J 
FOREIGN TRADE ZONES 
TERMINAL FACILITIES 
To secure the full advantages of free zones, they must afford the 
most economical facilities for loading, unloading, handling, storing, 
and for reshipment by water, rail, and highway. The free zones in 
European ports usually offer better facilities than the customs zone. 
At some of our ports many of the terminal facilities were designed 
many years ago and are not suitable to the needs of the modern ocean 
steamship. To be economical a terminal must fit the traffic which 
is to use it. It must take into consideration the needs of the ships 
as well as the needs of the cargo, and it must provide the most effi- 
cient articulation of land and water routes. The establishment of 
free ports would give an opportunity to construct new facilities 
adapted to the needs of modern shipping. 
In connection with the investigations of proposed river and harbor 
improvements, Congress has indicated its desire that the question 
of terminal development be given full consideration. The act of 
March 4, 1913, required that all reports on such improvements 
should contain information upon the following: 
The existence and establishment of both private and public terminal and trans- 
fer facilities contiguous to the navigable water proposed to be improved, and, if 
water terminals have been constructed, the general location, description, and 
ase made of the same, with an opinion as to their adequacy and efficiency, 
whether private or public. If no public terminals have been constructed, or if 
they are inadequate in number, there shall be included in the report an opinion 
in general terms as to the necessity, number and appropriate location of the same, 
and also the necessary relations of such proposed terminals to the development 
of commerce. 
The act of July 18, 1928, contained further legislation on this 
subject, as follows: 
Sec. 7. That hereafter the Chief Engineers, United States Army, shall indicate 
in his annual reports the character of the terminal and transfer facilities existing 
on every harbor or waterway under maintenance or improvement by the United 
States, and state whether they are considered adequate for existing commerce. 
He shall also submit one or more special reports on this subject, as soon as possible, 
including, among other things, the following: 
(a) A brief description of such water terminals, including location and the 
suitability of such terminals to the existing traffic conditions, and whether such 
terminals are publicly or privately owned, and the terms and conditions under 
which they may be subjected to public use. 
(b) Whether such water terminals are connected by a belt or spur line of rail- 
road with all the railroads serving the same territory or municipality, and whether 
such connecting railroad is owned by the public and the conditions upon which 
the same may be used, and also whether there is an interchange of traffic between 
the water carriers and the railroad or railroads as to such traffic which is carried 
partly by rail and partly by water to its destination, and also whether improved 
and adequate highways have been constructed connecting such water terminal 
with the other lines of highways.