Note 18 — GRAND MILITARY BANQUET

In confirmation of this it may be mentioned, that when the late Emperor Alexander of Russia gave a grand review to the Duke of Wellington, at Vertus, about eighty miles from Paris, of 130,000 Russians, picquets were driven into the ground at every wheeling point. How widely different are the movements of the British army! Some time afterwards, when the whole army under the command of his Grace were reviewed in presence of the allied Sovereigns, Field-Marshals, and Commanders, he moved the whole of his forces from the position they had taken, to nearly a quarter of a mile in the rear, no doubt with the view of showing that there were no picquets driven into the ground to direct the movements of the troops.