The study, through the documentation concerning publics works conserved at the Archivio di Stato di Milano, reconstruct the problematical planning of the Canal from Milan to Pavia (1805-1808) during the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy - militarily strategic for the transport of cannons produced in the Arsenal of Pavia - in order to comprehend why Giovanni Paradisi be removed from the Direction of the Department of Acque e Strade in 1809. Emerge that the resistance of departmental engineers was originated by traditional collusions existing with building contractors, that Vincenzo Brunacci, the planner, was checking through a new «Piano d’amministrazione» for the Canal. This opposition concerned apparently technical questions - like the literary work of Bruschetti affirm - like the opposition emerged by the general inspector from the Department of Ponts et Chaussées, in France, rival of Brunacci on the academic and scientific plan. But administrative documentation only testify that the engineers mislead Brunacci voluntarily on the plane of bureaucratic procedures, in order to determine his resignation.
Keywords: Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy; public works; engineers; canal from Milan to Pavia; contracts.