34 Lovers of the Horse 



of military discipline, would yet he a civil force, each member of whicii would l)e a 

 police constable, and therefore a preventive officer. Their duties would be to protect 

 the frontier, look after the customs and put down smugglino;, especially the smuggling 

 of hi|Uor, which tended to demoralize the Indian-^, and also to maintain military order. 

 On Mav '•20, 1873, Sir -lolni succeeded in having jjassed his bill for the establish- 

 ment of a |)olice force in the Northwest Territories, the force to be under the control 

 and nuinagcment of the Department of Justice, of which Sir John held the portfolio. 



In October of that year the permanent force was organized under the direct com- 

 mand of Lieut -Col >\ Osbonu' Smith, though shortly after that, the command was 

 friveii to Lieut -Col (ieorge A French, who was known as the Commissioner. 



in June. 1.S74, Lispector ]\Licleod was made Assistant Commissioner, and James 

 Morrow Walsh was made an Ins])ector. On June (i, '-274 officers and Tiien left 

 Toronto, arriving at Lmersou. Manitoba, on the nineteenth day of the month. 



.Vfter a route march of unparalleled difficulties over a distance of 7S1 miles, the 

 force arrived at their destination. How and Belly Rivers, on September 20 Three 

 divisions were left in the IJow River district under command of the Assistaul Com- 

 missioner, another division l)eing left at Swan HiviM'. while the renuiining company 

 under Col. French proceeded to Dufferin for the winter. 



It was a strenuous autunni. and a hard and trying winter for all raidvs. foi- it was 

 necessary to locate the various trading posts in the region, ascertain the nature of the 

 business conducted l)y the various traders, and take stejjs to put a stop to illegal trad- 

 ing of all sort> 



The verv cold weather had a decided effect on the health of the men. the sick 

 list in one dav having reached 4.V Yet, notwithstanding the drawbacks against whicli 

 thev struggle(l. they succee(led in bringing alxmt a complete^ sto])])age of the whiskey 

 trade in that section of the country. 



Meanwhile. Insjiector W. 1). Jarvis and his (lelaclinieut weic doing good woik 

 at Edmonton, without lia\iug to sull'ei- nearly as many hardships 



In the s|)ring of 1S7."). Ma jor-( ieueral Selby Smith, then in command of the Cana- 

 dian Militia, made a tour of inspection of the v;irious out|)osts occupied by \\\r X A\ . 

 M.I', and reported them to Itc in a very fair order While making several sug- 

 gestions for their ini|)ro\('ment. he said: "Of the constables and sub-constables I can 

 .speak generally, that they are an able body of men, of excellent material and con- 

 spicuous for willingness, cnduraiu'c and, so fai' as I can learn, integrity of character. 

 Too nuich value cannot be attached lo the Northwest Tolice. Too nnich attention 

 cannot lie paid to their ellicieiicy." 



In 1S7(). the control and management of the force was tran.sferred from the De- 

 partment of Justice to the Department of the Secretary of Slate under the lion \i 

 W.Scott, and Lieut. -Col. James Far(|uharson Maclcod. C.M.G., was appointed 

 to succeed Lieut.-Col. French, as Commissioner 



Comptroller Frederick White's report for lS7(i said: "'The li<|U(>r traliie is now 

 supl)ressed and a mimtxM- oi' .Vmei'icans ha\(' crossed the li()r<l< r and engageil in stock 



