FOREIGN TRADE ZONES 41 (¢) If no water terminals have been constructed by the municipality or other existing public agency, there shall be included in his report an expression of opinion in general terms as to the necessity, pumber, and appropriate location of such a terminal or terminals. - (d) An investigation of the general subject of water terminals, with descriptions and general plans of terminals of appropriate types and construction for the harbors and waterways of the United States suitable for various commercial purposes and adapted to the varying conditions of tides, floods, and other physical characteristics. A definite policy with respect to water terminals was declared by Congress in the river and harbor act of March 2, 1919, in the following language: [t is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress that water terminals are essential at all cities and towns located upon harbors or navigable waterways and that at least one public terminal should exist, constructed, owned, and regulated by the municipality or other public agency of the State and open to the use of all on equal terms, and with the view of carrying out this policy to the fullest possible extent the Secretary of War is hereby vested with the dis- cretion to withhold, unless the public interests would seriously suffer by delay, monies appropriated in this act for new projects adopted herein, or for the fur- ther improvement of existing projects if, in his opinion, no water terminals exist adequate for the traffic and open to all on equal terms, unless satisfactory mssurances are received that local or other interests will provide such adequate lerminsal or terminals. The Secretary of War, through the Chief of Engineers, shall give full publicity, as far as may be practicable, to this provision. Both the physical and commercial conditions have a bearing upon the type of terminal which should be selected for any given locality. The War Department and the Shipping Board have frequently pointed out the necessity for making a complete economic study before any effort is made to decide upon the detailed plans for a proposed terminal. Not only must the terminal be adapted for the most economical handling and proper storage of the commodities which may logically be expected to move through it, but its capacity in relation to the volume of business available and the types and sizes of carriers to be used should not be overlooked. Section 8 of the act of June 5, 1920, made it the duty of the Shipping Board, in cooperation with the War Department, to make extensive investigations “with the object of promoting, encouraging, and developing ports and transportation facilities,” and it also authorized the board “to advise with communities regarding the appropriate location and plan of construction of wharves, piers, and water terminals, and to investigate the practicability and advantages of harbor, river, and port improvements in connection with foreign and coastwise trade.” The Shipping Board and the War Department have cooperated with local interests with respect to the location and design of ter- minal facilities. In some instances the terminals under consideration have amounted in effect to the establishment of a new and modern