None of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's fleet of sailing vessels has a better record than the Westland, a full-rigged ship of 1116 tons, which for some years attracted world-wide attention among shipmasters on the Pacific and Atlantic. Built by Duncan, she was one of the last ships ordered for the Shaw, Savill Company.

In 1888, in command of Captain Scotland, the Westland reached Dunedin in 72 days, or 66 days land to land. The "Otago Daily Times" referring to the ship's arrival, said: "Her advent was unexpected, the vessel not being due for at least another week. Captain Scotland was heartily congratulated upon having made the shortest passage of any sailing vessel. the Westland left London on the evening of April 13, and carried moderate S.W. winds down Channel, taking her final departure from Ushant on April 18. With moderate westerly winds across the Bay of Biscay, she passed the Canary Islands on the 24th; on the 26th she took the first of the N.E. trades, which were fairly good. They gave out on May 4, and were followed by variable winds for two days, when she picked up the S.E. trades and crossed the Equator on May 7, only 18 days from Ushant. The S.E. trades carried the ship down to 20 deg. S. long., 31 deg W. on May 14, when they were succeeded by N. and N.W. winds. The meridian of Greenwich was crossed on May 24. Still keeping fresh N.W. winds, she rounded the Cape of Good Hope four days later in latitude 45 deg. S., thence across the Southern Ocean she had N.W. and N. winds, accompanied with heavy seas. She passed the meridian of Cape Leeuwin in 57 deg. S.; then followed a succession of variable winds until reaching the island of Tasmania on June 20. Light easterly winds followed for two days, when N.W. and W. winds carried the ship to the Snares, which were passed on June 24. Still keeping similar winds, she passed the Nuggets on June 25—19 hours from the Snares. Light winds followed until off Cape Saunders, when the ship took a fresh breeze, which brought her to port on the morning of June 25. Her Easting was run down or a parallel of latitude 50 deg. S. No ice was seen.