COASTING TRADE, trade carried on by sea between the ports of the same country. In some countries the coasting trade is retained as a home monopoly, and this used to be the case in the 'United Kingdom, but by. recent laws the coasting trade of Great Britain has been opened to foreign vessels, subject to the same rules, dues and regulations as British sailing ships and steamers; but power was given to impose by an order in council retaliatory pro hibitions and restrictions on the ships of such countries as should impose restrictions and prohibitions on British ships. The dues and regulations to which vessels engaged in the coasting trade are subject are different from those which relate to vessels engaged in the oversea trade, and masters are required to keep books showing that their cargoes are strictly such as are allowable by the rules of the coast ing trade. In the United States the coasting trade is restricted to vessels built and owned in the United States, as well as officered and chiefly manned by United States citizens. The
term also includes colonies or dependencies overseas. The conunerce of the Great Lakes is included in the coasting trade. The great length of the sea and lake coasts, the nurnber of good harbors and the fact that much of the coast region of the United States has been settled, makes the coasting trade of this country the most extensive in the world. Many hun dreds of sailing craft and steamers are used in this trade, carrying the products and people of one part of the country to other parts. This trade is increasing rapidly; the licensed tonnage of fisheries and trade in 1900 was 4,338,145 tons, an increase of nearly 1,250,000 tons in the pre ceding 50 years. In 1915 the licensed tonnage in the coasting and fishing trade was 6,486,3f34 tons and 23,072 vessels. Consult 'Annual Re ports) of the Commissioner of Navigation.