LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL 
UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD, 
Washington. February 20, 1929. 
Mr. Georce Parson, 
Acting Director, Bureau of Operations, Washington, D. C. 
Dear Str: At the instance of the Shipping Board, the joint pro- 
gram of activities in progress between the board and War Depart- 
ment has been extended to include a study of the probable effect en 
shipping and terminal development of the establishment of free ports 
or foreign trade zones in the United States. 
The question of establishing foreign trade zones or free ports in this 
country has been of interest to the shipping public for some time and 
has been before Congress on a number of occasions, and is now again 
before that body as a result of bills having been introduced by some 
of its members. It was with a view to developing full information 
regarding the practicability of the establishment of such ports that 
this study has been made. It has been the aim of those making 
the investigation to present in a succinct and impartial way the 
facts as they exist and to avoid all argumentative and partisan 
statements. 
The investigation has been general in scope and has sought merely 
to point out the effects produced by the establishment of such ports 
on shipping and terminal facilities in foreign countries in order to 
furnish a basis for judgment as to whether, if they were established 
in the United States, the same results could be looked for. 
The report having been completed, I take pleasure in transmitting 
same herewith and recommend that it be approved. 
Respectfully, 
Samuel R. HoweLy, 
In Charge Domestic Port Surveys, 
Port Facilities Ihvision. 
Approved. 
GeorcE Parson, 
Acting Director, Bureau of Operations, 
United States Shipping Board. 
UIT