I just read that Britain created a civil service position in 1805 -- the guy's job was to stand on the cliffs of Dover with a spyglass and keep watch in case Napoleon mounted an invasion of the British Isles.
The position was eventually eliminated.
In 1945.
The position was eventually eliminated.....I TOLD him, “If you DO see Napolean coming don’t tell anyone or you’ll lose your job!” Did he listen? NOOOOO.
Believe they called it department of “The Internal Navy”
Look up Anthony Trollop, he wrote a book about that, which i read a month ago.