PORT ADMINISTRATION

centralization of the administration of the ports of a
country in a Government department, and is very largely
exemplified in France and Italy, on the continent of Europe,
in South Africa, and, in a modified form, in the United
States. Only rarely, as in the Dominion of South Africa,
where there is a special Ministry of Railways and Harbours,
is the control complete to the exclusion of outside co-
operation. More generally, as in France and Italy, the
Government assume charge of, and responsibility for, the
construction and maintenance of the outer protective
works of a port (breakwaters and moles) the navigable
approach channels and the quays, basins and docks, both
wet and dry. The actual working and exploitation of
the ports in such cases is committed to a local body, such
as the Chamber of Commerce, or a specially constituted
consortium. The local body provides transit sheds and
warehouses, granaries and cold stores, and the quayside
working equipment—cranes, handling appliances and the
like. Such is the kind of system which, in a general way,
prevails throughout France and Italy ; though it must be
admitted that there are some exceptions and that, in
recent years, a tendency has been exhibited in favour of a
fuller degree of local autonomy.

State control is not directly in evidence in the British
Isles. In the domain of port administration, the British
people have not followed the path of government tutelage
and their port undertakings are either self supporting or,
at any rate, receive no direct state aid, financial or other-
wise. They are, in fact, products of local initiative and
enterprise, independent of Government supervision, though,
in certain cases, representatives of Government departments
have seats on the controlling board. Generally speaking,
the principle adopted is that of allowing each locality to
solve its own problems and work out its own destiny,
without interference and without financial assistance.
As an unimportant exception to the rule, small fishery
harbours occasionally receive grants from the Treasury

OI