The single screw, steel hulled, cargo ship, 'Furtor' was launched during February 1904 as the 'Cranford' at the Howdon yard of the Northumberland Shipbuilding Company Limited for her Manchester owners. Her vital statistics were 325.5 ft. long x 47.0 ft. breath x 22.0 ft. depth being of 2991 gross and 1945 net register tons. In 1915 she was renamed 'Aquarius' for her new London based owners and changed hands yet again early in 1918 to Watkin James Williams of Cardiff.

During November 1918 she collided with a steamship 45 - 50 miles SW of Corfu whilst on a voyage from Penarth to Corfu loaded with a cargo of coal. [425]