Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 38: Reports of the Ministers
A week later, in the Palace of Versailles. Napoleon II was in his office, reading reports from different cabinet ministries from France.
Normally, he would be forbidden to have a copy of the report because he was simply just a crown prince, and not the head of state. But with his father’s permission, and to see progress of the Empire, he was able to receive one for himself.
First off, the Ministry of the Interior.
Napoleon II scanned the summary first before moving to the attachments.
Urban stability remained high. Paris, Lyon, Marseille—no major unrest. Police reports showed a decline in organized agitation, though pamphlet circulation had increased slightly in university districts. Nothing alarming. Prefects reported improved compliance with new municipal regulations, especially in cities where electric street lighting had been installed.
He marked a line with his pencil.
Next file.
Ministry of Finance & Imperial Credit.
Gaudin’s handwriting was as dry as ever.
Revenue exceeded projections for the second quarter. Industrial tariffs and internal trade taxes were outperforming land taxes for the first time. The Imperial Bank’s reserves were stable. Debt servicing remained manageable, aided by reduced military expenditure and increased exports of manufactured goods.
One line stood out.
"France is no longer borrowing to survive, but to accelerate."
Napoleon II closed the folder and set it aside. That sentence mattered.
He opened the next report.
Minister of Manufactures, Mines, and Imperial Works.
Steel output was up. Coal production in Lorraine and the Nord had increased after the introduction of standardized steam pumps. Factory inspections reported fewer shutdowns due to mechanical failure—new standards were working. Textile mills in Rouen and Lille had begun partial mechanization using domestically produced machinery instead of British imports.
Next.
Roads, Canals, Railways, and Telegraphs.
Girard’s report was thick.
Canal traffic had increased along the Seine and Rhône. Road repairs were ahead of schedule. The first experimental rail lines—short, freight-focused—were operating without incident. Telegraph relays between Paris, Lyon, and Bordeaux had reduced message delays from days to hours.
Minister of War.
Davout did not waste words.
Training reforms were complete. Officer corps standardized. Logistics drills conducted without failure. No mobilization planned, but readiness remained high. Though there is a growing concern for the military to lag behind her rivals such as Britain as they have invented a new gun called "needle gun." Modernization of the army’s standard weapons is a must.
Napoleon II stopped there.
"Wait what the fuck..." Napoleon II cursed under his breath. "They already have a needle gun?"
This was unprecedented, it wasn’t supposed to be developed for another decade. Could it be that their exports of modern steam machinery and equipment accelerated it? Well this is national security, he’ll address it soon. For now, he kept the file aside and grabbed the next file.
Minister of the Navy & Maritime Power.
Decrès’ report was precise.
Fleet readiness remained satisfactory. Shipyards at Brest and Toulon were operating at full capacity. Two new steam-assisted vessels were undergoing sea trials. Coal logistics for long-range patrols had improved. No hostile naval movements detected. British shipping continued to dominate open trade routes.
Napoleon II tapped the page once.
Still behind. But closing. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
Next.
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Talleyrand’s hand was unmistakable.
Austria remained cautious but receptive. Prussia observant—quietly increasing military procurement. Britain polite, commercially aggressive, diplomatically evasive. Russia distant, focused inward. Bavaria cooperative, awaiting formal confirmation of the engagement.
Next folder.
Public Instruction & Education.
Cuvier’s report focused on numbers.
Enrollment in technical schools had risen sharply. Engineering academies expanded intake. New curricula emphasized mechanics, metallurgy, and applied sciences over classical administration. Rural literacy programs showed modest but steady improvement.
Napoleon II nodded.
Next.
Sciences, Arts, and Technical Instruction.
Monge’s office reported increased patent filings. Civilian research increasingly intersected with military needs. Experiments in precision machining, chemical propellants, and electrical signaling were ongoing. Funding requests attached.
He skimmed, then closed it.
"Okay, that should be it," Napoleon II said after reading all the files. All was satisfactory except for Davout’s report of the British’s needle gun. He has plans for modernizing the army and the navy, and possibly create an air force for the French Empire, but he had set it aside due to the fact that fifteen years ago France was on an economic shamble, it couldn’t afford militarization.
Instead of spending francs on the military, he would rather have it spent on industries that would earn a profit for France, which is now, is actually working.
How much is it?
Well, there should be numbers in Gaudin’s report.
He reached back for Gaudin’s folder.
This time, he didn’t skim.
He opened the annex tables and went straight to the figures.
Imperial Revenue — Consolidated
1814: ≈ 700 million francs
1829: ≈ 2.85 billion francs
Napoleon II stared at the column for a moment, then ran the numbers again with his finger.
Four times.
Not projected. Not estimated. Collected.
He turned the page.
Revenue Breakdown (1829).
Direct land taxes: 620 million francs.
Internal trade and consumption taxes: 710 million francs.
Industrial tariffs and customs duties: 540 million francs.
State monopolies (salt, tobacco, postal): 360 million francs.
Overseas and colonial trade revenues: 290 million francs.
Miscellaneous fees and licenses: 330 million francs.
Total: 2.85 billion francs.
Napoleon II leaned back slightly.
In 1814, land taxes had carried the Empire on their backs. Now they weren’t even the largest line.
He flipped to the comparison sheet Gaudin had attached.
Exports:
1814: ≈ 420 million francs
1829: ≈ 1.65 billion francs
Textiles. Machinery. Steel components. Chemical products. Finished goods instead of raw material.
France wasn’t just selling more.
France was selling up the chain.
Next page.
Annual Imperial Budget
1814 expenditures: ≈ 750 million francs
1829 expenditures: ≈ 2.6 billion francs
But the structure had changed.
Military (army + navy): 400 million
Infrastructure & public works: 1.320 billion
Education, science, administration: = 510 million
Debt servicing: 360 million
Reserves & sovereign funds: 230 million
There it was.
The military was no longer swallowing everything.
Infrastructure was the largest line item.
He turned to another page.
Imperial Bank Reserves
Gold and silver holdings: ≈ 1.1 billion francs
Foreign currency assets: ≈ 420 million francs
Emergency liquidity ratio: stable
How about the gold reserves? Well one ton of gold is equal to 3.5 million francs. So that’s 314 tons of gold. With one ton of gold, France could build 23 kilometers of railway.
In short, Napoleon II has money to improve the military drastically. But to do that, he’d need to be present in the next cabinet meeting with his father.
