In the years 1854, 1859, and 1869, statistdcal tables were made and published with the Census Papers, and those years have therefore been selected for comparison.
The trade is carried on principally with the United Kingdom, the Imports from which were, in 1876, to the value of £205,845, and the Exports to £186,566. Victoria, South Australia, Mauritius, China, and Singapore follow in order of importance, but the Exports to South Australia are greater than to any of the others, amounting, in the same year, to £81,139. This trade, in the year 1876, employed 145 vessels of 40,159 tons, exclusive of the monthly mail steamers, and was thus distributed: —
| Shipping entered at | British | Foreign | Total | |||
| Ships | Tonnage | Ships | Tonnage | Ships | Tonnage | |
| Albany … | 80 | 10376 | 7 | 1976 | 87 | 12352 |
| Bunbury … | 4 | 1335 | 3 | 774 | 7 | 2109 |
| Champion Bay … | 5 | 1816 | … | … | 8 | 1816 |
| Cossack … | 23 | 1171 | 2 | 428 | 25 | 1599 |
| Fremantle … | 58 | 17564 | 2 | 760 | 60 | 18324 |
| Vasse … | 10 | 3509 | 1 | 450 | 11 | 3959 |
| Totals … | 130 | 35771 | 15 | 4388 | 145 | 40159 |
The number of mail steamers entered at Albany, during the year, was 28, of 38,949 tons burden, making a total of 173 vessels and 79,108 tons. The export trade of the year employed 129 vessels of 36,069 tons, or, including the mail steamers, 157 vessels of 75,018 tons. The coasting and fishing trade was carried on by one steamer of 320 tons, carrying the mail, and by 65 vessels of 3058 tons, distributed as follows:—Albany 4 vessels, of 369 tons; Fremantle 5 vessels above 150 tons, 1426 tons; 24 from 25 to 100 tons, 998 tons; and 33 vessels of less than 25 tons, 970 tons, in all, 61 vessels 2908 tons. There are, besides, two steamers plying between Perth and Fremantle of 62 and 24 tons respectively, with several
