PORT AUTHORITY. For Great Britain the discussion of the constitution and powers of the different port authorities will be found in the articles on the various ports, e.g., London, Liver. pool, etc. The American Port Authority, in many respects pe culiar, calls for special discussion. The American Association of Port Authorities issued, in April 1927, a port authorities directory for North America which indicated the adoption by an increasing number of American ports of some modification of the form of government established at European ports, notably at London and Liverpool. All facilities on the San Francisco water-front are owned by the State of California and operated by the board of State harbour commissioners. The State guarantees the bonds issued, the principal and interest of which are payable from har bour revenue. No funds are raised by taxation and the harbour has been self-supporting since its inception. Under the 1925 char ter for the city of Los Angeles, the board of harbour commissioners has possession and control of the entire water-front. It may col lect rates or charges for the use of facilities in connection with commerce and navigation, may acquire and operate such facilities and has power to regulate and control the construction, mainte nance, operation or use of any such facility. An Act approved on March 14, 1911, authorizes the establishment of port districts in the various counties of the State of Washington, and the port of Seattle exists under this Act. It is a municipal corporation and has power to levy taxes and to issue bonds. It may acquire lands, etc. and exercise the right of eminent domain. Commissioners are elected. The port of Portland was established and incorporated by the laws of 1891. It has broad powers, among which are full control of the Willamette and Columbia rivers between Portland and the sea to the extent of the State's control, the right of eminent domain, the power to levy regular and special taxes on the property within the district and to bond the district to provide funds for carrying on its operations. The port of Houston, Texas,
is operated by the navigation and canal commission. The board controls the commercial activities of the port and the maintenance and construction of the terminal facilities. A director of the port serves under the commissioners. The board of commissioners of the port of New Orleans was created by a Louisiana statute enacted in 1896. The board administers the public wharf system, has con structed and operates a public cotton warehouse, public grain ele vator, public coal and bulk commodity handling plant and the great inner harbour navigation canal. The bond issues from Jan. I, 1908, to Dec. 1, 1923, totalled $39,750,000, of which there had been redeemed as of Aug. 31, 1927, $980,000. The Virginia As sembly in 1926 created the State port authority of Virginia, super seding the Hampton Roads port commission. The board of har bour commissioners for the city of Wilmington, Del., an agency of the mayor and council of Wilmington, was created in 1917 by an Act of the General Assembly, which Act was amended in 1921 and 1925. In 1925 the commissioners were authorized to prepare a plan for the improvement of the water-front and to increase the harbour and shipping facilities of the city, and, after approval of the plan by the council, to proceed to acquire land, etc. The board was given authority to fix rates and charges for wharfage and other services rendered in the loading and unloading of vessels, as well as warehouse and storage charges. The Albany port district com mission was created by the legislature of New York in 1925. It has broad powers to lease or construct and maintain and operate port facilities, to acquire real property, to contract with munici palities for the construction of port facilities, issue bonds, fix rates, charges and wharfage for the use of all port facilities and collect charges for facilities owned by the district. Provision for tax in the several municipalities in the port district is made.