"حياة ومراسلات اللواء السير جون مالكوم، قائد فرسان وسام الطُهر، المبعوث السابق إلى بلاد فارس وحاكم بومباي؛ من رسائل ومذكرات غير منشورة. في مجلّدين. المجلد II." [‎١‎٢‎٥] (٦٥٤/١٤٢)

KEVIEW OF RUSSIAN TEOOPS.
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which the Emperors of Russia and Austria, the Duke of TV el-
lington, and all the great chiefs and generals stood. The whole of
this part of the hill had been railed, and a little below it a con
siderable spot had been cleared and covered with benches for the
accommodation of lady-spectators. At a little before nine a signal
cannon was fired from the spot where the Emperor stood to give
his orders. I should mention that Alexander had his sword
drawn, and commenced by saluting his Brother of Austria) to
whom I heard him explain, with great clearness and vivacity, the
name and position of every corps of his vast army. The first
signal was to call the attention; at the second, every cannon in the
army opened a fire, and the effect was very fine. When this was
over, a third gun from the mountain was the signal for the
whole to form close columns of regiments and battalions. The
eye took in the whole, and the manoeuvre was beautiful. The
moment it was executed another signal-gun was fired, and the
whole of the infantry (130,000) formed one immense square of
columns of corps. The horse-artillery formed in two lines on
their right, and the cavalry in columns of regiments formed a line,
or rather one face of a square, in the rear. When they were in
this position, the Emperor, with his staff and an immense train of
visitors, rode round the whole at a hand-gallop. The distance
was probably ten miles. After this hurried review another signal
was fired. Several of the corps took new positions. The Emperor
and his train occupied a place near the centre of the square, and
the whole army passed in review in columns of companies
and squadrons.
It was here we saw the whole Russian army in France, and it
must be confessed that the material is excellent, and practice and
care together have brought it to a perfection of discipline. There
was nothing hid, and the elite of the army, the Imperial Guard,
was not present. But there cannot be a better description of men,
as far as bodily frame is in question, than those that form this
army. After the whole had passed, a signal was fired to re-form
the original lines, which they did with admirable precision. The
distances were taken up with as much exactitude as you would
expect from a brigade of the best-disciplined troops. I could not
but remark, as they were performing this manoeuvre, the fine
style in which their solid columns advanced, with a firm, but free
.and rapid step. I hardly think our own troops step out better,