FREE PORT OF DANZIG 147
Utility —No manufacturing, or merchandizing, or shipbuilding is
Provided for or permitted in the free harbor. Goods unloaded from
vessels may be stored in the warehouses without customs clearances,
and may be repacked so long as this involves no industrial operation.
A special set, of books must be maintained by the importers covering
Such transactions. Ship repairs are permitted, but no plant is
stalled for this purpose.
From these facts it can be seen that the free harbor serves little
More than a convenient form of bonded warehouse. In actual prac-
tice it has been used mainly during the recent years for the handling
of bulk cargoes for which no free harbor was necessary but for which
the free harbor cranes offer means of handling, lacking in other parts of
the port crowded by similar cargoes. This is seen in the only statis-
ties of operation in the free harbor obtainable from the harbor board.
According to these statistics, the following goods were handled at
the free harbor during the year of 1927: 1,350,000 tons of coal, 176,000
tons of phosphate, 1,308 tons of ore, 45,000 tons of scrap metal, and
37,000 tons of merchandise. Only in the latter item is seen operations
for which the free harbor is especially destined. Various importers
Stock goods in the warehouses of the free harbor pending sale, when
they are cleared of customs duties and delivered. Failing such sale,
they are sometimes returned to the sender, when no customs manipu-
“4tion is necessary. Any bonded warehouse could, however, serve
the same function.
Influence.—Because of the conditions outlined above, the estab-
lishment of the free harbor at Danzig can not be said to have had much
fluence of any kind in the development of the foreign trade of the
Port of Danzig and none in the development of the Danzig merchant
Marine, This may be due to its restricted functions. The importa-
tion of goods for manufacture and reexport is handled by a form of
rawback, whereby the need for a free harbor is eliminated.
Dispatch, of vessels.—The time of loading and unloading vessels
Varies with the size of the vessel, the cargo, and the number of laborers
and cranes available, as in other parts of the port of Danzig where
Smilar working conditions exist. The harbor board state that no
Werage can be given, but report in practice that one steamer unloaded
1,620 tons of ore in 47 working hours and another 300 tons of merchan-
dise i, 19 working hours.
(Enclosure)
R (Translated by Military Intelligence Division, General Staff)
BGULATIONS CONCERNING THE FREE DISTRICT OF NEUFAHRWASSER
Wo following regulations concerning the free district of Neufahrwasser are
ton lay the bases of articles 107, paragraph 2, and 167, paragraph 2, of the cus-
Of the . of the union of July 1, 1869 (B. G. Bl, p. 817), as well as of the resolution
ederal council of October 24, 1895 (art. 565 of the minutes).
