FREE PORT OF BREMEN 
163 
Schiff und Maschinenbau A. G.) has only one small floating dock and 
8 small repair shop in the free port. - 
Influence of free port on the development of foreign trade.—~Although 
the Bremen free port was only established in 1884, the importance of 
Bremen in foreign trade may be said to be due in a very large degree 
to a “free port.” In 1884 Bremen first agreed to enter the German 
Zollverein (or customs union), and prior to that date the city State 
had constituted, in actual fact, a free port, as it did not recognize 
the establishment of any tariffs by the Kingdoms of Prussia or 
Hanover or by the German Confederation. Bremen’s importance as 
8 commercial and transshipment center was therefore largely due to 
the fact that it was a free port. This fact was recognized by the 
immediate establishment of a free zone in the Bremen port simul- 
taneously with the entry of Bremen into the German Customs Union 
In 1888. 
Influence of the free port on the development of the merchant marine.— 
The development of foreign trade for Bremen has been synonymous 
with the development of the merchant marine. The North German 
Lloyd Steamship Co., the Roland Line, the Hansa Line, the Neptune 
Line, the Bremen-Hamburg-Africa Line, and other well-known ship- 
owning firms have been able to do an enormous business in freight, 
Probably in a large degree as a result of the freedom of Bremen from 
all customs tariffs before 1884 and the prompt establishment of free 
Ports upon the entry of Bremen in the customs union in 1888. It 
should be pointed out, however, that the Bremen steamship companies, 
particularly the North German Lloyd, have not only benefited from 
the free port but have been instrumental in its establishment and 
influential in its operation. 
Statistics.—Considerable quantities of goods arrive in Bremen 
from foreign countries which are not unloaded in the free zone. The 
Bremen statistical authorities do not compile separate statistics for 
the movement of goods through the free port alone. However, it 
hag been ascertained from the port authorities that practically all 
foreign goods arriving in Bremen come through the free zone with the 
exception of the following four commodities: Grain, lumber, ores and 
Mineral oils, and oil nuts. The total value and quantities of goods 
arriving at the port of Bremen by sea each year since 1899 have been 
obtained and the values of the four commodities in question during 
the same years have also been calculated and deducted therefrom. 
The result should give the approximate figures of the commerce 
through the Bremen free port. Figures can not be obtained for the 
Years prior to 1899, as the statistics were kept differently then and 
Ae useless for purposes of comparison. 
3 oe oe +