1852 - 1852

Creation of the “Ministry of Public Works, Trade and Industry”

This decree dated 30^th August 1852, signed by Queen Dona Maria II created and established the initial organization of the Ministry of Public Works, Trade, and Industry, being António Maria Fontes Pereira de Melo, the first to hold the post of minister. All services related to public works and economic promotion have been concentrated in this new Ministry, until then under the responsibility of the different offices of the Ministry of the Kingdom.

The founding decree assigned him the following services: General Secretariat and Private Office of the Minister; Directorate of Public Works and Mines; Directorate of Trade, Agriculture and Manufacturing and the Department of Accounting. The Directorate of Trade and Industry, in turn, consisted of four offices: Central, Agriculture, Commerce and Manufacturing.

The Trade Office was composed of 3 sections, the first of which was aimed at: preparation of laws, decrees, regulations on internal and external trade, companies and public limited companies, banks, savings banks and associations, insurance, trade police for fairs and markets and other public places.

In this way, insurances became part of the new Ministry, but subject to regulation by the Portuguese Commercial Code.

Source
Business of the Kingdom Ministry decree creating a new Ministry called Public Works, Trade and Industry, a General Council of Public Works and setting its organization, 30th August 1852

Document caption
“Diário do Governo”, nº 206, de 1 de setembro de 1852
Image provided by ANTT