"That's right! The Minister often spends entire nights in the office handling documents. Each time, he lets us leave first, and then he handles the remaining work alone. Sometimes, he doesn't rest for several consecutive days. We've become accustomed to it!"
The Secretary of State's words were full of respect, indicating that the Minister appointed by Jerome Bonaparte had gained the unanimous recognition of the Ministry of the Navy in a very short time.
For someone who is relatively new to the Ministry of the Navy to serve as Minister of the Navy and coordinate the entire department is indeed challenging. It requires a firm hand as well as leading by example.
Jean Etienne Theodore Dico, born into a merchant family in Bordeaux Province, inherited the family business upon reaching adulthood and became a shipyard owner in his port city. During his career as a businessman, he accumulated substantial wealth and established a certain amount of prestige locally.
