Portland is a splendid example of a successful port at an inland point formerly inaccessible to deep-draft ocean vessels. The port is situated on both banks of the Willamette River, at the head of deepwater navigation, 13 miles from the confluence of that river with the Columbia River, and 113 miles distant from the ocean. The present Government project for the improvement of the channel across the bar at the mouth of the Columbia River was adopted in 1905 and provides for an entrance channel 40 feet deep at mean lower low water and of suitable width to meet the requirements of commerce. Portland is the leading wheat and lumber exporting port of the Pacific coast. This is due in a large measure to the favorable rail rates applicable from the wheat-producing districts of the Columbia Basin, the increasing tendency to ship western grain through Pacific coast ports, and the port's proximity to the heaviest remaining timber stands in the United States. In view of these facts it is believed that Portland will continue to hold its position of supremacy with respect to these two commodities.

During the 9-year period from 1922 to 1930, inclusive, the total commerce of Portland averaged 8,195,312 tons per year. The foreign commerce amounted to 18.1 per cent of the total business of the port, while the domestic commerce accounted for 81.9 per cent. Of the total business during the period mentioned imports comprised 1.5 per cent, exports 16.6 per cent, coastwise receipts 26.8 per cent, coastwise shipments 10.1 per cent, and internal traffic 45 per cent. Copra during the period mentioned was 25.1 per cent of the total imports and wheat 48.9 per cent of the exports. The domestic coastwise receipts, averaging 2,200,129 tons per year, included petroleum products to the amount of 1,711,803 tons annually. Other domestic receipts were iron and steel and sugar and cement. In addition to this, however, there was a long list of miscellaneous articles of all kinds received. The principal domestic coastwise shipments, averaging 828,279 tons per annum, included forest products to the amount of 399,862 tons and grain and its products to the amount of 161,953 tons, while paper and paper products averaged 113,498 tons annually for the period. As in the case of the receipts, there was also a substantial outbound coastwise movement of miscellaneous commodities. Logs, together with piling, constituted the chief item in the internal traffic. Other commodities in this movement were sand and gravel, other forest products, petroleum products, and stone.

Exclusive of oil and lumber carriers, the port is served by a total of 55 steamship lines, which furnish regular service to the Far East, Australia, South Africa, South America, Hawaii, Mexico, and Caribbean and European ports. There are also regular coastwise and intercoastal services to and from the port as well as numerous tramp