30                                Laws of Maryland                          [Ch. 2

amended by Chapter 758 of the Acts of 1958, and Sections 821 to 826,
both inclusive, subtitle "Harbors, Docks and Wharves", and Section
641, sub-title "Harbor, Docks and Wharves" of the Code of Public
Local Laws of Baltimore City (1949 Edition), being Article 4 of the
Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland, title "Baltimore City"; any
such agreement may provide for the transfer from time to time to the
Authority by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore of such
officers, including the Harbor Engineer of Baltimore City, or such
employees of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore as may be
necessary or convenient for the purpose of enabling the Authority to
perform and carry out the duties undertaken by the Authority pur-
suant to such agreement; and every such officer, including the Har-
bor Engineer of Baltimore City, and every such employee of the City
of Baltimore who is covered by and subject to the provisions of the
City Service Commission of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore
as a classified employee thereunder, who shall be transferred shall,
without further examination or restriction, thereafter be entitled to
all the rights and privileges and subject to all the provisions of
Article 64A of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Such transfer of
an officer, including the Harbor Engineer of Baltimore City, or of
such an employee shall be without diminution of salary or status as
to each such respective officer, including the Harbor Engineer of
Baltimore City, or of such employee, and the transfer, so far as
reasonably possible, shall be to a position of comparable rank and
responsibility. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the
contrary, such transferred officers, including the Harbor Engineer
of Baltimore City, or such employees shall be and become eligible
for membership in the Employees' Retirement System of the State
of Maryland, and all rights of the officer, including the Harbor
Engineer of Baltimore City, or of the employee under the provisions
of the Employee's Retirement System of the City of Baltimore may
be transferred to the Employees' Retirement System of the State of
Maryland in accordance with existing law providing for transfers of
credits between and among the various retirement systems of the
State and the municipalities of the State.

(b)  Except as is expressly provided in any or all agreements
entered into under and pursuant to the direction and authority
hereof, nothing contained in this section shall in any way interfere
with or impede the exercise by the Mayor and City Council of Balti-
more of any right, privilege or power granted to, or now exercised
by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore under the terms and
provisions of the various sections of the Charter and Public Local
Laws hereinbefore referred to.

(c) It is expressly declared to be the purpose of this section of this
Article that the Authority and the Mayor and City Council of Balti-
more, to the extent that they have co-extensive power and authority
in all matters relating to harbors, docks, wharves and port develop-
ment, should avoid duplication of effort and assure the uninterrupted
continuation of needed services. The duty to exercise all power,
authority and right in the field shall be, remain and continue in the
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore as to any portion, the transfer
whereof shall not have been effectuated pursuant to an agreement
duly entered into under and in accordance with the provisions hereof;
and from and after the transfer to the Authority pursuant to any
such agreement of any duty to perform any or all of the obligations,