From 1862 to the present date, the story of the haven, with the exceptions of the trawling fleet and the Belfast line, which will be treated of directly, is not one which will awaken envy in the breasts of those whose interests are bound up in rival ports, nor indeed can it be a source of congratulation to those whose interests might ordinarily be supposed to be best promoted by its prosperity. It is true that the foreign trade for seven years after 1862 was in a state of fluctuation rather than actual decline, but the three succeeding years were stationary at the low figure of 21 imports each, after which there was a slight improvement, raising the annual numbers to 24, 32, and, in 1875, 33, due more to the staunch allegiance of Messrs. B. Whitworth and Bros., whose cotton again appeared on the wharf, than to any inducements offered to them or others by increased facilities or more appropriate accommodation. The coasting trade has already been referred to, so that there is no necessity to recapitulate facts but just laid before our readers. It is proper, however, to mention a few statistics respecting the trade in exports of coal, the chief business, and below are given the numbers of tons shipped, mostly to Ireland, in each of the specified years:— 1855 31,490 1860 23,652 1865 16,225 1866 12,315 1867 10,912 1868 6,809 1869 24,741 1870 43,653 1871 51,473 1872 54,794 1873 55,447 1874 56,939 1875 71,353 The large and sudden increase from 1869 is mainly owing to several screw steamships having been extensively engaged in the traffic, and there is every probability, from the addition within the last few months of a new and handsome coal-screw, and other indications, that this branch of commerce will continue to develope with equal, if not greater, rapidity. Again, it should be remembered, when considering the falling off in the numerical strength of the coasting vessels trading here, that those now plying are of much greater carrying capacity than formerly, and consequently the actual exports and imports have not suffered diminution in anything like the same proportion as the ships themselves. A series of tabular statements of all the most important and interesting matters connected with the harbour from the earliest obtainable dates has been prepared from the official returns made to the custom-house during each twelve months, and subjoined will be found a list of the vessels retained on the register as belonging to the port at the end of the years indicated, with their tonnages and the number of hands forming the crews:—