The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-17 00:00:00

EVENING SUN.

FETES AT BOULOGNE.

Tat t'
OLITMN AND STATUE OF NAPOLEON.
SUNDAY, AUG. 15.—At seven o'clock this morning,
thek sound of cannon in the port announced to the inha-
f,tlPlts of Boulogne that the day had at length arrived
Tvnieh had so long been looked forward to—the day
4.1)°/1 which their darling column, after numberless vicis-
situdes, was to be consecrated to the object for which it
18 originally intended. On this very day, in the year
d°o4, and upon the very site of this column, Napoleon
distributed the crosses of the Legion of Honour to some
_thousands of his bravest troops, and thus a double inte-
rest was given to a ceremony which commemorated a
right day registered in the heart of many a time-
-01
by noured veteran. Not a few of the soldiers decorated
Napoleon on the occasion above referred to have
been in the town during the progress of the present pro-
!f!edings, and their enthusiasm can be better imagined
than described. They were the only persons who were
i aiscriminately adn itted without tickets to inspect the
Istatue before it was put up, and it is said that they have
'jailed themselves of the permission as a privilege of the
k„ighest consideration, throwing themselves on their
• 'ees before the effigy of their beloved General, and kiss-
la cold bronze cheek, whilst tears streamed down
their bronzed and furrowed cheeks.
There was some expectation that the King would ho-
b this interesting ceremony with his presence. In
however, we have been disappointed. It was also
CI more confidently reported that Marshal Soult would
column,
presided at the ceremony of the inauguration of the
'nem, of which he was the chief original projector.
But here, again, we reckoned without our host. The
Marshal did not come ; but he sent as his deputy Ge:-
ceera' Corbineau, a brave soldier, one of Napoleon's aide- ,
t e-eamps and who on more than one occasion had done
m
"aterial service in the cause, and, indeed, towards the
tlr!onal safety of his august master, by the discovery of
i
Pass of the Beresina, which the Emperor made use of.
The troops congregated to take part in this ceremony
were
under the command of General Letang, the Com-
mandant of the Department, another of Napoleon's
roost officers, and who was decorated by him with the
h4ignia of the - Legion of Honour, after the battle of
-rpsden.
the
programme of the proceedings was drawn up by
e Mayor and authorities of the town, and submitted to
the Minister of the Interior for his approval. The only
41ts in which any alterations in the scheme were
zeroed necessary or advisable were the two following :
irst, it had been proposed to announce the event by a
tro of a hundred and one guns, but this was reduced to
iienty-one, etiquette sanctioning the larger number on
t
„ ree occasions only, namely, the birth of a prince, the
presence of a Sovereign, or the news of a victory. Se-
eePdly, it had been proposed that four discourses should
bate
4. been pronounced at the foot of the column ; the
"'st, by General Corbineau, on the part of the army.; the
~fond, by Vice-Admiral Rosamel, on the part of the navy ;
the third, by the Prefect, on the part of the department;
d the fourth, by the Mayor, on the part of the town of
'°lllogne, but these worthy orators were spared the exe-
cution of a very difficult task.
splendid scene of gaity, parade, and bustle, has oc-
CPied the livelong day since seven o'clock this morning,
tit at that hour the salvos of artillery awoke all who
acre not already on the qui vine to the actuality of the
Ch'emnity which was to distinguish the town of Boulogne
1,; the annals of history. The abrupt and noisy signal
448 not long in working its effect ; despite a pelting
elver of rain, which had fallen earlier in the morning,
dthe still threatening aspect of the atmosphere, every
,or, every window, was opened throughout the town,
hltil" the streets and quays were swarmed with spruce
...Fkish fellows of all ages, and gaily dressed fair ones,
Znid ant in smiles, light of step, and lavish iirrecognitions
congratulations, as they passed and re-passed their
fri-tunerable friends. Indeed all the world seemed to be
thends with all the world. The sky now, partaking of
eitsrneral feeling of cheerfulness, began to sweep away
few straggling clouds, promising a bright sunny day,
that, ,I,,,ept its promise. I heard it remarked, by the bye,
.I`apoleon, whenever he gave any grand fete, was
ays fortunate in respect of weather.
„
th: 0 return to the port. On the firing of the cannon
Tships in the harbour were all decked out with an ex-
bPPly of flags and streamers.
stsBe various troops destined to form part of the pro-
ton now began to march down the port towards the
each regiment preceded by its band. The appear-
-7.0f the whole body was most imposing.
tit, about nine o'clock, all being at length in readiness,
teo,:rions civil authorities assembled in the order of
tsf„ssiem, in the grounds of the Etablissement des
kid 3' After which the Generals Corbineau and Letang,
ett„l the other general officers, with a numerous staff,
Isl4:l,°wn to meet them, when, after the ceremony of
ear fgrn, the procession began to move on. The gilded
etuto into rank a few hundred yards higher up, at the
Guardin-h°llse, where it had been located. The National
fro_ including, besides that of Boulogne, deputations
Alontreuil, and other places in the depart-
the lotoogether with the deputations of the Mayors from
fell into communes of which the arrondissement consists,
dumber rank more in advance of the procession. The
Proe,ssio°f
.troops of the line of all arms engaged in this
'4 the National'l Stud to have been about 1,800 or 2,000; that
totztio. Guards at from 3,000 to 3,590 ; mak!ng
I,llihsortitebetween 5,000 and 6,000 men ; besides the civil
3, which amounted to at least 300 or 400.
fellowine:ense body of men began to move forward in the
ll°
Order, at about two o'clock:—
ORDER OF PROCESSION.

Wiens d'Armes.
gaff a o'l4 the Line, with their standard and bands.
'atterY of Artillery of the Line, preceded by
trumpets.
anwrY of the Line, of various regiments, headed by
their respective bands.
first battalion of the National Guard of Boulogne, with
their band.
beNtittions of the National Guards in towns in the

department.
it'st section of the Artillery of the National Guard of
Boulogne.
11311tations from the Hundred Communes of the
LArron-
dissement, with their respective banners.
'Jody of Sailors belonging to the Saumon and the other
ships of war in the harbour, commanded by their
Op respective Captains and First Lieutenants.
Id
Officers of the Grand Army, and retired Officers of
Land and Sea Forces.
group of Members of the Legion of Honour.

THE TRIUMPHAL CAR.
Ge n eral presiding at the Ceremony with his staff.
°ll3 Civil and Military Authorities, according to the
order of precedence.
Deputations of National Guards, with their respective

bands.
Infantry of the Line.
see Half a Battery of Artillery of the Line.
°ll4 Battalion of the National Guard of Boulogne,
bef with drums.
.achment of Custom-house Officers, preceded by their
Commandant and drums.
t'cond section of the Artillery of the National Guard of

Boulogne.

Cavalry of the Line.
#lll3divisioti of the Cavalry of the National Guard of

'Ph Boulogne, with trumpets.
I.4't,° Procession proceeded up the Port, the Rue de
nut —a' the Grande Rue, through the High Town, and
.kt the Calais Gate. On its return its course was
chigailtly varied, taking the Rue Siblequin and the RueNeuve
lirellise• and so ,to the church of St. Nicholas. The en=
se, 'ine of route was adorned with festoons of foliage
<nded across the streets, from posts which bore
clust,,ds commemorating Napoleon's various battles, and a
oiltsi; of four tri-coloured flags. At a short distance
tie the Calais gate, just at the top of the hill, an
%pp-1;0111°11a triumphal arch was erected, gaily studded with
iias4riate insignia, and under which the procession
Sott, •
ould ,- anxiety had existed as to whether the statue
'wt,atk "e put up in time after all, the late boisterous
"er having rendered this process one of great labour,
attendedivug by considerable danger. In truth, it seems it
k,"ra 'very near thing, and we heard of even betting in
t) than one quarter that the statue would have to be
it:tugurated on mother earth, or at best, in mid air, on
i_way to its last elevated abode. However, Napoleon's
q''"Y star again prevailed ; and at a few minutes after
it.tl'en o'clock, " along pull and a strong pull" landed
lin safely on the capital of the pillar. It was quite
tifying to hear the exclamations of heartfelt joy which
:It3t from the multitudes, who were now flocking to-
°%ther from all sides on this happy discovery.
had hardly time to look about me, when the confused
tuZla of the various drums, trumpets, and bands of
oe,ti7,nainglea with the booming of the deep-toned bell
h Tower, announced that the procession had
ver4'd from the gate on the Calais road. The effect was
strik• One might almost fancy oneself on the
aite mg.
iinnm.l an intended encampment. • The appearance of the
ro -11,7 line of troops as they made their way along the
and all 'vulell was a little better than a mile in length,
id,- all to view from this sp?t, gave oneo some
N a hosedf reat extent of the procession, and f what
arm ,• •
hien. „ nof twenty times its bulk, some hundred thousand
The
instance, would look like
y,,t4sne Pillar is certainly a very fine work of art ; chnlaasttee.,
puti_ nfficiently ornamented, and built of excellent
mate-
itself It starts boldly out of the ground, upon a site
st,. sufficiently imposing. Tri-coloured flags and
a,oTtniers floated around it on all sides. Two temporary
t?„, 'den erections had been raised, one on either side, for
I.:l.:accommodation of the ladies. There were also some
accommodation seats on the steps of the column, for a privi-
e4e,rdh few e. t the other sex.
hyl 110°1 entire cortege had entered the area by about half
fro_ Ir from the time when the procession first emerged
dr..Mv.the ramparts of the high town ; the triumphal car
wit': nig up to the steps of the column. A laurel wreath
411 th
the precious burden it bore; and this was destined
uotur:)w e effigy of the great Napoleon ; as if he had
sta!ready laurels enough of his own gathering in the
ur
to ("heese of history; as if his brow needed at this day
,to,,p,c crowned with anything but the memory of his
achievements
40A..rriving at this lofty plateau or mountain plain
"nd the column, where the statue stands, the troops,
Hl4l
uuother bodies in the procession taking up their posi-
_ 89 While around the square of the enclosure galleries
e...t.4re erected of ample size, 17,11-the reception of the ladies,
rUetly as the clock struck two, the figure of the Eriape-
n, r enveloped in its veil, was suddenly revealed to the
gaze of the million, looking with a severe yet benign
tis,,l/t'et on that France which, in his latest moments, he
tftentred he loved so well. The shouts of nearly ten
(alsand troops, and at least double the number of
stators, at this moment rent the air, and with the
nicst
reverberations of artillery from every point, formed a
timtp, hosing scene. " Viva l'Empereur I " Vive Na-
poleonecame from this moment legitimate cries-,
ahstraci,
and
in sentiment, but still expressive of a
trreat and 1 "history of France and a
distinct
g.orions epoch in the ••
unct policy in its government. A Grand Cantata
was then sung in honour of the ceremony with striking
the efro..
,t• after which the whole of the troops deployed round
- •
!.:91U11113, and the processim retired in the order it

Arrived, the ceremony being concluded with a solemn
service in the Cathedral Church of the town.
The laurel wreath was then taken prom its resting
place' on the car, and honourably escorted up the steps of
the column. It was there taken up to the top of the
column and placed on the bead of the statue ; and the
cheering was repeated with redoubled energy. Never
was there a more exciting scene certainly in the open air.
An ode, composed for the occasion, was then sung by
a gentleman with stentorian lungs ; the burden of which
was felicitating the Boulonnais and the English (!) upon
this happy occasion.
This enclitic, the ceremony of inauguration, the proces-
sion returned m the order it came to the Church of St.
Nicholas, where, after a short service in presence of the
authorities and part of the troops, the rest being drawn
up outside, the military and other constituent parts of the
large procession marched off to their respective quarters.
At nine o'clock at night a grand display of fire-works
was exhibited in the harbour, a most splendid sight of
the kind. It commenced with a sort of sham engage-
ment between the three ships of war in the harbour and
the soldiers in the port ; the firing extending the whole
length of the latter on the far side. This cannonade,
or feu d'artifice of course, the effect of which was very
good, was in fact kept up, with more or less energy,
throughout the whole of the exhibition. Amongst the
set pieces, a representation of the column, at least thirty
feet high, with the statue on the top, all represented in
white lights, was greeted with rapturous cheering. Pots
of red light were then set burning along the edge of the
quay, and the water in the harbour looked like a lake of
liquid fire. The whole concluded with a complete vol-
cano of Roman lights and rockets, in which the three
colours, red, blue, and white, were ingeniously mingled.
Nothing could have passed off better than the whole of
the arrangements of this day. The people were fairly
worn out with amusement,' and by half-past ten o'clock
the streets were almost cleared. There was not a single
case of disorder or inebriation, in the town. A scaffold-
ing, let out in seats at two francs a head, in face of the
column, came down with a crash in the midst of the ode,
but nobody was seriously hurt.