/ EAST / AFRICA' and overprints of 'British / East / Africa' on stamps of India were also issued. The protectorate joined the Universal Postal Union at this time. In 1896 a series of stamps depicting Queen Victoria was issued, inscribed 'BRITISH EAST AFRICA', these ran short in 1897 and stamps of Zanzibar were overprinted as the stamps of India had been previously. A number of additional post offices were opened along the Uganda Railway, which was started in 1896 at Mombasa and reached Kisumu on Lake Victoria in 1902. In 1901 the postal administration was merged with that of Uganda, and in 1904 stamps issued for the combined East Africa and Uganda Protectorates came into use. Postal stationery Imperial British East Africa Company Administration All postal stationery items were inscribed 'IMPERIAL BRITISH EAST AFRICA COMPANY'. Two different sizes of registration envelopes were issued in 1891; produced by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Three different sizes of pre paid 2½ annas envelopes were issued in 1893. Two postcards were made available in 1893; ½ anna and 1 anna. British administration In 1895 one of the sizes of Imperial British East Africa Company envelopes was overprinted 'BRITISH EAST AFRICA'. In 1896 Two different envelopes were produced by overprinting envelopes from India with 'British East Africa'; 2½ annas on 4½ annas envelope and 2 annas 6 pies. Also in 1896 2½ annas envelopes were printed by De la Rue and inscribed 'BRITISH EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE'. In 1895 Imperial British East Africa Company registration envelopes was overprinted 'BRITISH EAST AFRICA'. These were followed by 2 annas registration envelopes, in two different sizes, from India being overprinted 'British East Africa'. Finally, two sizes of registration envelopes, printed by De la Rue, were made available. Four different newspaper wrappers were issued during 1896. Two were produced by overprinting Indian ½ anna and 1 anna wrappers with 'British East Africa' and two, ½ anna and 1 anna, were printed by De la Rue. A total of eight different postcards were produced with a face value of ½ anna or 1 anna. Two were by overprinting Imperial British East Africa Company postcards, two were by overprinting Indian postcards and the remaining ones were printed by De la Rue. See also Postage stamps and postal history of East Africa and Uganda Protectorates Postage stamps and postal history of Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika Postage stamps and postal history of Kenya Postage