FREE PORT OF HAMBURG 195 
mous overseas trade can not be overestimated. The free harbor, with 
its extensive storage accommodations, its low warehousing costs and 
handling charges, its facilities for repacking, refinishing, or actually 
manufacturing in the free port, constitutes the very center of Ham- 
burg’s commercial life, and Hamburg’s position as the leading port 
of northern Europe is inextricably bound up with the free port. It is 
impossible to disassociate Hamburg from the free port, even in one’s 
mind, as historically and commercially they are one. Should the 
free port be abolished, an unthinkable step, Hamburg would no longer 
be able to maintain its position as a world factor in the various com- 
modity markets, such as rice, jute, crude rubber, cocoa beans, hides 
and skins, and so forth. The port doubtless would continue to be 
used, but merely as a port of entry for goods being shipped into 
Germany. The paramount importance of the free port is indicated 
by the jealousy with which the free-port privileges were guarded when 
Hamburg became a part of the German Empire. 
Influence of the free port on the development of the merchant marine.— 
It is not believed that the existence of the free harbor at Hamburg 
has directly assisted in the development of Germany’s merchant 
marine, though its influence in increasing shipping has indirectly 
had an enormous effect in this direction. 
ale 
Port charges, tonnage dues, ete. 
Port charges: Marks 
Harbor dues, per net cubic meter... - .-- 0.10 
Sailing and motor vessels up to 400 net cubic meters, sailing vessels of 
more than 400 net cubic meters, vessels of all kinds trading in the 
Baltic and North Seas (including Norway, United Kingdom, French 
ports as far as Le Havre), per net cubic meter ....-.—-_..--- 
Half of these charges are payble for vessels carrying goods of low 
commercial value, such as timber, stones, cement, sand, ore, herrings, 
ete., vessels not arriving from sea and leaving the port for sea; vessels 
arriving in ballast from sea but leaving the port loaded with cargo; 
vessels, cargo of which were exclusively taken on board in German 
ports; vessels entering the port for bunkering purposes, for repairs, on 
account of ice, bad weather, damage, etc., or arriving in ballast and 
leaving the port in ballast are free of any charge. 
Tonnage dues, payable per net cubic meter for each day vessels take up 
their berth alongside the quay for loading and/or discharging purposes: 
Forall vessels  _ coor co comma = mmm - RO | | 
For vessels trading between Hamburg and Spain, Portugal, Morocco, 
and Mediterranean ports, after the fourth voyage... _. __. ._____ 
For vessels trading between Hamburg and west and north European 
continental ports, including United Kingdom ports, after the tenth 
VOYage omen -- [I 
No tonnage dues will be charged for vessels exclusively loading goods 
discharged from other vessels alongside the same quay.