FREE PORT OF STETTIN 
201 
1894 and the free port was officially opened in the year 1898. In 
1910 the second section of the free-port district, as contemplated in 
the original plan, was opened up. 
The port of Stettin is the largest Prussian port and the third port 
In importance in Germany. Its volume of traffic, however, has 
been considerably decreased through the cession of a considerable 
portion of the hinterland, which it formerly served, to other powers 
through the Versailles treaty. Considerable quantities of merchan- 
dise and raw material, which passed through Stettin en route to the 
ceded districts referred to, now pass through the port of Danzig and 
the recently established port of Gdingen. For the past two or three 
years the economic situation in farming has been unfavorable in the 
Province of Pommerania, of which Stettin is the capital, and this 
has also adversely affected the volume of shipping at this port. 
Port description.—The port of Stettin is located on the right bank 
of the Oder River west of Stettin, the principal parts of which are the 
so-called “‘Dunzig” docks and the free zone which together have an 
area of 61 hectares (1 hectare=2.470 acres) of which 22 hectares are 
water surface. The free zone has six sheds located on the quays 
with a total area of 43,680 square meters. - Each shed is 182 meters 
ong and 30 meters wide, and two sheds are equipped with cellars. 
These sheds serve for weighing, sorting, classifying, and the temporary 
storage of merchandise. For regular storage in bond there is a ware- 
house with six stories and a total of 3,640 square meters floor space. 
The free zone together with the Dunzig docks has 129 hydraulic 
and electric cranes, among which 75 have a capacity of 114 tons, 
27 of 214 tons, 2 of 10 tons, and 1 of 40 tons. The port area is 
amply equipped with railway facilities and connections. 
Administration.~—The port administration originally exercised by 
the municipality of Stettin is now in the hands of two port companies 
called the ““Stettiner Hafen-Gemeinschaft” and the ¢“Stettiner 
Hafenbetriebs-Gesellschaft G.m.b.H.” The members of the Hafen- 
Gemeinschaft are the city of Stettin and the State of Prussia, who 
are charged with the maintenance and upkeep of the docks and 
buildings, harbor improvements, as well as additional building and 
extensions of all kinds. The Hafenbetriebsgesellschaft consisting of 
the State of Prussia, the city of Stettin and the Stettin Chamber of 
Commerce has leased the port equipment and property for the 
durpose of warehousing, storing, and transit traffic. 
In the free district there are three entrances at which customs 
Buards are stationed, with guards at other points in the free area and 
Patrols along the boundaries. The guards are furnished by the 
Prussian customs administrative.