ro~ 1t8 i= er val rts mn- n= a8’ ne ch ‘he ag in ed 1 sus =h ais All ‘ks ed he We we in \e T= 16 FREE PORT OF FIUME THE FREE PORT OF FIUME, ITALY "From Vice Consul Howard A. Bowman, Trieste, Italy] 227 Brief history.—Fiume has been an active commercial center since the remotest time and for centuries shared with Trieste the traffic with the Provinces of the old Austrian Empire. The opening up of a road across the Liburnian Corso in 1771 connected Fiume direct with the middle and lower basins of the Danube River through which passes the export traffic of Hungary. The port was officially declared a free port in 1719 and an artificial port was built in 1841 by means of a breakwater running parallel to the shore. In 1871 to 1883 work was continued, but it was soon found neces- sary to add new piers and quays, and in 1913, owing to the continued crease of the traffic, further measures for the enlargement of the port were under consideration. These plans were of necessity sus- pended by the outbreak of the World War. The port is sufficiently well equipped for its present requirements, but the erection of a lumber wharf is considered advisable. Location.—The port of Fiume is situated in the Gulf of Quarnaro at 45° 19” latitude N. and 14° 17" longitude E. of Greenwich. The Gulf of Quarnaro has an extension of about 150 square sea miles and a depth of 30 to 50 meters near Fiume. The port of Fiume s divided into six docks. Dimensions.—The principal basins have the following areas: Bquare meters cmem--- 102, 300 een. 104, 800 100, 400 154, 600 19. 000 All piers, or moles, start from the shore end and are perpendicular bo the quays in a north and south direction. They have the fol- lowing areas: Molo Palermo. Molo Napoli.. Molo Genova_._... Molo Ancona__.. _. Molo Adamich._ =... Molo San Marco_______. Molo Stocco... ______._.. Breakwater Amm. Cagni__ - Development of Quays.—The wharves have a length of about 6,000 Meters, of which 3,000 meters are provided with rails. Fifty steamers “an be moored alongside in addition to numerous small trading ves- els, Measurements are given below: Square meters een 7,680 9, 600 15, 200 12, 300 4, 000 1, 540 675 21, 048