Key words geological map of Italy – international

geological congresses – central office of meteorolo-gy – geodynamic service – seismological observato-ry of Ischia 1. Scientific competencies of the MAIC and correspondence in the earth sciences pre-served in the archive Decree no. 4192, 5th July 1860, which estab-lished the competencies of the Ministry of Agri-culture Industry and Commerce (MAIC), also introduced an activity of experimentation and study aimed at perfecting methods and tech-niques in the various economic sectors and at in-creasing agricultural and industrial education (Caracciolo, 1960). According to the prevalent opinion at the time, a good administration, «without taking the place of private forces», was supposed to «illuminate » and uphold the produc-tive world by assuming the burden of informing and diffusing technical and scientific knowledge (De Cesare, 1868). A division for general statis-tics is known to have been created under the MAIC since 1861. The meteorological, geologi-cal and seismic services for the new unitary State, instead, were initiated between the seven-ties and the eighties under the Department for Agriculture, which became General Directorate in 1883 (Eramo, 1995); hydrographical surveys pertaining to the whole national territory were al-Scientific correspondence in the archiv