The set, at first, comprised 20 stamps, a $20 stamp having been added. In 1919, however, two other values, the ½c. and 13c., were also added to the set.

Just before the issue of these two new values in 1919, a Postal Notification appeared in the Press announcing various changes in the postal tariff; and with these changes of tariff, a revision of the colours of the stamps was announced. At the same time, notice of the issue of the two new values, viz. 1½c. and 13c., and the withdrawal of the 7c. and 15c. was given. The postal tariff certainly was changed, the two new stamps were issued, but the 7c. and 15c. were not withdrawn, neither were the colours revised until the 1923 issue (and then not all the changes first announced took place).

One wonders why the Post Office issues stamps as high in value as $10 or $20. The reason for this is that the Post Office uses these high-value stamps on money orders. High-valued stamps have been seen postally used – but they must have been passed through the post, overstamping some packet many times over, with the sole purpose of getting the stamp postmarked! The post offices often postmark stamps to oblige collectors.

Each stamp of the second issue measures 25½-22½ mm., and has a perforation of 14, 14½. The stamps were printed in sheets similar to the sheets of the first issue. In 1922, however, an experiment was made to equalize the monetary value of the sheets of stamps, by altering the number of stamps to a sheet, and by inserting blanks to make the sheets regular in shape. The experimental sheets were issued to the public, but the experiment was not a success, and it was discontinued as soon as the sheets were used up.

The greatest difficulty is experienced in completing this set on account of the variations in the paper. The following papers have been seen ;

(a) ½c.-$20 on thin white wove paper.

(b) ½c.-$20 on thick white wove paper.

(c) ½c.-$2 on thick smooth Chinese paper.

(d) ½c.-$2 on thick chalky, rough-surfaced Chinese paper. Stamps printed on this paper have a blurred appearance – especially the 4c., red.

(e) $1-$10 on a thin greyish blue paper.

As in the first issue, so in this second issue distinct shades are to be found, but they are not so pronounced. The variation in shade is mostly due to the different absorbent powers of the various papers used, so one should differentiate between various papers before attempting to discriminate between the shades of colouring.

A very rare Chinese stamp is the $2 of this set with its arch-centre inverted. A complete sheet (50 stamps) was printed in error, and issued at the post office of Tai-yuen-fu. One of the fifty was used on a money order, and is in the hands of the Post Office; the others are at large.

This series was not issued as a complete set; but as the corresponding values of the first issue were used up, so the stamps of this set were released. All values except the 1½c. and 13c. were issued sometime in 1915.

Postal activities extended to Chinese Turkestan (the Chinese province of Sinkiang) early in 1915. A special overprint (Type 6), consisting of five Chinese characters meaning: “Exclusively for Postal use in the New Dominion,” was prepared by the Postal Supply Department at Shanghai, and sixteen denominations of the 1915 issue of stamps were overprinted; the values thus overprinted being ½c. to $1; and all except the $1 stamp were overprinted in black; the $1 stamp being overprinted in red. This first overprint differs from the second overprint in that the first (top) Chinese character of the overprint is slightly out of alignment, to the left, with the other four characters.

A rather rare error occurs in the overprint of the $1 stamp of this issue. The second and third characters became transposed on one of the stamps on the sheet. This was noticed later and was rectified, but not until a good few errors had been issued.

The second set of Chinese stamps overprinted for use in Sinkiang was issued in 1917. The same stamps and the same overprint were used, but this time the first character falls in line with the other four (Type 7). The whole set was overprinted, and later, in 1919, the new 1½c. and 13c. were also overprinted. The ½c. to 50c. stamps were overprinted in black, and the $1 to $20 stamps in red. The preparing of the second overprint and the printing were done by the Chinese Bureau of Printing and Engraving at Pekin.

An error occurs in the surcharge of the 20c. stamp, the overprint being broken, the bottom one and a half characters being missing entirely. All values, except the two highest, of this issue were perforated with the outlines of four Chinese characters – being for official use. These perforated characters may be found inverted or reversed.

When Yuan Shih-k’ai called together the first National Assembly, he was elected the first President of the Republic. Immediately after his installation as President, he set to work systematically to destroy the two Houses of the Parliament. Charges were made against many of the members, and they, remembering the summary executions of the previous summer, fled. When a quorum could not be formed in either House, Yuan dispersed the rest of the members, and called together a new National Assembly, the members of which were well under his control. Then there began a skilfully conducted propaganda to make it appear that the people were calling upon Yuan to make himself Emperor. With feigned indignation he put the prize from him, until after many entreaties, all concocted by his subordinates, with pretended reluctance he consented to accept the crown. He duly announced that the Empire would be proclaimed on the 1st of January, 1916.

To commemorate this great event Yuan ordered a set of three stamps to be prepared and printed. They were to be issued on the day of his coronation. Yuan, however, never came to the throne, so these stamps were not issued to the public for postal use. The stamps were, however, surcharged in black with the word “specimen,” and sold to the public (at face value) as curiosities. The stamps were engraved and printed by the Chinese Bureau of Engraving and Printing at Peking. Each sheet comprised 100 stamps. Each stamp measured 25½x34 mm. and had a perforation of 14. The printing was done on white wove paper. The values, colours and designs of the stamps were:

5 c., red. Gate of Chien Men at Pekin.
10 c., blue. Gate of Tien An Men at Pekin.
50 c., green. The Temple of Tai Ho Dien at Pekin

These “specimen” stamps may also be seen overprinted for use in Sinkiang. These stamps were never sent to Sinkiang, but were sold with the others at Pekin.

Chinese history records many famines, especially in the North of China, near the Huang Ho or Yellow River. But the books of history have never recorded such a famine as that which occurred in 1919-21, during which time over ten million lives were lost! Every society, guild and association in China raised funds for the succour of the needy in the famine-ravished districts, and the Post Office helped in this good work by the issue in 1920 of three specially surcharged stamps. The stamps used were the 2c., 4c. and 6c. of the 1915 issue, surcharged to the new postal values of 1c., 3c. and 5c. These stamps were sold at their original face values, but could only be used at their surcharged value for prepaying postal matter. Thus 1c. was contributed by every surcharged stamp used.

On the 20th of March, 1921, there appeared four Commemorative stamps, commemorating theTwenty-fifth Anniversary of the issuing of the Imperial Edict recognising the Post Office as a national institution (Type 8). The stamps bear the portraits of H.E. President Hau Shih-chang, H.E. Chin Young-peng, the ex-Premier, and Yeh Kung-cho, the Minister of Communications, the values being 1c., 3c., 6c. and 10c.

The stamps were engraved and printed by the Chinese Bureau of Engraving and Printing at Pekin, in sheets of 100, on white wove paper. Each stamp measured 26×34 mm. The paper was not watermarked; and the stamps had a perforation of 14.

This set was also surcharged horizontally in black, for use in Sinkiang. The 10c., blue, thus overprinted is rare; two thousand copies only were overprinted, as this value was little used.