This cancel, which measures 28mm, was used from 29 March 1889 until about 21 May 1900. During that period most cancels were black. However between 1895 and 1897 a blueish ink, with a hint of green was used, while a red-violet ink is known to have been used in 1895. Setting variations are known inasmuch the day and month setting exist with and without an oblique separator dash. Once the new canceller (type II) had arrived and was first used on 21 May 1900, the old type I cancelremained in parallel use until 23 May 1900. Presumably the day and moths slugs were interchanged. The obsolete type I cancel was sent back to Hamburg on 6 June 1900.[1]

A selection of type I cancels on stamps is shown here. .

Missing year slugs are reported several times for the Jaluit cancel. In the first instance, the date slug for 1890 was not deliverd until 2 March 1890, which meant that on legitmate cancels of the January and February 1890 the year was left off. In the second instance the same occuured in 1892, but the year slug arrived in early February. In this case the year was either left blank or written in by hand. A third instance occurred in January 1897, when the date slug was not available before 20 January 1897, with genuine cancels know until 15 January 1897. Again the date '97' was omitted.[2]