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.