ROYAL NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE 5095 ROYAL NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE 



or injured. For example, in the winter of 1904 

 word came to the police at Fort Chipewyan 

 that a missionary had become insane at Peace 

 Station. Constable Pedley took the madman 

 to Fort Saskatchewan, 500 miles away by trail. 



ROYAL NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE 

 DISTRICTS 



This was in the dead of winter, with the tem- 

 perature often fifty degrees below zero, with 

 terrible storms, during one of which Pedley had 

 to lash himself and the missionary to a tree. 



These duties, of course, are merely incidental 

 to the main purpose of the force, to preserve 

 law and order. In many of the remote districts 

 they not only preserve the law but they fre- 

 quently make or interpret it. The commis- 

 sioned officers make regular trips to hold court. 

 In tracking criminals these men have difficulties 

 which seem almost insuperable. Only a hand- 

 ful of men to patrol thousands of square miles ! 

 Yet no detective or police force in the world 

 can show a better record, and the efficiency of 

 the police has earned for it the fear of all 

 criminals and the admiration of all good citi- 

 zens. The police regularly patrol all districts 

 in which there are settlers. All over the prai- 

 ries the mounted constables ride from home- 

 stead to homestead. Each constable carries a 

 patrol sheet, on which any complaints of the 

 settler are recorded. If nothing has happened 

 to deserve the attention of the police, the con- 

 stable writes "No complaints" and the farmer 

 signs. The constable, too, is usually a man of 

 experience, who can advise the farmer about 

 matters pertaining to his crops or his herds. 

 ing the War of the Nations the "mounties" 



had the added duty of watching hundreds of 

 alien enemies who were settled throughout the 

 Northwest. 



For a few years the Indians were the worst 

 trouble makers in the Northwest, but even in 

 its early days the police force had tremendous 

 influence. As an illustration there was a fa- 

 mous episode shortly after the close of the Sas- 

 katchewan Rebellion. A band of 200 Indians, 

 who feared punishment for their share in the 

 rebellion, invited themselves across the border 

 into the United States, where they met a cold 

 welcome. The official wires were kept hot for 

 a few days between Ottawa and Washington, 

 and much correspondence ensued, until it was 

 finally agreed that Canada would be respon- 

 sible for the band if the United States would 

 kindly escort it to the border. In due time 

 200 wild-eyed Crees, with 450 horses, were 

 headed northwards in charge of a strong force 

 of United States cavalry. At the boundary 

 line they were met by three mounted police- 

 men, one corporal and two troopers, who had 

 with them one extra horse. The American 

 commander looked at them in surprise. 



"Where's your escort for these Indians?" he 

 asked. 



"We're here," answered the corporal. 



"Yes, yes, I see. But where's your regi- 

 ment?" 



"I guess it's all here," replied the corporal. 

 "The fourth man's looking after the breakfast 

 things." 



And the four "mounties" took over the band 

 of Indians, and escorted them a hundred miles 

 farther, where they could give Uncle Sara no 

 more trouble. 



Present Organization. The original number 

 of 200 officers and men has been gradually in- 

 creased until it has reached about 800. These 

 are distributed over Alberta, Saskatchewan, 

 Manitoba, the Yukon and the North West Ter- 

 ritories. The force is divided into twelve main 

 districts, each of which is commanded by a 

 superintendent, who has under him a number 

 of inspectors and other officers. Surgeons and 

 veterinary surgeons are commissioned officers. 

 The noncommissioned officers, as in the British 

 army, are staff-sergeants, of various kinds, ser- 

 geants and corporals. The troopers are called 

 constables. Each of the district headquarters 

 maintains communication with all prats in its 

 district, and is responsible for their direction to 

 the central headquarters at Ropim. The re- 

 motest detachments make their headquarters 

 at Fullerton, on the northwest comer of Hud- 



