“The facts recited clearly establish—­first, that the time had arrived when it became the duty of the Government of Canada to make more efficient provision for the maintenance of order, the enforcement of the laws, and the administration of justice in the Yukon country, especially in that section of it in which placer mining for gold is being prosecuted upon such an extensive scale, situated near to the boundary separating the Northwest Territories from the possessions of the United States in Alaska; and, second, that while such measures as were necessary to that end were called for in the interests of humanity, and particularly for the security and safety of the lives and property of the Canadian subjects of Her Majesty resident in that country who are engaged in legitimate business pursuits, it was evident that the revenue justly due to the Government of Canada, under its customs, excise and land laws, and which would go a long way to pay the expenses of government, was being lost for the want of adequate machinery for its collection.

“Accordingly in June last a detachment[1] of twenty members of the Mounted Police Force including officers was detailed for service in that portion of the Northwest Territories.  The officer in command, in addition to the magisterial and other duties he is required to perform by virtue of his office and under instructions from the Department of Mounted Police, was duly authorized to represent where necessary, and until other arrangements can be made, all the departments of the government having interests in that region.  Particularly he is authorized to perform the duties of Dominion lands agent, collector of customs, and collector of inland revenue.  At the same time instructions were given Mr. William Ogilvie, the surveyor referred to as having, with Dr. Dawson, been entrusted with the conduct of the first government expedition to the Yukon, to proceed again to that district for the purpose of continuing and extending the work of determining the 141st meridian, of laying out building lots and mining claims, and generally of performing such duties as may be entrusted to him from time to time.  Mr. Ogilvie’s qualifications as a surveyor, and his previous experience as explorer of this section of the Northwest, peculiarly fit him for the task.

[Footnote 1:  The detachment was made up as follows:—­Inspector C. Constantine, Officer Commanding Yukon Detachment N.W.M.  Police; Inspector, D.A.E.  Strickland; Assistant Surgeon, A.E.  Wills; 2 Staff Sergeants; 2 Corporals; 13 Constables.]

“As it appears quite certain, from the report made by Mr. Ogilvie on his return to Ottawa, in 1889, and from the report of Mr. Constantine, that the operations of the miners are being conducted upon streams which have their sources in the United States Territory of Alaska, and flow into Canada on their way to join the Yukon, and as doubtless some of the placer diggings under development are situated on the United States