The government of Emperor Napoleon I of France redeemed many of the vacabili, which resulted in few remaining.
The Apostolic constitution Sapienti Consilio of Pope St. Pius X of 29 June 1908 reduced the Cancellaria Apostolica to a forwarding office (Ufficio di Spedizione) of a small personnel composed of the Cardinal Chancellor, Regent, Apostolic Prothonotaries, a notary, a secretary and archivist, a protocolist, and 4 amanuenses.