224 FOREIGN TRADE ZONES

Statistics.—There are no available statistics concerning the free
port, but it may be stated that the amount of business therein was
approximately 25 times greater in 1927 than in 1923, the year of
inaugurating the operations.

THE FREE PORT OF VIGO, SPAIN
{From Consul Walter H, McKinney, Vigo, Spain]

The port of Vigo was made a free port by a royal decree dated
October 22, 1918. The organization of the port, in the manner prescribed
 in the royal decree, was effected about five years later, and
approved by the central government in the Gaceta de Madrid dated
March 4, 1923.
The corporation which controls and administers the free deposit of
the port is known as the “consortium,” and is composed of the municipality
 of Vigo, the chamber of commerce, the board of public works,
and certain private interests. An executive committee is made up of
representatives of each of these interests.
Powers of the consortium.—The consortium has full powers to issue
ponds up to a total of 2,000,000 pesetas, buy or rent property, con
struct buildings, control the operations of the deposit, and prescribe
the tariffs charged for handling merchandise therein, etc.
Under the charter granted by the Government, merchandise entering
 the free port is not subject to customs duties, and the following
operations are permitted within the depot when they are performed
according to the regulations of the consortium and under the vigilance
of those in charge.
The changing of containers; the division or repacking of goods;
mixing of different kinds; the decorticating and roasting of coffee and
cocoa; the stretching of hides; the crushing of woods; the washing of
wool; and in general all operations which will increase the value of
the deposited merchandise without essentially varying its nature.
Present status of the free-port activities.—Since the publication of
the decree approving the organization of the port, however, nothing
has been done, as far as the writer can ascertain, toward putting inte
effect the provisions of the charter. No land has been acquired, 2°
piers or building constructed, no guards or overseers employed, nor
any goods, with the exception of a few small shipments of Americal
raw cotton in transit to Portugal, warehoused.
A member of the consortium states that some construction will be
started in the near future, but as far as the free port is actually co?
cerned, it may be said not to be operative.