Three days later, in the Arsenal de Brest, the harbor was active long before noon.
The commissioning ceremonies had ended, but Brest had not quieted. If anything, the naval yard had become even busier. Warships that had just entered service were now taking on provisions, ammunition, spare parts, and trained personnel. Dock cranes swung back and forth above the piers. Steam drifted from funnels in short bursts. Officers walked the quays with clipboards and manifests in hand while shipyard workers hauled crates toward waiting gangways.
Napoleon II arrived in a automobile and stepped out near the main embarkation basin.
This section of the harbor had been cleared for the departing East Asia mission.
