Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-16
THE CONSTABULARY
or Ireland the Finest Police Force in
the World-Their Loyalty and
Discipline.
Qualifications OF Applieants-Lifei in the
Training Depot at Phoenix Park
Pas and Pensions.

The Irish constabulsry il admittedly aths
finest" police force in the world. The forces
| in France and Austria will bear favorable
comparison with the Irish organization, bu
in neither country are to be found the 10y.
atty and discipline which in the past have
characterized the rural police of the Green
| Isle. Now that the cable brings intelligence
| OF threatened strikes, and of other subordi-
| nate proceedings, the mere suggestion oil
which IN days gone by would have horrih ed
the dignity of the stately Irish policeman,
| who was nothing if be was not loyal to the
crown and his superiors. few observations
| relative TO the constitution of the constabu-
larry will be seasonable. The preservation OF
the peace in Ireland until George III's time
was intrusted to the parish constables (six-
teen being appointed for every barony by
the county Justices, and Roman Catholics
being, as matter of course, ineligible. In
1914 Peel introduced some Improvements
into the force, though the law did not rs yet
remove its management and the functions of
the inferior magistracy from partisan control,
by which they were often made the instru-
mentality OF outrageous abuse. In 1928, how
ever, an act was passed which gave the sys-
tom its present constitution and m ade it what
1t Is This was the work of Sir Robert Peel
aud he SO thoroughly associated himself with
the interest of the force that its members be-
came known as "peelers'' and "bobbys,"
which terms in later days have become the
popular titles OF policemen in all English
speaking communities. 1t is a strange incl
dent OF how certain terms come to mean the
opposite o. what they were originally used
to express, that in the sixteenth century a
"peeler" was thief, and not q thief-taker.
The Royal Irish Constabulary now numbers
about $4,000 men, inclusive of the Dublin
metropolitan force. Candidates for admis-
sion must be between the ages of eighteen
and twentythree, five feet four inches in
hight, and OF good character, the recon-
mendation upon this point of an officer of
the force or magistrate being required.
The applicant is submitted to an examina-
ton in reading, writing from dictation, and
the elementary rules of arithmetic, and his
papers are transmitted by the local inspector
to Dublin with his application. II his refer
ences are satisfactory, and he has made no
error in his examination papers, the candi-
dates name is entered in the first class. A
single error throws it into the second class
list. and as no second-class man is taken till
all the frst-class men have been drawn,
failure is practically fatal to mans
chances. As soon as a vacancy &C.
ours, his antecedents having by this
time been looked into, the applicant is
ordered to Dublin to undergo a searching
medical examination and to begin his police
training at the depot in Phoenix Park, where
he remains from three to nine months, &C.
cording to his aptitude in learning the du-
ties of his position. His life in the depot is
practically that of the new recruit with his
egiment. He has three drills day, going
through the three squads, being drilled 10
the battslions, and receiving a course of in
struction in musketry. He also goes through
a course of schooling superfuous in the case
of men who have been fairly grounded in
the elementary branches at the country
schools, and he is taught the duties and re-
probabilities OF his position. His powers
under the law, and his actions under various |
are drilled. into him BY |
frequent repetition. Fault has been |
found with this system of education, and |
probably with much justice, on account of /
The incompetency of the teachers. The work |
is performed by the head constable, and be-
comes so monotonous to the men that an Off l
GER is detailed to wake them up when they |
fall asleep in class. The questions are as |
as the answers which are re-
iuired, and both are set out in book in the
hape of h child's catechism.
While the members of the force are sup
POSED to be be detectives, they are not. 1t is
rue that they are obliged to own suit of l
,lain clothes, but they don them perhaps
hree times year, and then the military |
,et-up of the men betrays them at once to
he Impractical eye just what they are-po-
icemen. The attempt is now being made to l
rganize an effectual detective service, but
hars ia much qnsstiee II The movement WIN
e successful, more especially as Earl Spen- |
er, the lord-lieutenant, has forbidden the |
len to join secret societies even for the pur-
ose of discovering crime.
The sub-constable's education having been !
he leaves Dublin, and may be as
gned to duty i'll any part of Ireland except
/ his native county or in the county in
hich he has found his wife. This is recog-
lied as a wise precaution, both in the inter-
It Of the government and of the man. In
lie first place, he is moi hsmpered in the dis
1arge OF his duty by the claims of relatives
md, with an Irishman, blood is thicker
ian water, and in many cases more effect
re than acts of Parliament), while, on the
her hand, at the expiration of his term of
rvice he can retire on his pension among
is friends and relatives, whose displeasure
; has not incurred in the faithful discharge
his duty. At the barracks, or stations,
ere is an inspection every meruing, and
q men are questioned as to their general g
titles. But there are no drills unless a con- q
derable force of men have been brought to- 9
ther for duty at fairs or on some similar
casion. The men never go out singly; !,
ey always travel in couples, whether on | :.
ecial or regular service. This is not
ecautiou against tampering with individ- ,
i members of the force 30 much as a
sasure of protection forthe men. They
g practically in hostile country, and cor 81
borative testimony is much regarded a
mpanions through any scrape. The 81
b -constables carry clubs in daytime,
t at night they are armed with short | 81
ords and rifles. In most of their rencoun- Il
8 with Fenians and outlaws they al
We given good accounts of themselves al
cir loyalty has never been impeached, and
IN now, when the men demand more pay | d,
threaten to strike, they boast of their S,
city 10 the crown. They have been dis | In
guished for patience and courage under SIX
st trying circumstances. Rutherford,
o wrote book on the Fenian conspiracy,
OF the constabulary: "In 1867 the con- III 4,
blary did all the fighting, and for the =.
ct part did it well, though they fought in a. a.
,ry case one against a hundred. The 1. - -
B. were not towards; they were simply ~
armed, or nearly so, and reposed just as
lie confidence in their leaders as the latter or
erved. Several instances might be quoted ev
the bravery of the constabulsry, but let er
suffice. AT Kilmallock fourteen men sn
ght 700 assailants for three hours, when oV
elieving force of eleven came up, and the
enders of the station making a sortie,
lie the others attacked with the bayonet,
y completely scattered the besiegers" In
!, during the whole of the "rising7 the
stabulary behaved so well that the thanks or
Parliament were voted them. Recently
1000 was awarded TO the constabulary, -,
,e divided among the force as extra pay, W
recognition of their services during the ,;e
I'd League agitation. ~
he movement which is now attracting at az
ion is for an extra shilling's pay, an in u
used allowance TO married. men living out VIC
barracks, and equalization of pensions. -
ocular "striken is not anticipated, par Nj
larly because, aside from the loyalty of In
men, should they strike they would for ga.
all claim to the liberal pensions to which sir
? will become entitled at the expiration be-
heir term. The cable dispatches point gu
a peculiar fact, the applications for adj ev'
sion to the force were never so numerous I'M
low. In the face of this strike could col
dly terminate in anything but disaster to ch
e who engaged in it. WI
me
The Fascinating Alligator. up
Toronto tCan.) Mail, August 4th.
n eyewitness OF the following incident Be
es: 81 was at tine Zoo yesterday and saw far
ethiDg which is verify of being men, aIy
ed One OF the gulls entered the pond ali