Lovers of the Horse 39 



a (li'lafliiiiciit of the Moiiiitcd I'olife were sent to preserve hnv and order in tlie 

 Yukon 



In 1S!)() Sir Wilfrid Lauricr formed In's fii'st ('al)iiiet. and since that time lias 

 maintained the keenest jiersonal interest in the force and men. 



In 1S!)7, Jnl)ih>e year, the sixtieth anniversary of the accession of Queen Victoria 

 to the British Throne, was marked 1)V a splendid demonstration in honor of that (freat 

 sovereign. It was decided to send a representative detachment of the Northwest 

 Mounted Police to Ivondon. Superintendent Perry and Inspcctoi- JJelcher were the 

 officers in charge, and the Dominion had t-very reason to he pioiid of hoth officers 

 and men. 



In physicjue, appearance, discipline and drill, tlicy were generally admirc(l, an<l 

 were considered e(|ual t(. the best troops pre.sent. 



Meanwhile, it was necessary to augment the force at the Yukon, so much had 

 the rush to the gold mines increased, and a stati' of eight officers with eightv-eight men 

 were stationecl there, under command of the Administiator of the district. 



In 189!) Su])erintendent A. Bowen Perry assumed command of the Xoithwest 

 Mounted Police in Yukon Territory, and during that winter the Police assumed tlie 

 duty of carrying the Yukon mail, travelling (54.01 "2 miles with dog trains. Superin- 

 tendent Perry recommended that $!),(J01.S() be distributetl among the men as extra 

 pay for this service. 



In 1900 Superintendent Perry was ajjpointed Commissioner to succeed Lieut. - 

 Col. Herchmer. The new Commissioner graduated from Koval Militarv CoUcire, 

 Kingston, in 1880, and served for some time with much distinction in the Roval 

 Engineers. 



At the time Commissioner Perry assumed command, affairs within the force were 

 in a very unsettled state, owing to the recent heavy drafts of officers, men and horses 

 for service with the Canadian Contingent in South Africa, the Mounted Police havin<'- 

 supplied '•24.5 men, all ranks, for South African duty, and the Connnissioner thought 

 that their strength would have been easily increased to 1.000, if the Government had 

 thought it wise, by ex-members rejoining for the cam])aign. In his annual rcpoit 

 for 1900, Commissioner Perry remarked: "The great countries of the Peace, Atha- 

 basca and Mackenzie Kivers are constantly requiring more men. An officer is about 

 leaving Fort Saskatchewan to take conunand of that portion of the Territorv. The 

 operations of the American whalers at the moutii of the Mackenzie will, ere long, re- 

 (i|uire a detachment to control their imjiroper dealings with the Indiairs and to protect 

 the revenue." 



In that year medals were awanled to members of the force who had served through 

 the rel)ellion of 1885, and in that year, also, the Governor-General, the Earl of ]\Iinto, 

 and the Countess of Minto, made an extended tour through the Territories, the 

 X.WM.P. |)roviding an escort. 



His Excellency expressed great satisfaction with their work, and spoke specially 



