Reincarnated as Napoleon

Chapter 108 Preparation For The Egyptian Campaign

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Napoleon quickly returned to Chantilly after proposing his plan to Director Barras. He had anticipated that Barras would be willing to do anything to get him out of Paris.

When Napoleon entered the office, he saw Ciela sitting behind the desk, engrossed in checking multiple documents. She looked up and greeted him with a warm smile.

"So, how did it go with Talleyrand and Barras?" Ciela asked.

"Talleyrand proved to be a man of opportunity," Napoleon replied. "He inquired about my political aspirations, and I openly expressed my ambitions. Consequently, he pledged his support. As for Citizen Barras, he accepted my proposal. The government will finance the campaign, enabling us to acquire rifles and artillery for the army I'll be leading."

"I understand," Ciela nodded in comprehension. "Finally, you'll be able to utilize the bolt-action rifle you introduced. I can already imagine the astonishment on the faces of the Mamluks and Bedouins when they encounter such advanced weaponry."

"They'd be dumbfounded and shocked," Napoleon corrected and continued. "Anyways, that means a lot of work for us. Now we both know why the Egyptian Campaign failed, a lot of men died from dehydration, starvation, diseases, and heatstroke. I want that address before landing in Alexandria."

"Hoh?" Ciela mused. "So what do you propose, darling?"

"I have a proposal for a new uniform, my dear," Napoleon declared. "You see, the current standard-issue military uniform of the French army is made from heavy wool fabric. Now, while wool is an excellent insulator, it retains heat and restricts air circulation. In the scorching heat of Egypt, soldiers wearing these wool uniforms would experience excessive heat retention and limited breathability, ultimately increasing their body temperatures and putting them at a higher risk of heatstroke. Additionally, the design of the uniform is quite constricting, with its tight-fitting coat, trousers, and high-collar shirts. This restricts airflow and prevents natural cooling through perspiration and evaporation.

Furthermore, the uniform's length and layering, including the coat, waistcoat, and shirt, exacerbate the heat retention issue. I won't delve into the details there. Moreover, the dark color of the uniform compounds the problem. Dark-colored fabrics have a higher thermal absorption rate, causing them to become hotter than lighter fabrics under the same conditions. Lastly, the uniform lacks adequate sun protection, with no wide-brimmed hats or neck coverings, leaving the head, face, and neck exposed to direct sunlight.

To address these concerns, I propose a new uniform design that takes into account the extreme conditions we'll face in Egypt. The new uniform will utilize lighter and more breathable fabrics, allowing for improved air circulation and heat dissipation. It will have a looser fit to facilitate airflow and enhance comfort. Moreover, the color will be carefully chosen to minimize heat absorption, favoring lighter shades that reflect sunlight rather than absorb it. Additionally, the new uniform will include wide-brimmed hats and neck coverings to provide essential sun protection for the soldiers."

After saying that, Ciela nodded understandingly. "That's great…darling."

"Um... Ciela, the reason I'm sharing this with you is that I want you to oversee the production of those uniforms using our textile enterprises. I'm aware that our factories have undergone significant upgrades, with the addition of spinning machines, sewing machines, scutching machines, carding machines, dyeing machines, and woolen mill machines."

"Ahh…I see…I see," Ciela chortled. "How many uniforms do you want me to produce?"

"I'm thinking," Napoleon pondered for a moment, considering the capabilities of their textile enterprise. "Ciela, how many uniforms do you think our textile enterprise can produce?"

Ciela furrowed her brows, her mind quickly calculating the potential output. "Well, with the recent upgrades and efficient machinery, I believe we can produce a significant number of uniforms, perhaps thousands within a reasonable timeframe. However, to provide you with a more accurate estimate, I'll need to consult with the factory managers and assess their production capacities."

Napoleon nodded in agreement. "That sounds prudent. Please gather the necessary information and let me know as soon as possible. We need to ensure we have an ample supply of uniforms for our troops before embarking on the campaign."

"How much are you thinking anyway?" Ciela curiously asked.

"About one hundred thousand uniforms," Napoleon revealed. "I'm thinking of giving our soldiers a pair so as to ensure they have replacements and can maintain hygiene in the challenging conditions of Egypt."

"One hundred thousand huh? Very well, darling. "So, with the uniform settled, what do you want to implement next?"

"Right, as for the next order of business, another reason why the Egyptian campaign failed is because of dehydration and heat stroke. The cause of it…water. This is a relatively simple problem to solve, I'd want our soldiers to have two canteens of fresh water with them at all times. We'd need a new material, a plastic, more specifically polyethylene terephthalate. I believe Antoine Lavoviser can synthesize it with detailed instruction."

Ciela jotted down notes in her notebook. "I can't wait to see Monsieur Lavoisier's face when he receives these orders. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you'd want him to build a Haber-Borsch process facility for the ammunition of rifles and artillery, right?"

"That is right, my dear," Napoleon confirmed and continued. "Also, how are things going with the water treatment and station I told you to construct?"

After almost three decades in this world, Napoleon had become increasingly concerned about the quality of drinking water. He had developed a habit of boiling it before consumption, wary of the potential health risks. The city of Paris relied on various sources for its water supply, including the Seine River and wells. However, the water quality from these sources was far from satisfactory, posing a significant health risk to the population, particularly during outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

So instead of waiting to be crowned as the ruler of France, he found it prudent to build a water treatment plant and water station, using their own funds. They believed that it was worth an investment, as people would line up for clean and safe drinking water.

"It's progressing well," Ciela replied. "Just like every Parisian, we will source our water from the River Seine, and implement a comprehensive water treatment process to ensure its cleanliness and safety. And I don't think I have mentioned this to you before but the idea of indoor plumbing is starting to gain traction in Paris."

"Really? Now that's minus infrastructure projects for me in the future," Napoleon chuckled. "Okay, returning back to our discussion, now that we have a new uniform and clean water, the soldiers have to eat as well. During my campaign in Italy, My men and I would sometimes forage for food in the cities, but in Egypt, there'd be no city to plunder for provisions. So I'm thinking of introducing canned food to our troops," Napoleon suggested. "To do so, we need to find the man who pioneered it. He goes by the name Nicolas Appert, the father of food science. Draft a formal invitation, I want to see him in person."

"I'll do that later, but you left something more important, my dear," Ciela said. "So far you have addressed dehydration, heatstroke, and starvation. What about disease?"

"Oh yeah..." Napoleon chuckled, rubbing his head. "The diseases that plagued the troops of Egypt were trachoma, dysentery, malaria, and typhoid fever. It's crucial that we take proactive measures to educate the soldiers about these diseases and implement preventive strategies to minimize their impact. I will write pamphlets that provide detailed information on the symptoms, transmission, and effective prevention methods for each of these diseases. Proper hygiene practices will play a significant role in preventing the spread of these illnesses among our troops, so I'll emphasize the importance of maintaining good hygiene in the pamphlets. I believe…that's all. Let's get to work?"

"Yeah…"