The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-08-30
IRISHCONSTABULARY
THE ROYAL POLICE FORCE ON
THE EMERALD ISLE

over ITGlanu-doW h WI
troIIed. Equipped and Disciplined
Most of the Men Are Irishmen.
The Irish constabulary has been In ex-
istence in its present form with but few
alterations for the last thirty-five years
having been originally organized by Mr..
Drummond, who was under secretary
for Ireland from 1885 to 1910 Before
this date the peace was preserved IN Ire
land by barony constables appointed by
the grand jury and the lord lieutenant.
They were quite incapable of subduing
any serious riot, and the fact that they
were armed and equipped in different
manner in nearly every county inter-
fered with their harmony of action and
caused them to present the most ludl-
crous contrasts when a number were as
sembled together for any particular
duty. Mr.. Drummond, who had great
talent for organization, soon after his
arrival in ireland replaced them with
the constabulary of Ireland, as it was
first called This force was uniformly
armed and equipped and was controlled
by one central authority in Dublin.
From time to time the force was in
creased and additional duties were i'm
| posed upon it, until now it numbers
nearly IL, 900 men, and in addition to
| performing the ordinary police work for
| all Ireland with the exception of Dub
| lin, which has its own police some of its
members also perform the duties of rev.
enue officers, taking agricultural statis-
| tics, the census. etc, and lately many OF
the constabulary were employed IN reg
ulating the distribution of relief in the
congested districts
As have said the force now consists
| of about II, coo men. who are graded as
head constables. seigeants and consta-
bles. 1t is officered by an inspector gen
eral, Sir Andrew Reed; one deputy in
spector general, three assistant inspectors
general, thirty-six county inspectors and
227 district inspectors. the latter being
| divided into three classes, according to
their seniority.
The admission to the force as an officer
is their physical qualifications The
successful candidates have no difficulty
in obtaining a nomination from the lord
lieutenant; but as very few vacancies
occur annually the competition is I'M
usually keen and candidates require to
be exceedingly we'll posted in the sub
jects on which they are examined.
Candidates must be unmarried and
j under twenty-six years of age, and must
be able to undergo Il severe medical ex-
animation as to their physical qualifica
tons The successful candidates are
70 f1,a D1,h1 fnv
three months. during which period they
are on probation and receive only the
pay of a sergeaut-viZ., e75 IS. per an
mum.
At the expiration of about three
months the cadet is usually appoint
ed a third class district inspector
when his pay, with allowances fo1
horse, a house and q servant, etc.
is increased TO close on to $500 ;
year, and as soon as vacancy occurs
he is drafted off to county, where h.
is placed in charge of district, under
county inspector, and then his response
BILE duties may be said to commence
From time to time he is moved from on
district to another, gradually rising t.
the position of first class district inspect
or, when his payis increased to between
G400 and $500 a year, including allow
ances. His next promotion will be t
the rank Of county inspector, when hi
, pay is slightly increased, and i'll thi
rank he viii probably remain, retiring
at the age OF sixty-hve on pension o
, about $500 a year.
The rank and file are nearly all Iris
, and chiefly the sons Of farmers. On Ell
: listment they are also sent to the depC
to be drilled and put through course c
rnusketry, as they are armed with til
Snider carbine After becoming q
fcient they are drafted off to countie
and districts. No man is taken who
less than feet inches in height, an
, all must produce a good character an
{ be able to read and write we'll So littl
difficulty is experienced in getting IT
cruits that there are at present the name
r of AGO candidates on the roll kept by til
commandment of the depot in Dubli,
The pay is very good, rising from abou
$40 yearly to about ESQ as head COZ
stable, including allowances.
G The men are neatly dressed in dar
green uniform. and are armed wit
2 Snider carbine, sword bayonet al
t baton. The latter is the only weapo
n usually carried. except at night and
d disturbed districts, when it is general
+ supplemented with a revolver or carbin
= = There is exceedingly little GRIN
" among the men, drunkenness being a
o most the only serious offense, and tn;
being very rare, which is rather a wo,
v der when you consider in what desolat
= and wretched places two or three col
t stables may be stationed with no Office
near them.
e Part of the duty of the men in the:
. country places is to patrol at nigh
every patrol being out from three to 81
. hours, portion of the time being a
= ways spent in ambush with a view
q surprising moonlghters, etc. One (
g the most uncongenial duties of the p
e lice is to protect the sheriff and h
subordinates at an eviction.
If In addition to the ordinary polio
y force on foot there is also small noun
u ed force whose members are usual
u CHARTERED in the larger towns. The fore
> has always been conspicuous for its SC
q dierly bearing, loyalty and steadines
4 and also for the extraordinary efficienc
Il displayed in performing police and
tectiVe duties under circumstances