Salvador 1894 2 peso, refer to this incident. The commission reported unfavorably, though the king and queen promised to consider the matter again when the Moorish war was over. Columbus was in despair and left for France. He tarried awhile, however, at the monastery of La Rabida, near Palos (U. S., 1893, 30c). The prior wrote to Isabella, who was persuaded to talk again with Columbus. The negotiations were again broken off, and again renewed, this time with favorable results. Here we ought probably to put the U. S. 1893 $1 (Isabella pledging her jewels).

The famous ships of this first voyage are pictured on U. S. 1893 3c, 4c, and

REPUBLICA ARGENTINA

15c and 10c shows him announcing his discovery and exhibiting natives. Salvador 1894 5 pesos may belong to this first

voyage.

On this first voyage Cuba and Haiti were discovered; but no stamps commemorate these events. Similarly, there are no stamps picturing the discovery, on his second voyage, of Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, or the Virgin Islands. Perhaps enterprising financiers on these islands will some day awake to the need (?), and give us philatelists the chance to buy long series of beautiful "stickers." Porto Rico has commemorated the discovery of that island, Nov. 19, 1493.

A few days after the last-named event, (Nov. 22nd), the great navigator came again to Hispaniola (Haiti). The former colony had been destroyed, called Isabella.

SERIE CONMEMORATIVA

HEPUBLICA

SANCHE

NICANA

UN CENTAVO

fif

1892". Grenada, discovered August teenth, has given us a picture of the admiral's ship, "La Concepcion."

During the next year or two, Columbus fell into disfavor in Spain, and was recalled (U. S., 1893, 50c). Francisco Bobadilla, the new governor of Hispaniola, sent Columbus home in chains (U. S. 1893, $2). He was, however, restored to favor (U. S. 1893, 8c), in Dec. 1500, and on U. S. 1893, $3, he is shown describing his third voyage.

The fourth voyage of Columbus, 1502-4, brought few discoveries of importance, except that of the coast of Honduras. The only philatelic record of this voyage is that of Dominican Republic 1902.

UN PESO

The

OUR QUESTION—

Which Venezuelan revenue stamps inscribed "ESCUELAS" or "INSTRUCCION" were available for postage and are, therefore, entitled to a place in postage stamp collections and catalogues?

THE ANSWER—

Written for Scott's Monthly Journal by K. G. FRITZSCHING

IT seems that there exists still quite some

confusion as to which revenue stamps issued by the Venezuelan Government were used for postage also and are, therefore, entitled to a place in postage stamp collections and catalogues. What I have so far found on this subject in catalogues and other philatelic literature, was, to say the least, not comprehensive, and in some cases even proved to be incorrect or misleading. With a view of throwing the light of authenticity on the darkness surrounding these stamps, I went to search among official data accessible to me, for their origin and purpose, their relation to the proper postage stamps, etc. As the results of my study I can give the following facts:

By a decree of June 27, 1870, a tax on the circulation of values was established, the returns of which were to be employed integrally for the foundation and maintaining of elementary schools. For the purpose of collecting this tax a series of special revenue stamps was issued bearing the inscription "ESCUELAS" (Schools). They were placed in circulation on January 1, 1871. For more than two years these primarily revenue stamps must have been available for postage, too, as there were no postage stamps in Venezuela from April 27, 1870, to June 3, 1873. The postage stamps inscribed "CORREO DE LOS EE. UU. DE VENEZA." (United States of Venezuela Postage), which were issued in 1866 by virtue of the Postal Law of January 20, 1865, could not be used any more after April 27, 1870, on which day the victorious revolutionary forces entered Caracas, the capital, and their commander - in - chief, General Antonio Guzmán-Blanco, declared null and void all laws, decrees and ordinances proclaimed since June 28, 1868, among which was the Postal Law of May 20, 1869, that had expressly confirmed the

validity of the postage stamps created by the Postal Law of 1865.

Consequently, no stamps were available for postage in Venezuela from April 27, 1870, to January 1, 1871, when the first revenue stamps inscribed "ESCUELAS" were put into circulation. Although meant only for the collection of the documentary tax, these revenue stamps were soon being used by the public for postage, too, and the Government does not appear to have objected to it until, apparently upon the representations of some foreign postal authorities, it saw itself obliged on June 3, 1873, to again issue regular postage stamps. General Guzmán-Blanco, who in the meantime had been elected President, ordered the new issue to be identical with that of 1865, making only some changes in the colors and having all stamps surcharged with two lines in a very small type. This preventive measure was necessary in the interest of the Treasury, as large quantities of unused stamps of the first (1865) issue were in possession of the public from the time when they were sold privately at a considerable discount by post office clerks who had received them as part payment of their salaries.

There was a new Postal Law enacted on June 7, 1878, which explicitly allowed the revenue stamps of 1870 to do postal service. It stipulated that postage could be prepaid either by the revenue stamps mentioned or by the current postage stamps until the latter would be used up.

By virtue of a decree of March 6, 1879, postage stamps were merged (refundidas) in the revenue stamps. The latter, besides being issued in a larger size and with a somewhat different design, indicate the new currency (Centésimos and Venezolano[s]) and bear a surcharge in diamond type reading "Decreto de 27 de Junio 1870."

The availability of this unified type of stamps for both postage and revenue was, however, of short duration. Already on June 24, 1879, it was decreed that separate postage stamps were again to be issued. This measure no doubt was taken in connection with Venezuela's intention to join the Universal Postal Union, the Convention of which as adopted on June 1, 1878, stipulated that postage should be paid by