Ericsson, 1892, Barkley Sound

Preserved in the cold and murky depths, shipwrecks are messengers from some of the most fascinating eras of Canada's past. At the time, the finest and strongest ship ever built in the United States, the Ericsson was launched in New York in 1852, equipped with experimental "caloric" engines that failed to work as advertised. Rebuilt by a new owner in 1867-68, the Ericsson went on to a glorious career as a sailing ship until 19 November 1892, when it ran aground and sank in Barley Sound off the west coast of Vancouver island. The main design elements of the four stamps are the hull of the San Juan, the figurehead from the Hamilton, the wheel from the Breadalbane and the bell from the Ericsson. Each object is evidence of that ship's passage through Canadian waters. Together, they share a common theme - the study of historic shipwrecks. Louis-André Rivard, a Montreal designer, has linked these elements visually by symbolically incorporating the reference grid used in archeological investigations. In the background can be seen the air bubbles so familiar to enthusiasts of the spectacular activity of underwater exploration.