The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-06-12
NORTHERN RANGERS,
The Mounted Police Who Guard the Cana
dian Frontier.

Tho Mounted Police Who Guard the Cana
dian Frontier.
| One.ef the most picturesque and
excellent bodies of irregular cavalry
to be found in North America is the
Northwestmounted police of Canada.
Their duties have been various and
semimilitary, like those performed
on the Texas border by the Texas
rangers, and have assisted greatly in
the settlement of the northwest.
Prior to 1874 that territory was law.
less, but the police quartered there
that year soon restored respect for
the law, and whisky trading with
the Indians, smuggling across the
border and horse stealing have been
stopped.
The Canadian government passed
laws making it crime to bring
stolen property into the territory of
the Northwest, and soon after the
legislature of Montana reciprocated,
thus making our northwest frontier
less lawless than the Mexican Dor
der, where contraband and stolen
goods find protecting haven. The
boundary line from Manitoba to
British Columbia is constantly pa
trolled by this irregular cavalry, and
their officers have been frequently
entertained at Assiniboine, our most
northern Montana post.
The Northwest police was organ.
lied in 1878 for the maintenance of
order in the Northwest Territories,
which at that time had been recent
ly acquired by Canada. In the au-
tumn of 1878, $50 men were enlisted
in eastern Canada and sent to Mani
toba. From time to time the original
force was increased, and at the out
break of the Northwest rebellion it
was further raised until it mum bored
1000 men, or about its present
strength. The force is subdivided
into ten divisions of about 100 men
each. The pay of this force is the
highest Of any military force in the
world-staff sergcants, 81. so per day;
sergeants, 81; corporals, IS cents,
tho same grades in our service being
respectively 81. GO and so cents per
diem.
The uniform of the police is very
handsome. For full dress they wear
a scarlet tunic with yellow facings,
blue cloth riding breeches with yell
low stripes similar to our cavalry
noncommissioned officers, a white
helmet, cavalry boots and cavalry
overcoat. In winter fur greatcoats,
fur caps and moccasins oven arc
sometimes worn. A fatigue uniform
is furnished for field work that is
very serviccable and businesslike.
Enlistments are from three to five
years. Tho officers headdress is par
ticularly handsome, being a visor
less indented crown of black Persian
lambs wool, faced with yellow
bushy bag On one side. With it are
some black Persian lambs wool
gauntlets to match. The force is
armed with the winchester rifle and
revolver. The saddles are of a FROM
tier type, and the gun is slng in a
strap across the pommel of the sad
die, as men in the south frequently
secure their guns when deer hunting.
Tho duties Of this force, like those
Of our Texas rangers, are both mill
tary and civil. They are drilled like
military organization and liable,
like militia, to be called into service.
Their civil work is various-prevent-
ing smuggling, horse stealing, whis-
KY traffic with the Indians, enforc-
ing quarantine and timber regula-
lions, fighting forest fires and giving
a general civil protection to inhabit-
ants of the northwest. Fort Walla
Walla Letter in Philadelphia Times.
Gluttons.
The old feudal lords of England