There is another consideration which makes for economy in a free port. A free port is a reshipment center. Commodities may be brought in large amounts to such free port in large steamers, and be distributed from there by short-haul, inexpensive boats.
Of the imports into the United States from Eng land more than one half, or in normal times ap proximately $150,000,000 worth has not been pro duced in 'England at all, but consists of reexportation of rubber from Brazil, cotton from Egypt, tin from Bolivia and the Dutch East Indies, wool from Aus tralia and other products foreign to English soil. A similar situation will be found if the exports of ports like Rotterdam, Bremen and Antwerp are examined.
Such ports also tend to become important consign ment centers, consignments being attracted by the cer tainty of a good market, good shipping connections and low charges. They are a distinct benefit to do mestic manufacturers, since an ample supply of raw material is thereby assured.
There is no reason why New York may not become even a larger re-shipment harbor than any of its European rivals, once the facilities for free and ef ficient movement of freight are established.
In most of the ports of the Orient the freight, even coal, is carried in and out of the vessels by men and women, labor being cheaper than machinery. Usu ally the facilities for storing are poor. The result is a long stay in port, a heavy expense to the shipper and in the long run a higher price to the consumer for the goads imported. Hongkong, being a free port, of fers a notable exception to this in all respects.
9. Loading and unloading is a long step from the generally primitive conditions of the East to modern ports equipped with the electric load ing and unloading devices. Large traveling cranes ride alongside the ship, one for each hatch, reach into the hold of the vessel, lift the cargo at the rate of 80 tons an hour for each crane and deposit it upon the railroad flat cars on the quay or on the smaller electric trucks which distribute it into the spacious freight sheds along the waterfront. Ten cranes of this type can easily unload from 6000 to 9000 tons a day. Machinery is in general use in the ports of England, Germany, France and Holland.
If we compare this rate of unloading with that of New Orleans, the best in this country, where 1500 tons are discharged during a day, it becomes at once clear what is meant by port efficiency. A ship un loading in a port equipped with these appliances can cut its stay to one-fourth of the time it would other wise require. Moreover, and this is of equal impor tance, the port's capacity to accommodate traffic is multiplied by four.
The economic importance of a quick "turnover" has been strikingly emphasized in the American trans port service during the great war. Cutting the stay in port proved a most effective method of increasing available tonnage. When the greatest of American transports first came over it took fifty-two days to unload her at Liverpool, according to a newspaper. The next trip was better, twenty-eight days. On the third trip it was decided to send her to a French port, where the Americans had begun to take things over. At the first arrival, 10,000 men and supplies were unloaded and the ship coaled and sent back in four days. On-the second trip the ship stayed in port three days. The third trip took forty-three hours and the fourth forty hours. This achievement is the result of mechanical perfection and centralized control.
In order to make such modern equipment effective the pier must be spacious, the sheds must have ample capacity so that freight may be moved away as soon as deposited by the crane and distributed according to destination or kind, for the convenience of inspec tion and reshipment.
Where no movable cranes are available the ship's tackle may be used. The masts of the ship and its booms form the crane while an auxiliary engine sup plies the power. Such tackle operates at a low cost and is fairly efficient, tho lacking in flexibility and reach.
On account of the narrow piers and the general use of the box car, American ports have very few cranes. Many piers have what is called a "cargo mast." The load is hoisted to deck by the ship's en gine and removed to the pier by the stationary engine on the pier. It is fairly economical, but cannot com pare with the crane which lifts, without rehandling, from shiphold to railroad car.