The Forfarshire in coastal waters

The iron barque Forfarshire was built for Thomas Law's Shire Line fleet by Birrell, Stenhouse and Co. at Dumbarton in 1885. Registered at 1,354 tons gross, she measured 239½ feet in length with a 36 foot beam and was typical of her builder in the beauty of her lines and finish. Basil Lubbock cites her as his best example of 'a fast iron barque of the eighties' and, although no record breaker, she was undeniably a handy ship. Notable passages included 89 days from Auckland (New Zealand) to the (English) Channel in 1895 and 86 days from Glasgow to Fremantle (Australia) in 1898 although she is probably best remembered for her involvement in a collision off Folkestone in 1907. In heavy weather, during the night of 8 December that year, she ran into the side of the Dutch steamer Scheldestroom causing serious damage. Forfarshire lost her bowsprit, head gear and figurehead but, saved by her clipper bow, drifted ashore near Deal from where she was quickly taken in tow by a Dover tug and brought safely to anchor; the Dutch vessel was not so lucky and foundered off the Continental Pier at Folkestone. Repaired and put back into service, Forfarshire was sold to Norwegian owners in 1912 and renamed Alexandria. Surviving the Great War, she was still afloat and trading in 1927, but disappears from record soon afterwards.