, Strand, London, was one of the first who made proposals to the Post-office authorities to reduce the rates for the conveyance of printed matter, and for that purpose to employ stamped envelopes, or " Go Frees." These were proposed by him as an experiment, which, if successful, were to be followed by applying them to written matter. Mr. Whiting married the widow of Sir William Congreve, the inventor of the original machines used at Somerset House for embossing in colour. Sir William Congreve was also the patentee of a process of compound plate printing, whereby impressions were struck off in two or more colours at a single operation of the press, which was effected by two or more plates fitting into each other with great exactness, so as to form one complete design. Compound printing was extensively known from the circumstance of its being employed in printing the Government labels used for denoting the duties on patent medicines. For some years these labels had been printed in two colours, the second These must not be confounded with a trial obliterating circular stamp in black, with 00 Free across the face, and Post Office round the outer edge, on a plain engine-turned groundwork resembling an ordinary office seal, the whole being enclosed in an outer circle of dots. It is frequently found on the covers bearing the name of Mr. Wyld, subsequently described. f Second Report of Committee on Postage, 21st June, 1838. Questions 11,253-4. of which was added to the stamp by passing it through the press a second time. Work thus done always shows its origin, and has a tendency to get out of "register," as it is...