California is easily the richest nation in North America. With silver mining in Arizona and the gold rush in California the Bear Flag Empire has managed to accumulate more wealth than any of its neighboring countries.
Described below are some of the industries and businesses in this great western Empire.
The California Empire mints its own currency. The chief monetary unit is the Imperial Dollar. Mints are located in San Francisco, Monterey, Los Angeles, Eugene, and Virginia City.
Coinage is minted in 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cent pieces as well as in 1, 2½, 5, 10, and 20 dollar values. The face of each coin carries the portrait of the reigning monarch; their name latinized, for example: NORTON I IMPERATOR; the word "Eureka" and the date of issuance. The reverse bears the words "California Empire"; the amount of the coinage in both written form and arabic numerals; an image or picture of some sort decided upon by the Imperial Mint and identifier of place of minting.
Coins of quarter dollar value are minted in silver, half dollar or more are minted in gold.
| Denomination | Reverse Image |
| One Cent | Indian upon horseback |
| Five cents | Minerva |
| Ten cents | Condor |
| Twenty-five cents | "25 cents" surrounded by wheat stalks |
| Fifty cents* | "50 cents" and cornucopia |
| One dollar* | Great Seal of the Empire |
| Two and a half dollar* | Great Seal of the Empire and Two Faces |
| Five dollars* | "N" with crown surrounded by wreath |
| Ten dollars* | Grizzly Bear |
| Twenty dollars* | Grizzly Bear and Two Faces |
*=some times refered to as "Bruins"
The California dollar bill is minted in the amounts of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars. The front of each bears a portrait of the reigning monarch and their name on the right third of the bill. The remainder of the face is dominated by the words "THE CALIFORNIA EMPIRE", "IMPERIAL MINT", "THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTON I" and "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private."; along with the denomination, in both english words and arabic numerals; the signatures of the Monarch, the Treasurer of the Empire and Secretary of the Treasury; and the seals of both the Department of the Treasury and the Mint at which the dollar was minted.
The reverse bears a portrait or image in the right third, as well as an image, usually a portrayal of life within the Empire or a significant historical event, upon the remaining two-thirds of the back. A new image or portrait is printed every three years.
| Denomination | Reverse Image |
| One Dollar | Emperor Norton I/Great Seal of the Empire |
| Five Dollar | John C. Fremont/Sierra Nevada Range |
| Ten Dollar | John A. Sutter, Lord Helvetia/Sutter's Mill |
| Twenty Dollar | The Empress Consort/San Francisco |
| Fifty Dollar | Junipero Serra/Santa Barbara Mission |
| One Hundred Dollar | Indian Chief/Map of the California Empire |
California is unusually rich in minerals, timber and wildlife. The soil and climate make it possible for California farmers to grow a wide variety of crops year-round.
California is the major exporter of gold, silver, mercury, boron, copper, iron ore, lead, magnesium and zinc in North America. California is also a leading producer of lumber and paper products.
In manufactured goods glass and lumber are the leading exports from California. The rich boron mines have permitted an explosive growth in top quality glass manufacturing which is renowned throughout the world.
Major aerial lines are defined at those companies owning six or more airships.
The Aerial Steam Navigation Company (ASN) is the largest airship line, owning and operating ten airships. It owns and leases four airships to other companies. ASN operates its own aerial shipyard and factory adjacent to the Imperial Oakland Aerodrome. While there are many companies vying to build airships for the burgeoning aerial travel market, ASN is currently the largest builder, with orders continually coming in.
The Imperial Oakland Aerodrome
The Imperial Oakland Aerodrome is the biggest aerodrome in North America. Situated at the foot of the Emperor Norton Bridge it is easily assessable to travelers from San Francisco. Covering several acres of Bay-front land, it is divided into three fields.
The North Field is bordered three sides by twelve hangers which service the small aerial lines. At the center of the field are four mooring masts.
The West Field is dominated by five massive hangers, each capable of holding four of the largest airships now in service. The hangers are arranged in a semi-circle from east to west, with a hanger in at the northeast, north and northwest cardinal positions. All the hangers are connected by tracks which ease the handling of the airships. A smaller movable sixth hanger, the landing hanger, running on the tracks, is usually located upon a rotating platform at the center of the semi-circle.
When an airship arrives it approaches facing the wind and heads towards a movable mooring mast on the center platform. After being pulled down by the landing crew and locked to the mast, it is then pulled into the landing hanger. Once inside the airship and hanger are rotated by the platform to face the hanger that the airship will be docked in. The entire assembly then moves across the tracks towards that hanger and the airship its transferred to its final docking space. The procedure is reversed on departures.
The South Field is immediately adjacent to the Aerial Steam Navigation Company's aerial shipyard and this is were airships are test flown.
Newport Aeronautical Shipbuilding Association
The Newport Aeronautical Shipbuilding Association is a company founded by the Californian Aeronautical League (CAL), an Empire-wide organization of hobbyists who love flying. Originally founded by Cecil Timberlake, president of the Newport Aeronautical Association of Newport (Oregon), the Association has recently entered the field of airship construction and moved its base of operations to Eugene. Aside from the Aerial Steam Navigation Company, the Association receives the next largest amount of airship contracts from the Imperial Aerial Service.
The Association runs a library full of books and reports on flying from all over the world and a research lab which is one of the recognized centers of airship development.
The CAL annually sponsors the Eugene to Portland Grand Air Race, also known as the Chadwick Cup, for its members and any others wishing to enter.
By 1877 airships have become the pride and envy of every metropolis. For this reason aerial shipyards companies dot the nation. Below are a few of the more prominent companies.
The California Pacific, Southern Pacific and Great Northern Pacific Railroad are known as the "Military Rails" since they were built, or being built, by the Imperial Army's Department of Railroads and Transportation. The rails were built to permit rapid Army access to the coast, the interior of the Northwest, the Mexican border and far flung military bases.
There are several dozen steamship companies and hundreds of independent traders that ply the waterways of the Bear Flag Empire. Towns along the coast that are not served by rail receive their goods by coastal ferries. Many of the navigable rivers and inland waterways support large amounts of waterborne trade. Below are listed some of the more prominenet steamship companies.
Many armament companies supply the armies of California, nearly twenty separate rifle and munitions companies in 1836, and the number grew greatly until 1856. In 1856 William Winchester opened a rifle factory in San Jose, California and brought the standardization of armament works to California's weapon manufacturers. As of 1877, the majority of Imperial Army contracts go to:
This is excluding the six government Royal Arsenals that produce weapons for the armed services.
The majority of communication throughout the Empire is done by post or telegraph. Many large banks, businesses and the Government also employ pantelegraphic machines. News may be distributed by telegraph wire and printed by Edison Teletypes. Messages are sent by quadruplex telegraph.
Beaten by Alexander Graham Bell by two hours in acquiring a U.S. Patent for the telephone, Elisha Gray secures a Californian patent. Emigrating to California in 1878 he will lead the development of the telephone system and service. The California Telephone and Telegraph Company is founded in 1879.
And for those of you who really want to know the Analytical Engines in California use Emile Baudot's binary code, five bits to represent characters.