THE TRADE OF PLYMOUTH. 397 
The Coastina Trape is next to be considered, and I must give 
some figures to show what an important trade it is, though it is 
impossible to state in this paper of what it chiefly consists ; but if 
we glance at our imports it is not difficult to conclude from them 
what goods we must receive either by coast or by railway. 
Our coasting trade has, like our imports and exports, been pro- 
gressive. There were entered with cargoes coastwise— 
Ships. Tons. 
Pe isi2 2. ; : ; 2710 : we role . 461,322 
1873. . . . 2872 F 5 : . 494,347 
1874 . ; . : 2702 : . : - 470,657 
1875. : : : 2824 : 3 : - 516,108 
bey 6 viet . . . 2874 5 : . 600,656 
1877 ‘ : ; 2754 : : : . 614,718 
Showing a progress from 1872 to 1877 of over 60,000 tons. In 
comparison with the coasting trade of other ports these figures 
place Plymouth very high. 
In England and Wales five ports only exceed Plymouth—London, 
Liverpool, Tyne Ports, Bristol, and Beaumaris. In Scotland two 
ports—Glasgow and Greenock. In Ireland four ports— Belfast, 
Dublin, Cork, Waterford, which trade largely with England. 
Our coasting trade outwards is also large, but, of course, not so 
large as the inward trade, the difference between the inward and 
the outward trade being either consumed here, distributed inland, 
or exported to foreign countries. 
There were cleared coastwise with cargoes— 
Ships. Tonnage. 
in Ista: . . . 1651 é : . . 284,707 
187s. : - z 1627 : 5 : . 349,438 
aye eee ° - : 1624 5 é . . 344,486 
1875. - ; . 1659 : ; ‘ . 944,083 
1876. : A : 1629 : 2 A - 361,875 
These figures show a progressive increase in the tonnage, with a 
decrease in the number of ships, indicating that larger ships are 
employed as we proceed. The outward coasting trade of Plymouth 
ranks in importance compared with other ports—In the United 
Kingdom, fourteenth; in England, eleventh. But if the coal 
ports are deducted, the coasting trade from which is enormous, 
Plymouth ranks ninth in the United Kingdom, and sixth in 
England. The trade inwards of coals here in the year 1876, 
which was of course coastwise, amounted to about 300,000 tons. 
