ABSTRACT
The statistical work of the prefectoral administration represents an extraordinarily rich historical source, its value extending beyond providing figures for ascertaining trends in industry and agriculture. In recent years, the work of Stuart Woolf in particular has demonstrated that the statistics can illuminate the nature of the Napoleonic regime itself, its priorities and its bureaucratic processes. 1 Furthermore, the statistical work of the prefects remains a privileged site for understanding the relationship between the prefectoral administration and local society.
