Hoods of Aberdeen built Salamis in 1875 for George Thompson owner of the White Star Line. She was of iron, 1079 tons and built on the lines of the Thermopylae with a few minor alterations.

No expense was spared in her construction. The yellow stripe round her green hull was not painted but gilded. George Thompson had a fleet of clippers and when Samuel Plimsoll was pleading his bill in parliament for a loading line, he named Thompson's as one firm that never loaded their ships deeply; he returned the compliment by calling his next ship Samuel Plimsoll. Thompson thought of calling his next ship Sarah Plimsoll (a bit of Victorian brown nosing) but she was built as a sister ship to the Thermopylae so was accordingly named Salamis - the two names commemorating the ancient Greeks' twin land and sea victories over the Persians.

It was intended that the Salamis would have the same round trips as the Thermopylae, out to Melbourne with general cargo and then across to China and home again with tea. But by 1875 steamers had got hold of the tea trade and most of the clippers were put into the Australian wool trade.

As a wool clipper. Salamis set up a wonderful record, averaging 87 days for 18 consecutive wool passages. She was sold to the Norwegians and in 1905, her 30th year, was wrecked in the South Pacific. The end of a beautiful ship.