The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-08-05
The IRISH POLICE.

operator, was captured In Oaklanu,
persons sent to Belfast, Ireland, for
police information about the prison.
er. The required intelligence was
furnished so promptly and fully as
to illicit some surprise. Any one
in the least conversant with the sys-
TEN of police surveillance in Ireland
need not be told that such informa-
ton as that furnished about Nc
Marry is always to be obtained from
police headquarters in Ireland about
any man who has attained in the
slightest degree during his residence
in the Green Isle what is known as
''record."
To give slight idea of what the
Irish police force really is, let the
reader first imagine a well-drilled,
well-armed military force of 10000
men, he can then form an idea of
the strength and efficiency of the
"peelers,' as they are sometimes
called in old Erin. The Irish con-
stabulary were organized after the
yeomanry were done away with,
about the year 1928. At that period
there was little thought of the
poorly paid but large body of sturdy
men with no discipline or esprit du
corps, who were delegated to pre-
serve the peace. Year by year they
grew better, however; their ply
sique and soldierly bearing rapidly
developed by daily morning and
afternoon drill in ''heavy marching
order" in the various barrack-yards
throughout the country. The Irish
police first attracted attention as
powerful arm of the British Govern
ment during the Young Ireland
troubles about 1913. Their behavior
during this period received the ap-
probation of the ruling classes, and
they were brought into special
notoriety when Queen Victoria re-
viewed an immense body of them in
the famous Phoenix Park, at Dublin,
during her first visit TO Ireland in
1858. For their service in behalf of
the crown in the suburbs of Dublin
and at points throughout the pro-
vinces, the police, by royal assent,
received the title of Royal Irish
Constabulary in 1872. The latest
Dublin Castle reports place the total
number of police outside Dublin
(Which has a police distinctly its
own and differently uniformed) at
about II, 900 constables, or patrol
men, and 800 officers.
The Chief or Superintendent of
this small army is designated and
known as the Inspector-G General of
Constabulary. Andrew Reed, the
present Inspector General, is man
of remarkable administrative ability.
Next in rank comes the Deputy
Inspector-General. The Inspector
General and his deputy are assisted
by four Imspectors-General, who
exercise from Dublin Castle COM
plete authority and control over the
force throughout the country through
under officers, known as County In.
spcctors and District Inspectors.
The County Inspectors have
change and supervision of all the
police in their respective counties
having from four to ten officers and
from 200 to 500 constables, OF
patrolmen, according to the size and
population of his county.
The Sub-Inspector, now known al
| the District-Inspector, has a distric
: or certain baronies of the count,
9 under him, for the peace of whicl
l he is absolutely responsible to tn
e county inspector. The district
n vary in size; some are 10 to 80 an,
e a few are 40 square miles, and th
n number of men in each from fifty t
!, 200. Next in rank to the District
c Inspector is the head constable
! these are in charge of the barrack
|, or stations in the county towns @
!, seats. There are first and secon
e class head constables. Under thes
il are the sergeants and actlng-sel
il geants and then the constables c
patrolmen. To procure the appoint
d ment of District Inspector, the hea
e constable or other candidat must fir.
II get nomination from the Chic
T. Secretary for Ireland to compete wit
IS perhaps half dozen others for a Vi
r cancy. The examination, which
2 somewhat similar to the army el
t. trance, is conducted by civil servil
y commissioners. Those who con
3. out of this examination successful
is are sent to the department (Dubl
l. Castle) as cadets for instruction
re drill, musketry, horsemanship,
Is nance and various police duties an
after six months hard study th,
,f are ready to take charge of district
n They rank very high socially amor
,e the arstocratic classes in Irelan
2 who are. perhaps, the most excl
Is sive in the world. No person who
e. family has been noted for nation
st tendencies or Parnellite application
n can ever expect to become distri
th inspection of Police in Ireland,
r. loyalty to the crown of England
th the first and all-important consider
k ton. Even after the candidate h
n passed his examination he is liat
Of to be rejected and refused a COZ
t. mission, if it should transpire th