The morning call., 1893-03-24

they reported to the French Consul, who
committed them to the care Of NJ. F. Garris-
sere of the Gailhard Hotel until the Tropie
Bird sails on her return voyage TO Papeete.
a gendarme Is such a novelty in an Amer
lean city that an Interview with NJ Nj. Bou-
che and Mancini could not fail TO prove of
considerable interest.
The representatives of the French gem
darmerie from Tahiti are both men of good
physique and very bright inte tellectually. In
bearing and department they are models of
the traditional politeness of the French
people.
Neither can speak a word of English.
When The CALL reporter asked them
whether they had any objection to giving
the readers OF the journal some information
regarding themselves, their corps and their
life in Tahiti they replied, with suaye
smiles, thar nothing could give them so
much pleasure.
EiThe two gendarmes invited the reporter
10 be seated and then took seats themselves
at the round table, where, over bottle Of
Rhein wine, they spoke for two hours with
great pride OF the service with which they
are connected and OF the Islands of the sea
whence they came.
The uniform of a gendarme Is very differ
ent from that worn by the two gendarmes
in the comic era "Genevieve de Brabant"
with which ths theater-going public are
familiar.
1t Is Of dark blue with white facings.
Bouche and Mancini wore blouses of fine
French flannel. An aiguil,ette made of
white braided cord, is worn from shoulders
10 breast Inc buttons are Of white metal
Of a very simple design. the device being
grenade encircled by the words, Gen
darme erie-Ordre Public" The grenade is
also worked IN silver upon the collar. A
low-crOwned shake trimmed with white
cord is worn on the head. The only weapon
carried by them is a revolver
Upon his breast Felix Bouche disp' 'aved
medal Of honor, the pos. esslun of which he
said entitled him 10 an addition of 100
francs, OF $50 a year. TO his pay. The
medal IS of gold enameled in blue, inside a
wreath OF silver. Upon 1t are embossed
the words NaleuT ct Discipline" The
medal is suspended from jewel in which
the symbols are breastplate, anchor.
cross. cannon and battle-aXes. The color
OF the ribbon is yellow, fanked by two
strips 0f green ribbon.
Marcini acted as spokesman. He said
that he and his cOmrade had served their
time IN the regular army Of France and had
then been transferred to the gendarmerIe
1t was great privilege to obtain an ap-
pointment in this corps. Only soldiers VINO
have served their time with the eOlors are
eligible t0 appointment. The gendarmerie
IS about 10000 strong. II is divided into
what are called legilns. departmental COM
panies and local lieutenaneies. Thers were
also organized special CORPS of gPndarmerie
for maritime duty known as the colonial
gendarmerle, to which Bouche and himself
belonged.
The force stationed in the French colony
OF Tahiti consists Of thirty-two men under
command of a first lieutenant. The nom
commissioned officers of the company con-
sist OF sergeant-majOr ana four briga-
diers. The brigadiers correspond in rank
to the American corporal and their duties
are similar. The gendarmes in the country
districts are mounted. Those on duty at
Fspeete are foot soldiers. For the comfort
Of the men subjected to a tropical climate
uniform OF white linen cloth has been ure-
scribed and in Tahiti the gendarmes might
be mistaken for night shift Of bakers and
cOntectiOners.
Maucini stated that they had come to the
United States only as q matter Of courtesy.
The American Consul at Papeete had repre-
sented to the Governor OF the colony that he
had nj adequate force at his disposal TO
take care of the five American sailors
charged with murder, and he requested that
a detail OF gendaTmes be made 10 escort the
prisoners to San Francisco. As Manciai
had ap Lied for a furlOugh to visit France,
he was selected, together with BOuehp, to
make the trip.
The Rendarmes said that their duty on
the Iropic Bird was about the most arduous
work they had ever performed during their
military life. They kept watch alternately
every four hours during the entire voyage,
which lasted thirty-two days. The moment
that sleep came 1t seemed as though they
they were awakened to go on watch. Dur
Ing the whole month they never once un-
dressed, except to change underclothes,
The penalty for allowing a man to escape
from gendarme was very severe. 1t was
TO be dismissed from the service, to forfeit
all pay and allowances and to endure long
terms Of imprisonment. No excuses what
ever are accepted.
Their sole duty was to guard the prison.
ers. Two natives of :he Society Islands
were employed by the American Consul to
wait on the manacled sailors. to carry their
food to them. and to perform such other
service as their condition of duress re-
quired.
The duties Of the gendarmerie, according
to BOuche, are many and peculiar to the
maintenance OF order and the admipistra-
ton Of justice in France. They are not. as
generally understood, merely police officers
Their functions are both civil and military.
They are responsible for the maintenance
of public order and not for the detection
and arrest OF criminals. They have moth
ing TO do with criminals until after
the latter have been arrested by the
regular police officers. 1t is their business
to escort prisoners to the jails and also to
and from the tribunals Of justice. They
have duties in connection with the con-
scripti0n Of men for the army. They dis
tribute In remote provinces proclamations
in regard TO new laws or DEGREES Of the
Government. In time of war they have
work TO do In connection with the mobiiza-
tion Of the troops, and during active CAM
palgns deiaehments of gendarmerie serve
as provost guards, enforce discipline and
execute the sentences of courts-martiaI.
The gendarmerie, so Frenchman In the
embassy announced, were very much re-
spected by the common people. They we're
not regarded as spies or detectives. They
worked out in the open and in pursuance of
orders previously issued. The ordinary
French police was regarded as very much
I.f1 haf. =, nt.n -. ~