AND TEE DUKES OF RICHMOND. 125 



The dinner took place on the 21st of June, in the 

 room where Almack's balls used to be held. Lord 

 Saltoun took his seat a little after seven o'clock, the 

 company numbering about two hundred and fifty, 

 each being decorated with the " War Medal " of silver, 

 about the size of a half-crown piece. Of this 

 decoration they were as proud as if they had won a 

 fresh battle (which, indeed, they had — over ingrati- 

 tude). At this gathering of veterans, a veritable 

 " Old Guard," there' were but few who were not 

 already distinguished with medals, while some 

 among them showed a blaze of decorations on their 

 breasts. 



The testimonial was placed on a triangular pedestal 

 of ebony in a recess behind the Chairman. On the 

 summit of a quadrangular pedestal is an allegorical 

 group, representing the Duke of Richmond directing 

 the attention of Britannia to the merits of her 

 military and naval powers. 



His Grace is represented in the centre, in the cos- 

 tume of a peer, and has in his left hand the memorial 

 to her Majesty, while with his right he directs the 

 attention of Britannia to the figures of Mars and 

 Neptune ; and in the hand of Britannia is the war 

 medal, which she is about to distribute. Atl the 

 angles of the pedestal are grouped naval and military 

 trophies, between which are panels containing jthe 

 following inscription : — 



