Hi Digby,

I know this wasn't your original subject, but looking through my 1814 notes I think you may have been a little unfair to the Royal government over the army question.
You already know that Napoleon left the finances in a mess, that the army had to be substantially reduced to peacetime status is obvious. I have various snippets from the Times which are translated from the French papers and which show that the royal government was taking the problem seriously - the orders are from Dupont as minister of War, he ascribes the initiative to the king in each case and that might be true.

An Order of the day June 25th states that officers of all armies are to receive full pay to Sept 1st, minus indemnities for active service. After that those not given new appointments are to receive half of active service pay. Offiers not in current employment will receive active service pay till Sept 1st.

Order of the mInister July 9 The officers who had been prisoners of war have arrived in France, 'many of them in a state of great destitution....dating from their arrival they were immediately to be placed on full pay and that in the formation of the new regiments a certain number of commissions should be reserved for them.'

A little later – I don't have the actual date – the ministers presented 'state of the nation' reports; the Minister of War had to admit he hadn't yet been able to untangle the finances . On May 1st 'the land forces amounted to [first figure illegible, looks like 320,000] including gendarmerie, veterans, invalids and cannoniers guarding the coasts. Besides this force there are 122,[5]07 militaryof all ranks enjoying half-pay. One hundred and sixty thousand prisoners are returning to us from Prussia, Austria, England and Russia. The staff of the army, including enginers, inspectors, commissaries etc., amounts to 1874 individuals.
The pay etc., of such in active service for 1814 amounts to 202,000,000
Half pay, etc, to 34,000,000
Various other expenses, debts etc.
Both the ministry of War and the War administration were heavily in arrears, the arrears of the armies for 1811-1814 still unknown.

Aug 25th Minister of War to the commissaries of the military divisions:
"Sir, the King, who pays very particular attention to the fate of the military, having charged me to render an account to him of the state of payment of soldiers on half-pay and discharged, I made known to his Majesty the delay which this branch of the service has experienced under the late government.
His Majesty, anxious that brave men who have shed their blood for the glory of the French name should not languish in want, has given me special orders to cause to be discharged without delay, not only the pay of the current quarters but also the arrears left by the late government.
In order to fulfil his Majesty's intentions I have placed at the disposal of the divisionary paymaster, funds destined wholly to discharge the first quarter of 1814 and the greater part of the second. I have at the same time taken measures in order that the portion of the second quarter, still in arrears, may be dscharged by the end of September next.
At the same time, and in conformity to the will of the King, the paymasters will receive all the necessary funds for completing the payments for 1813 in order that those arrears may be entirely paid off at the end of the third quarter.
I beg you Sir, to contribute by all the means in your power to the execution of the paternal views of his Majesty, who desires that this important service should no longer experience delay, and that it should be watched with all that interest which the soldiers who are the object of it must naturally inspire.'

So it appears that the Royal government was left with the pay arrears going back to 1813, or even earlier.
Napoleon had a nerve complaining about not getting his pension!

regards,

Susan