The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-02-27
THE CANADIAN POLICE.
A FORCE WHICH PATROLS THE
GREAT NORTHWEST.
Drilled In All branches OF the Mititary
Service = Protecting ssttlers'
Property and Prevent
ing Smuggling.

The Canadian Northwest mounted
police Is one OF the most valuable
bodies in the police service. The
force Is small. but most excellent
state OF efficiency 10 maintained. and
the discipline is excellent says the
New York Times. The corps Is COM
posed OF ten divisions OF 100 men eac h
and fifty-two officers inclIiing medical
officers.
This comparatively small body Is
charged with the full maintenance Of
the law and order OF the whole dis
trict from the Red river In the east TO
the Rocky mountains in the west.
distance OF 900 miles. and from the
international boundary line on the
south to line 800 miles north. maxi
ing total area of ~. 900 square miles
The country is most diversified in its
aspects. Starting from the most east
ern outpost at Sourisford. on the one
hundred and first parallel OF longitude
the traveller passes west through open
prairies. with but little water and no
wood. This. as he nears Moose Pond,
near the one hundred and fifth par
allel changes into excellent grazing
country, and SO gradually to luxur-
liant grass country. until Cypress Hills.
with their magnificent pasturage. are
reached. The whole district. from
Cyress Hills to the most western sta
ton, Morley. Is not so luxriant, but
still affords good water and feed. In
the northern journey, the fertile belt
being passed. the way lies through
sand hills and small scrub. there being
no wood and but little and bad water
from Medicine Hat until one nearly
reaches Battle River
1t is in this wild. scarcely settled
country that the lives OF the members
of the Northwest Mounted Police are
passed, the whole area having to be
patroled every week. The headquar-
tiers are at Regina, and here Colonel
L. w. HerchmeE the commissioner
and his staff are to be found together
with from $50 to ITO non-commis-
stoned officers and men. The force Is
known under the title OF mounted po-
lice, but they are really much more Of
u military corps than mere police.
Their uniform is rich and impressive
consisting OF scarlet tunics with yellow
braid reliefs and yellow facings, blue
cloth riding trousers with q yellow
stripe. top boots and spurs, and a he'll
met in Summer In winter the men
wear fur coats. fur capes and mecca
sins. Thus dressed and mounted they
look more like section of II crack
cavalry regiment than II mere body Of
police.
Their drill. too. is fully calculated
to increase this idea. as they learn the
whole service boing drilled as in
fantry. cavalry and artillery. and
armed with Winchester carbines, En-
field or small revolvers. and when nee
essary sabrcs. In addition to head
quarters there are fourteen stations.
| each under an officer or non-commis-
stoned officer from which patrolllng
| is done.
This is one OF tho great duties OF
| tho force. In bodies of two, three
and four tho police scour the whole
country chiefly by means OF trails
|
every direction. Tho objects OF the
patrols are numerous. First there is
the protection OF law-abiding settlers
and the vigilance required to prevent
deserters from tho United States,
whisky smugglers and horscthievcs
from coming into the Dominion from
across the line. Cattle and horse.
stealing are not so prevalent now as
they used to be, probably owing To
the efficacy of the patrol system; still
in the last year forty-six horses were
reported as stolen at Lethbridge IN
tho Blackfoot district, and of these
forty-two were recovered.
The advent OF Indians from the
United States who come to visit their
friends is always looked upon with
dread by tho commissioner and author
itios All over tho district arc Indiar
reserves where Blackfcet, tho more
troublesome; Regina. Blood Sarcce
Stony, Chippewa and Saltoau Indians
have been settled. 1t is part of tn,
duty OF the police TO SEQ that these In
dams kccp to their reserves though
they are by treaty allowed to hunt
provided they do not Interfere with
white settlers. This privilege is con
stantly loading TO trouble. cattle bcin,
found killed. so that every effort i
made to keep tho Indians on their re
serves. unless thcy have a license Il
travel.
When United States Indians com
ovor the Incentive to exercise hospi
tally even ut the expense OF thei
ncighbors becomes too strong to b
resisted. and there is an increase /
the number OF cattle killed. An orde
was promulgated in 1890 to turn bacl
, NIL American Indians coming in wit
J arms and horses. or disarm them an
collect duty on tho horses.
Another OF the duties OF tho polio
Is to enforce the prohibition law in tn
Northwest territories. This law
very difficult to enforce. 1t was force
on tho provinces by their Legislature
ut tho people themselves arc not
lvor OF tho law and will not lend I'll
ulico tho slightest assistance in CT
! nrcing 1t. Not only so. but tho SC
lcrs take every opportunity OF cvndin
il. The Indians themselves bchav
fairly we'll In this respect but the
| Lnya like most othcr lntutored n,