Thomas Law founded the Glasgow "Shire" Line. The main addition to his fleet was the SELKIRKSHIRE, launched in 1878 from the yard of Messrs. Birrell, Stenhouse. The SELKIRKSHIRE's dimensions were: length, 228 feet 4 inches; breadth, 35 feet 8 inches; depth, 20 feet, 4 inches. She registered 1, 271 tons gross, and 1, 192 tons net. Like all of Birrell's ships she was beautifully finished, with lots of brass and teakwood on deck, and polished bird's -eye maple and mahogany below. She was especially built to carry emigrants, as her tween decks were pierced for ports. She had a donkey engine and condenser in her midship-house. She was a big ship, particularly of her day, to be barque rigged. Her fore and main lower masts and topmasts were all in one, she had double topgallant sails on the main, but single at the fore. On her mizzen she lowered her spanker gaff when furling the sail.

The mizen mast came down through the surgeon's cabin and hospital; this compartment was afterwards turned into a pantry, and apprentices found the mast a most handy thing to dodge behind, when caught by the steward stealing pies. The half-deck was on the port side under the poop, so the steward had to keep very wide awake.

The SELKIRKSHIRE was one of the most shapely and prettiest of barques ever launched, and she possessed an astonishing turn of speed. She was considered one of the fastest ships in the fleet. To look at her from a distance she appeared as large as the CUTTY SARK or THERMOPYLAE, although they were actually a few feet shorter.

SELKIRKSHIRE's first commander was Captain Anderson; he was succeeded by Captain Hugh Brabender, who had her from 1885 to 1899, then Captain J. Houghton had her until 1905. Her best sailing record was one of 22 days between Yokohama and Portland, Oregon in 1897. She left Japan on October 22 and anchored in the Columbia River on November 13, having averaged 236 miles a day for 5,200 miles, her best 24-hour run being 315 miles. There are only five passages that have ever bettered this run, and two of these were also 22 days.

At Portland the Shire Line barque loaded the usual grain cargo home, and leaving the Columbia River on December 19, reached Queenstown on April 25, 1898, 127 days out. This was considered a fair average passage.On her next voyage the SELKIRKSHIRE went out to Fremantle from Glasgow in 80 days. She maintained her high average right up to the last.

Her final passage under the British flag was a very strange affair. In 1902 she found herself taking on nitrate at Tocopilla for the Mediterranean. Her run around the Horn to Cape Spartel was made in 82 days. She discharged at Leghorn; and her articles for the crew ran out - she had to discharge her crew and a number of Italian fisherman were signed on in their place!

From Leghorn she received instructions to go round to Cadiz. On this passage, while going through the straits, she probably made the fastest speed through the water of her entire career. When sighting Gibraltar they were with a strong breeze, but by the time they were going through the straits they encountered a gale. When the log was cast, the line being marked up to 16 knots, the entire line ran out and actually broke from the reel - they were obviously going faster than 16 knots!

From Cadiz the SELKIRKSHIRE went on to Buenos Ayres. She left there on August 7, 1903 and arrived in Delagoa Bay in September, 26 days out. The SELKIRKSHIRE was as smart as a tea clipper when on a wind, for she would go 13 knots with her yards hard on the backstays.