FUKUZAWA also blamed Count Kaishu KATSU, who took the post as kaiguntaifu (a vice-minister of the navy), kaigunkyo (the chief of the navy) and sumitsu komonkan (the adviser of the Privy Council); because of things like this, he held a critical viewpoint on the former shogun's retainers who became government officials.
福澤は海軍大輔、海軍卿、枢密顧問官などを務めた伯爵勝海舟も同書で攻撃しており、官職に就いた旧幕臣を批判的視点で見ていた。