File 1323/1917 Pt 5 'Mesopotamia: Postage Stamps- Proposed new issue' [‎288r] (15/126)

Reference Paper.
Store Department
Letter No. S» 15879.
10 G."8 —2 250 1/20
The Director of Stamping advises that the
Royal Mint, who are making the dies and plates for
the Mesopotamian Stamps, are accustomed to use
plates for sheets of 240 stamps. For Indian
Stamps 256 per sheet is the practice. Delay
would be involved at the Mint in producing
plates for sheets of 256 stamps, and it is there
fore proposed to have 240 stamps per sheet.
The question of a Watermark has also arisen,
it is now too late to introduce a special water
mark for the earliest instalments of the stamps.
A watermark is, however, desirable on the grounds
al
of addition/security.
Paper is available as used for British stamps
with the Royal Cypher as a watermark; this paper
is of the size for sheets of 240 stamps but not
for sheets of 256 stamps.
A supply of paper as used for Indian stamps
with the Star watermark is also available; this is
of the size for sheets of 256 stamps and would
need to be cut for sheets of 240.
If neither of these varieties of paper is
considered desirable the only alternative is to
use a paper without watermark until paper with
a special Mesopotamia watermark can be brought
into use. I shall be glad to learn which course
the Political Secretary considers should be
adopted. ^
It is desirable to decide on a pattern of
watermark