Companhia dos Canaes d’Azambuja:

Abstract

In 1844, a group of Portuguese capitalists created the Companhia dos Canaes da Azam­buja, with the purpose to build the Azambuja Ditch, navigable all year round, and improve its drainage capacity during the periodic flooding of the Tagus River. The works, which were never completed, were financed by an innovative partnership between the government and the Com­panhia’s shareholders, and technical assistance by Italian experts. This paper, mainly based on archival documentation and the press, analyses the establishment of the Companhia, the contract signed with the Portuguese government and the role played by Italian legal experts and engineers.