54

WAREHOUSES  IN  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES.

wines,  and  cereals.  Whether  Americans  make  use  of  these  warehouses ­
  can  not  be  stated.  All  nationalities  are  treated  alike.  Goods
are  not  allowed  to  remain  in  bond  for  more  than  five  years.
I  inclose  herewith  a  pamphlet  containing  the  rules  and  regulations
with  reference  to  bonded  warehouses  of  the  German  Empire,  and  also
forms  for  the  various  applications. 0
Richard  Guenther,
C  onsul-  General.
Frankfort,  Germany,  July  15,  WO1+.

HAMBURG.
(From  United  States  Consul-General  Pitcairn,  Hamburg,  Germany.)
Bonded  warehouses  in  Hamburg  should  be  divided  into  two  classes,
those  within  the  free  harbor,  and  those  in  the  city  proper,  within
the  German  Customs  Union.
the  free  port  and  the  warehouse  company.
The  majority  of  the  warehouses  in  the  free  harbor  are  owned  and
conducted  by  the  Hamburger  Freihafen-Lagerhaus-Gesellsehaft
(Hamburg  Free  Harbor  Warehouse  Company),  which  was  organized ­
  in  1855  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  (under  the  supervision  of  the
Hamburg  government)  and  conducting  warehouses  within  the  free
port  district.  On  October  15,  1888,  Hamburg  and  its  surroundings
were  formally  annexed  to  the  German  Customs  Union,  with  the
exception  of  an  area  of  about  2,500  acres  of  land  and  water,  which
was  reserved  for  the  free  harbor.
The  free  port  district  embraces  the  North  Elbe  at  Hamburg,  the
harbors  and  quays  there,  together  with  a  part  of  the  adjoining
streets  and  blocks  of  houses,  and  the  islands  in  the  River  Elbe
opposite  the  city,  including  the  island  of  Steinwarder.  Inside
this  free  harbor  district,  which  is  guarded  along  the  borders  by  customs ­
  officers,  the  movement  of  vessels  and  merchandise  is  exempt
from  every  customs  control,  and  the  unlimited  construction  of  industrial ­
  establishments  is  permitted.  Buildings  belonging  to  the  free
port  are  not  allowed  to  be  used  for  retail  trade  or  for  dwellings,  with
the  exception  of  those  necessary  for  warehouse  keepers  and  for  port,
customs,  and  police  officers.
The  building  ground,  in  area  321,000  square  feet,  prepared  for
building  and  encircled  by  quay  walls  by  the  city,  wins  leased  by  the
finance  department  of  Hamburg  to  the  Ereihafcn-Lagerhaus-Gesellschaft
  for  the  period  of  its  existence.  The  capital  stock  of
the  company  was  fixed  at  9,000,000  marks  ($2,142,000),  divided  into
9,000  shares  of  1,000  marks  ($238)  each.  The  storage  and  manipulation ­
  of  goods  and  the  letting  of  whole  floors  were  made  subject  to  a
tariff  approved  by  the  Senate.  The  company  has  the  right,  and  ma.V
be  obliged  by  the  Senate,  to  issue  transferable  warrants  for  the  goods
stored  with  it,  according  to  regulations  approved  by  the  Senate.  For

a  On  file  in  the  Bureau  of  Statistics,  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor.